Moles in a food plot

[Farmsteader]

My food plots are in sandy soil and since I started doing no till, I noticed my number of mole tunnels have increase dramatically. Just what is the consensus on moles. Are they beneficial or detrimental to the soil.?

 

[jsasker007]

I wouldn't be too concerned with moles unless you have way too many. Usually nature will find a balance. Gophers would be a bigger problem in my opinion on the sandy soils. Predators will show up and help the balance.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I'm neutral on moles. They can make a mess in your lawn for sure. But in a food plot I'm not sure I'd be to concerned. If anything they're aerating the soil. They also eat all kind of grubs like Japanese beetles...so beneficial in that sense.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Your soil likely has more organic matter, which increased your worm population and the moles that like to eat them. I wouldn't be concerned about moles.

 

[Telemark]

I hunt moles in the lawn, but I leave the rest alone. It never occurred to me thay they might harm a food plot. Would be interesting to find out. Maybe there is some literature out there.

 

[Charles Clear]

An old farmer I work with said to put a piece of juicy fruit gum in their holes. I guess they eat it and cannot digest it. I have them at the end and bottom of my property, they don't really bother much at my place, so I just let them be.

 

[pilotpip]

An old farmer I work with said to put a piece of juicy fruit gum in their holes. I guess they eat it and cannot digest it. I have them at the end and bottom of my property, they don't really bother much at my place, so I just let them be.

My dad swears by this.

 

[farmlegend]

My food plots are in sandy soil and since I started doing no till, I noticed my number of mole tunnels have increase dramatically. Just what is the consensus on moles. Are they beneficial or detrimental to the soil.?

An interesting topic, probably not studied much.

A few years back, I had an insane amount of mole activity (damage) on a one-acre clover plot. It was alarming, but the condition didn't persist. Never noticed much like that ever before or ever since, appears to have been a one-off.

 

[marlin]

My food plots are in sandy soil and since I started doing no till, I noticed my number of mole tunnels have increase dramatically. Just what is the consensus on moles. Are they beneficial or detrimental to the soil.?

Seeing mole activity is good your soils improving. I like what they eat to stay in my soil. They’re easy to trap. I got one this morning..

 

[matinc]

Just checked this today and found this mole highway. Marlin I hope that a good sign after watching OM drop to .9 three years ago

 

[bigboreblr]

Moles themselves don't bother fruit trees. But, if you have fruit trees near your plot, the voles can use those holes an start attacking them. Same goes for other young trees and shrubs.

When I mow my home foodplot, I get a flood of voles running for their lives. Litterally hundreds, I kill atleast a hundred with the mower deck. I have the edges of the plot mowed weekly where apple trees are planted. Only had 1 problem with voles. Uncared for cages filled with weeds was a hotel for voles. Had plum shrubs, had...... Early habitat lessons learned a decade ago. I Keep the cages clean and mowed around them, and I have no problems. Some cages do not have a fine secondary screen around the trunk, still no problems.

Moles dont bother me, voles do a bit, but not enough to act upon them. Ticks at home come more from small game and mice than the deer. Im more worried about that.

 

[Buckdeer#1]

I trap pocket gophers with black box traps,We have real sandy ground and I trap in a local cemetery also. They make the hills and their tunnels are from 6 inches to a foot deep usually