Spear-Shooting Trap Kills Moles

2004 - Volume #28, Issue #4, Page #27

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"I've never had too much luck with the mole traps that are on the market, and neither have the neighbors and friends I've talked to," says Max Robertson of Bloomington, Ind.
  So he built his own mole trap that shoots a sharpened steel rod at trespassing moles. The trap consists of some 3/4-in. metal water pipe with a spring-loaded "spear" inside that's released by a conventional rat trap.
  "It looks like a tire pump with a rod sticking out the top. The big trap is very easily triggered and this sensitivity contributes to the success of the trap because as soon as the mole starts pushing any dirt up from its tunnel, the trigger is set into action," says Robertson.
  Here's how it works:
  There's a heavy metal spring inside that's fastened to the sharpened metal rod. The spring is stretched into the "loaded" position by the handle on top. A pin that goes through a hole in the pipe keeps it cocked. The rat trap connects to the pin and also to a trigger that goes down the pipe into the tunnel.
  Once the rat trap is set, it can be triggered by the slightest upward motion of dirt. The rat trap knocks the pin out of the hole, which releases the spring-loaded spear, which shoots down into the mole.
  "The key thing about this trap design is that it can be triggered instantly by very little movement from a mole, once it's tripped," he says.
  The base of the trap is made from various plumbing components that hold the trap up straight so it straddles the mole's tunnel.
  Robertson says there are two ways to set his trap. You can put it up against the tunneled-up dirt, so if the mole shoves any dirt upward, the trap is triggered. Or you can set it over an open tunnel. The disadvantage of this method is that success depends on which direction the mole is traveling.
  Robertson says the trap cost him only about $10 to make. If there's interest, he would consider making the traps for sale.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup: Max Robertson, 7313 E. State Rd. 45, Bloomington, Ind. 47401 (ph 812 332-0187).

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Spear-Shooting Trap Kills Moles MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Pest Animals 28-4-27 "I've never had too much luck with the mole traps that are on the market, and neither have the neighbors and friends I've talked to," says Max Robertson of Bloomington, Ind. So he built his own mole trap that shoots a sharpened steel rod at trespassing moles. The trap consists of some 3/4-in. metal water pipe with a spring-loaded "spear" inside that's released by a conventional rat trap. "It looks like a tire pump with a rod sticking out the top. The big trap is very easily triggered and this sensitivity contributes to the success of the trap because as soon as the mole starts pushing any dirt up from its tunnel, the trigger is set into action," says Robertson. Here's how it works: There's a heavy metal spring inside that's fastened to the sharpened metal rod. The spring is stretched into the "loaded" position by the handle on top. A pin that goes through a hole in the pipe keeps it cocked. The rat trap connects to the pin and also to a trigger that goes down the pipe into the tunnel. Once the rat trap is set, it can be triggered by the slightest upward motion of dirt. The rat trap knocks the pin out of the hole, which releases the spring-loaded spear, which shoots down into the mole. "The key thing about this trap design is that it can be triggered instantly by very little movement from a mole, once it's tripped," he says. The base of the trap is made from various plumbing components that hold the trap up straight so it straddles the mole's tunnel. Robertson says there are two ways to set his trap. You can put it up against the tunneled-up dirt, so if the mole shoves any dirt upward, the trap is triggered. Or you can set it over an open tunnel. The disadvantage of this method is that success depends on which direction the mole is traveling. Robertson says the trap cost him only about $10 to make. If there's interest, he would consider making the traps for sale. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup: Max Robertson, 7313 E. State Rd. 45, Bloomington, Ind. 47401 (ph 812 332-0187).

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