Lawn maintenance and critter control thread.

[Cameramonkey]

Since the other thread about being disconnected and out of touch drifted into lawn care and critter control, I figured I'd branch off and move the conversation here so the thread can re-rail. LOL

What are poison peanuts?

I was surprised too. I thought it was literal. Like they looked like a peanut. No, it looks more like D-Con or broken up pieces of pelletized rodent food.

THis is what I am talking about.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Victor-6-oz-Gopher-Killer/1000683057

It doesnt list voles, but I noticed the trails fill in after I use it on their holes.


But use it sparingly by finding the burrows and using a stick to drive it into the hole so other animals cant get to it. Used too much, or by spreading the pellets away from the nests could result in them dying before they get back home, and then you have to worry about overly hungry predators like foxes being poisoned by eating the tainted carcass. For the sake of the rest of the food chain, you want them dead where they cant be eaten.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Oh, and Victor's poison worms for moles work well too. As long as you use gloves and follow the instructions. Funny story.

Our church has moles BAD. So one of the other trustees put out the worms.

One morning I am walking into church before the service, and I see the molehill next to the sidewalk moving. So I kicked it. Out tumbled a mole nibbling on one of the worms.

Not having anything handy, I dispatched it the only way I knew how. By doing my best Frank_N_Stein impersonation and stomped it with the edge of my heel.

Just as I connect with the mole (and dispatched him immediately) I hear a loud gasp. I look up and one of the elderly ladies is standing about 20' from me with her hand over her mouth in shock. She apparently saw the whole thing.

I dont recall exactly what I said, but I know I apologized and said something to the effect that at least it was quick.

I still laugh about that today.

 

[littletommy]

My dogs (especially the female one) are in charge of critter eradication on my property, they will spend hours sitting still in the yard watching for tunneling moles, then run and dig them up and chew on em.

It gets really disturbing when a large groundhog is involved. I just go inside and let the dogs do their thing. They have an unnatural hatred for groundhogs.

 

[russc2542]

Critter control: F%$^&*ng groundhogs. $8k (well, actually less I guess, that includes some other work on the front porch and others) to inject foam under the garage slab because those suckers wanted my floor as their roof!

Need to do something about the moles too. spreading grub killer on the grass did seem to make a difference last summer though. I'll pick some of those peanuts up too next time I'm at menards.

 

[oze]

We have mole problems at the golf course where I work, and I can attest to the efficacy of the poison worms. They remind my of my Creepy Crawlers set I had as a kid!

 

[jkaetz]

We had a heavy presence of voles that had moved in last winter. I declared war this spring with snap traps where I knew they liked to hang out. Cleared out a half dozen over a couple weeks. After that there was much less activity. I would still catch one or two a month.

 

[HoughMade]

 

[Creedmoor]

Critter control: F%$^&*ng groundhogs. $8k (well, actually less I guess, that includes some other work on the front porch and others) to inject foam under the garage slab because those suckers wanted my floor as their roof!

Need to do something about the moles too. spreading grub killer on the grass did seem to make a difference last summer though. I'll pick some of those peanuts up too next time I'm at menards.

Took me a few weeks of learning his behavior,
But I got him, he was under my low deck.
Chunks of cantaloupe led him to the trap.

 

[russc2542]

Took me a few weeks of learning his behavior,
But I got him, he was under my low deck.
Chunks of cantaloupe led him to the trap.

I've gotten at least 3 by dropping smoke flares into holes, 1 with a 22 (Barely), and half a dozen with 9mm (carry gun). They like my shed too and their favorite spot to come out is exactly 25yds from my back door.

I've heard they like cantaloupe, our attempt to trap didn't work.

 

[Creedmoor]

I've gotten at least 3 by dropping smoke flares into holes, 1 with a 22 (Barely), and half a dozen with 9mm (carry gun). They like my shed too and their favorite spot to come out is exactly 25yds from my back door.

I pondered the small smoke flares and was conserned if it killed it, the smell might ruin grilling for a few weeks.

 

[gregkl]

Took me a few weeks of learning his behavior,
But I got him, he was under my low deck.
Chunks of cantaloupe led him to the trap.

View attachment 243174

Did you punch him in the nose?

 

[Creedmoor]

Did you punch him in the nose?

LOL. No, he had been trying to get out for a few hours. He was sleeping when I walked up to the trap, he knew the end was near.