[Rhodes22-list] Die you Mole-Rat Bastards!

[Brad Haslett]

Robert,

First, I learned their habits.  They dig primarily early morning and late
evenings.  You start with a cupajoe in the morning and finish with a glass
of wine.  Once you see them active, you determine the direction they are
headed.  At first I used a spade but that was too slow and I missed several
times. Besides, it does too much damage to the yard. Use a triangular hoe.
Start about two feet behind them and open the run two feet or so.  That way,
if they retrace their steps you get to "whack-a-mole" in the open.  Take the
pointed end of the hoe and aim right at the head of the hump as it is
rising.  Then, dig the bastard out and give him some more whacks for good
measure.  I can't believe how much damage they can do.  Fortunately, they
are solitary animals.  I've gotten three and hopefully that is the end of
the matter.  On other issues, I went out on the deck last night and spotted
a baby rabbit as the security lights came on.  Her mother immediately ran
over to protect her so I gave them both a reprieve from my recently acquired
air-soft plastic BB skills. Today, I saw a squirrel carrying a green tomato
half as big as he was across the lawn.  Seems I've been targeting the wrong
culprits.  They are a bit more difficult to target (and smarter too) but
with ammo at $7 per 10 thousand rounds I still have the advantage.  They are
still ahead of me financially after the $1500 tree trimming bill last month
to keep them out of my house. I'd love to get another Gracie to patrol the
backyard but Fan isn't ready yet.  I may just show-up with one some day,
just like Gracie.

Brad

On 7/2/07, Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com> wrote:
>
> OK, Brad -- give!  How do you off the critters?
>
> /Robert
> -----------------------------------------------
> Brad Haslett wrote:
> >
> > Whoohoo!  I just got the second one today.  Biology was not my favorite
> > subject, but I've studied the mole's habits at great length the last few
> > month's and now I'm a seasoned killer.  Yeah, yeah, they turn up the
> soil,
> > they are a protected species in Germany, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Let'em
> live
> > in your yard.  Poisons are no good, castor oil (a deterrent) is of
> limited
> > help.  Violent death seems to be working just fine.  I know calling them
> > "underground rat-bastards" is not PC according to PETA and probably some
> > unit of the UN, so, I'm renaming them 'South Asian Disenfranchised
> > Underground Losers With Issues Semi-Rats'. My yard looks a helluva lot
> > better because of my new attitude. Brad
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