You might think this sign is a joke, but it is not! This sign is planted in what we around here call the "Mole Super-highway", and believe you me, the moles are a-coming and a-going at a fast pace.( Are there speed limit signs down under?)
We have tried for YEARS to rid this section of our lawn and landscaping of moles, instead, the super diggers have increased and improved their underground highways , to encompass our whole 2 and 1/2 acres, and then some. They even have mole hills on our island which means they have been very industrious and tunneled UNDER our pond to get there.
Please note the structure in the background here. This is a picture taken at least 10 years ago, there are many of my first Jacob sheep in this picture. The structure is a roof over the sheep feeder. See how straight and level it is?
Here is the same structure now. The sheep are removed from this area in the late fall and winter. Last fall and early winter the structure began leaning, and the reason is , MOLES!!!! Note the bottom left portion of the sheep feeder .
Here is a close-up. Guess what the legs have sunk into? Yup, a mole hole, or more correctly, a mole cavern!I told you, the moles have a plan.
See this story*,
and this story.* How can you not agree with me?
The moles have also tunneled all around the foundation of our home, plus, our oldest son was helping out last winter and was under the house to do some wiring and he said there are mole hills everywhere under the house. SEE?
We have resumed all- out war on moles, those pesky varmints! Here is our #4 capture for the year, and shortly after this mole was caught today, another trap was sprung, but found empty. So the mole highway is busy. My husband got 1 mole in January and 3 in February. I am issuing a formal challenge to
Miss Vickie of Sand Flat Farm*. She is at war with the gophers in Texas, and claims to be mighty lethal with her gopher traps. My husband is determined to win the years and years of war with the moles around here, so let the battle resume with more determination and on the 31st of December this year let the winner be announced and a special award will be given. Miss Vickie, we are looking forward to a great challenge, and may we both be winners!
You might think this sign is a joke, but it is not! This sign is planted in what we around here call the "Mole Super-highway", and believe you me, the moles are a-coming and a-going at a fast pace.( Are there speed limit signs down under?)
We have tried for YEARS to rid this section of our lawn and landscaping of moles, instead, the super diggers have increased and improved their underground highways , to encompass our whole 2 and 1/2 acres, and then some. They even have mole hills on our island which means they have been very industrious and tunneled UNDER our pond to get there.
Please note the structure in the background here. This is a picture taken at least 10 years ago, there are many of my first Jacob sheep in this picture. The structure is a roof over the sheep feeder. See how straight and level it is?
Here is the same structure now. The sheep are removed from this area in the late fall and winter. Last fall and early winter the structure began leaning, and the reason is , MOLES!!!! Note the bottom left portion of the sheep feeder .
Here is a close-up. Guess what the legs have sunk into? Yup, a mole hole, or more correctly, a mole cavern!I told you, the moles have a plan. See this story*, and this story.* How can you not agree with me?
The moles have also tunneled all around the foundation of our home, plus, our oldest son was helping out last winter and was under the house to do some wiring and he said there are mole hills everywhere under the house. SEE?
We have resumed all- out war on moles, those pesky varmints! Here is our #4 capture for the year, and shortly after this mole was caught today, another trap was sprung, but found empty. So the mole highway is busy. My husband got 1 mole in January and 3 in February. I am issuing a formal challenge to Miss Vickie of Sand Flat Farm*. She is at war with the gophers in Texas, and claims to be mighty lethal with her gopher traps. My husband is determined to win the years and years of war with the moles around here, so let the battle resume with more determination and on the 31st of December this year let the winner be announced and a special award will be given. Miss Vickie, we are looking forward to a great challenge, and may we both be winners!
15 comments:
I remember this ongoing battle. Amazing the damage those rascals can do! I hope this is the year you win the battle!
It isn't funny the damage those varmints do - but I have to laugh about two of the nicer ladies I know declaring war of any kind! Best wishes to you in this endeavor - kill them invaders - live by the tunnel die by the trap!
I feel the same way about groundhogs! Our dogs keep them from the yard but they are still in all the pastures. We use smoke bombs and that helps kill them.
For anyone who thinks it's cruel, just have a look see at a horse, cow or sheep that's broken a leg by stepping into a ground hog hole. The animal has to be killed or put down for squeamish types.
As to tractors going into ground hog holes...terrible as well! The human could get killed if thrown from the tractor.
I wish you great success!
Kathy, I accept your challenge!!! Altho gopher season has just started here in Texas. Gophers go underground and you don't see them much during the winter, but the first gopher has already been got! So may the best (wo)man win - like you said - may we BOTH win!
FYI, I don't know if it works but I saw on craigslist a new idea for getting rid of moles. This guy had some sort of contraption where he sprayed high amounts of carbon dioxide into the tunnels, and it kills the gophers. I'll see if I can find out any more info on it for you. I'd never heard of it before and it may be a quack, but hey, I'm ready to try anything!
We can't walk through our yard without nearly spraining an ankle right now. We have gophers in the summer and moles all year round. They've taken over the back yard at the farm. I'll have to do a post on it & see if I can find out some more info.
OK, Let the race begin!!! {{hugs}}
Oh, you DO have to set up a gopher count on your sidebar and we can reference each other (somehow) if I can figure out how to do that...
Sorry to see your problem. Luckily I don't have those little pests here.
Oh my goodness, I hope you will make some headway with the moles soon. I can't believe how they tunnel everywhere, like under your house. I don't know anything about them, I guess we don't have them here. We have finally eliminated the skunks from under our house though. Good luck..
LOL, our cats take care of them and they're all outside and barn cats!
Amy
Aren't moles just the most hideous little creatures? There is nothing cute about them at all. I remember my parents having an awful battle with moles too.
Good luck...! :-)
Mildred, you would be amazed at the extreme damage done to some of the places around here, our place is mild compared to them. I hope we at least gain a bit of ground for ourselves.
LindaSue, love that-"live by the tunnel, die by the trap" I would love to not have to kill the critters, but the damage is extreme.
Sandra,there are case recorded of great falls taken by horse beating rider because the horse stepped into a mole hole, and in some cases riders died.I have watched my sheep step into the holes and it is not funny to see their legs go deep and cause them to stumble.
Vicky, I am interested to learn what you find out about the gas solution. Our whole front area is caving in due to mole excavations.And I hope we BOTH win!
Susie, yes, you are very fortunate to not have moles or groundhogs.I used to think they were cute and funny, and comments about their destruction above board, not any more!
Southern Comfort, oh my goodness, skunks under your house! That's pretty bad too. I am glad you got rid of them, not as glad as you are though~
Amy ( goatpod2)our cats catch a lot of vermin, but no moles. Our dogs dig gigantic craters trying to get the moles, with no success, but they sure seem to have fun going after the moles. So my mole problem becomes a dog problem then.
Jo, thanks. Yes, they are terrible, and after reading about their life and habits I am not at all comforted by having them underfoot...literally!
Kathy, we don't have moles here, but that's probably because we have a very small yard and live in town. YIKES! Those things can cause major damage! Wishing you the best of luck in your fight against them. I'll be cheering for you.
Ala Cuisine! Oh - wait, wrong challenge ... Let the Battle Begin!
I feel for you! I wish you well with your battle. Seeing and hearing the damage you have had has encouraged me to start a blattle here before things get even more out of control. I have an entire bed out front that looks like it has been tilled. Hayden was walking through it and sank in to his ankle. The lawn is ruined in one corner too. We thought they were gophers but I now believe it is moles causing the damage. The holes they leave are big and the tunnels are right along the surface. I am frustrated because entire plants are missing and a pepper tree I planted a year ago is looking yellow. We better get some traps and see what we catch.
Daisy,we can use the cheering , a sense of laughter and good humor comes in handy when we survey our acreage.
A.Joy, ha ha! You know us well!
Leslie, es, do not take sympathy on the little diggers, they will wipe out whole garden beds and their holes swallow trees! Good luck and let us know if you have any moles to add to our count!
That is amazing! I can't believe what they did to your poor sheep feeder. Good luck and tell Ralphie to get to work :) One of our cats is a fantastic mole catcher.
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