Research shows that Washington state bans the lethal trapping of fur-bearing animals (no joke). Apparently this law encompases moles, rats, mice, beavers, wolverines, otters, bears, and the duckbill platypus. Your, then, choices seem to be:
Use a non-lethal trap. Harbor Freight has a small one for not much.
Ignore the law.
Of course if you choose option #1, you'll have to visit what to DO with Mr Mole.
Been a long time since I've had moles but I last used a poison with a phosphide in it. See such poisons are still around, maybe your hardware store will have.
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Can't imagine a state inspector checking for mole traps.
It's any Good Americans right to assume the worst of government. The more idiotic the claim sounds, the more quickly it is believed.
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Legal Status
Moles are unclassified and people may trap or kill moles on their own property when they are causing damage to crops, domestic animals, or their property (RCW 77.36.030). With the passing of Initiative 713, given their body-gripping design, traditionally used mole traps are no longer legal for use in Washington (RCW 77.15.192, 77.15.194; WAC 232-12-142). There are no exceptions for emergencies and no provisions that allow WDFW to issue verbal approval or special permits.
Sounds like you just need to buy a legal trap.
I'd go for the fumigation route. That's what worked for me. Light a little cube and throw it in the hole.
Why bother? FWIW, here's my story...some years ago we noted some mole tunnel eruptions growing in our lawn, sometimes a dozen feet at a time. We asked an old timer what to do, and his reply was to wait a while and see what happened. In a few weeks the tunneling slowed, then stopped. Our advisor said succinctly, "They ate all grubs that were there, now they're off for a better food source". Since they haven't been back for nearly two decades he must have been right.
"bob" wrote in news:j5fffv$s1b$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:
Mole Chaser Windmill
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and
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Eliminate moles quickly and easily without batteries or electricity. Wind powered lawn fan creates a constant vibration to effectively and humanely rid your yard of moles.
It only covers 100 ft. diameter. I never used one of these so I don't know if it works.
1/2 TSP of gasoline into the burrow, (dig up, identify positively, clear out so fumes go all around) works in my zip code. Notice I capitalized TSP. It just takes a tad.
Our two terrifying hunting dogs (One a poodle/terrier, the other a shihtzu/fence jumper) are always on the hunt. At first it was amusing. Then they started catching things. They cornered three chipmunks under the lawnmower the other day, so I lifted up the lawnmower. All three made a clean escape with the dogs not seeing one of them. Then, the other night, I go in for bed. SWMBO is on computer. Dead juvenile jackrabbit on bedroom floor. Quickly shuffle it off to secret location outside. Sometimes they can go a little too far. Lucky SWMBO didn't see it, or they'd be throw pillows on the couch by now. She freaks at mice and chipmunks they bring in. Sometimes not totally dead.
My little poodle/terrier is vicious on small animals. I caught one in my Macabee gopher trap, and wanted to see what the dogs would do. One sniffed it and walked off. The other ripped it from the trap and slung it side to side about six times in .5 seconds. She digs and digs trying to get them, but as yet hasn't gotten one by digging. Ours don't come above ground a lot, but I suspect if they do, they're goners. Now they have moved up to chipmunks, squirrels, and jackrabbits. Vicious dogs, but the cat still kicks their butts and makes them yell, and they know better than mess with any cat. But they have picked up the stalking technique by watching the cat. Hope they get better on gophers.
The stalking technique helps, but dogs can't see squat at night. Further, they're genetically programmed to hunt in packs.
Cats, on the other hand, are solitary hunters, superbly equipped for that role. It is said that a house cat catches its prey* one out of every three leaps. That's a pretty good average.
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Mouse, lizard, grasshopper, mole, bird, snake, rat, or any of over 1,000 other critters. See "Towser," the current Guiness record holder for the title of best mouser.
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