Victor 0631 Out O'Sight Reusable Humane Mole Eliminator Trap and Killer

I've been battling moles in my yard for more than 30 years with only limited success. Then, I ordered two of these traps from Amazon. I had trouble setting the first trap because with the setting levers fully compressed, the locking bar remained at least one half inch away from the lip on the trigger pan. I finally solved this problem by compressing the trap against a flat surface with the jaws extending out over the edge, then while continuing to apply pressure with my left hand, I managed to apply enough force with my right thumb to bend the locking bar into position above the trigger pan. I pressed the trigger pan up and over the end of the locking bar and carefully released the setting levers. The trap remained locked and loaded! I set the first trap aside and attempted to set the second one in exactly the manner as the first, but every time I released the setting levers the trap would snap shut.Next day I called Victor customer support about the problem with the second trap. The person I talked to was friendly enough, but offered no real solution to the problem. So, I contacted Amazon for a return. I received a replacement trap from Amazon but again had exactly the same problem. I examined the trap carefully, and noticed that both the locking bar and the trigger pan had a very smooth and shiny black, painted finish. Could it be that they are so smooth that they will not remained engaged when the trap isreleased? Well, it was worth a try. I took a pair of slip joint pliers and applied them to the tip of the locking bar with a twisting motion to roughen up the surface. Next, I applied the pliers to the lip of the trigger pan with a bending motion, just enough to roughen up the paint, but not enough to bend it. Problem solved. The trap remains set every time. Are you paying attention Victor? I hope this information will help others and prevent many returns.I located a mole super highway and set my first trap. In doing so I pretty much followed the instructions as printed on the box. Using a small spade, I made two cuts across the tunnel just far enough apart to accept the width of the trap. I cleaned out the loose dirt to expose the openings from the tunnel at each side. With a small stick, I cleared out two grooves, one at each opening to the tunnel, to a depth of about 1/2 inch below the bottom surface of the tunnel. Next, with the trap set, I held it in position over the opening for a trial fit. I had to make a some minor adjustments with the stick in order to accommodate the trap in a functioning position. I removed the trap and built a small parapet about 1 1/2 inches wide across the center of the opening. I did another trial fit and saw that I needed to add a bit more dirt in order to bring the parapet up to the correct height, resting just below the trigger. Luckily the soil was damp and easily molded. I placed the trap back into position and carefully aligned it to assure that the jaws were centered on the openings to the tunnel at each end. Next, I crumbled up the soil removed earlier and sprinkled it back into the opening around the trap, partially concealing it. Lastly, I placed a five gallon bucket over the whole thing.Next morning I went out to check the trap and it was sprung. I lifted the trap and was surprised when it offered some resistance. I continued tugging at it and out it came with a great, big, fat, and very dead mole. I was elated. I reset the trap in exactly the same spot and later that day I was rewarded with another. not quite so large, but still very plump and very dead mole. I have heard that moles always come in pairs, so I decided to do a little test. I took a stick and made a small hole in the run. I checked the hole the next day and it was still open. Again, on the second day it was still open. But on the third day it was filled in. So, I set the trap again in precisely the same spot. I questioned the wisdom of this but then realized: Dead moles tell no tales. Next day I had another dead mole. I reset the trap in exactly the same spot, although the soil was drier and the sides of the opening were deteriorating. That was a mistake. Next day no mole. I looked around and right next to the trap was a neat round mole-sized hole. It had somehow eluded the trap. I moved the trap several feet up the run and reset it. Next day, another dead mole. I didn't see any sign of mole activity for a few days but decided to reset the trap anyway. Nothing for a couple days, but just now, as I was typing this I decided to go out and check it. Now, you're probably not going to believe this but I have another dead mole! I swear it's true. I placed its little corpse, trap and all into the five gallon bucket, and just as soon as I finished here I'm going to go out and bury it.So, how do I rate this trap? Let's see, what's the score so far? Five dead moles in only six sets. That's incredible! My wife says she has never seen me so exited about a product. This product works far beyond my expectations. I am simply amazed. Anyone who has a problem with moles should get one of these right away. Well, I better get going and reset my trap. That fifth mole means there's another one out there, and I am 100% confident that I will get the little bugger.

Confidently bought this Victor ‘Out O’Sight’ mole trap because of its long history. You do realize they’ve made THIS exact design for over a century – so how could you go wrong?! Easy – shift production to a foreign country (let’s not use the C-word) where material quality, QA, and testing are irrelevant.Amazon Prime delivery was on time; unboxed mole trap and arming it in my workshop ‘was a snap’ (remember that word ‘SNAP’ – we’ll use it again in a second). This trap design is simple & effective. I’d seen multiple online videos, so using the ‘setting levers’ was straight-forward. Next, I fully engaged the safety and was rigging the arming mechanism when ALL H3LL BROKE LOOSE. Here is what happened:With safety fully engaged, I began to move the retaining rod and tripping mechanism into place until they lightly made contact and SNAP / BANG the trap jaws smashed closed, almost taking a couple of fingers with them. When I examined this trap, I saw that the safety had completely broken off – it didn’t even look like steel, but like some sort of weak pot metal. The break was at the 90degree point described below*. I’m also lucky I didn’t also lose an eye – never found that metal tip that went flying… anywhere.(*The safety mechanism is a single piece of metal that has a loop on one end to securely curl around one upper handle of the trap, and at the other end of the safety is a 90degree bend that forms a hook, and allows it to fully overlap the opposite handle. This brittle metal broke at the 90degree bend. You don’t have to put on your Engineering/Physics Hats to understand strength vs stiffness in metals, or to look at a stress – strain graph. In my opinion, this Victor ‘Out O’ Sight trap is an exceptional design being made with brittle, dangerously subpar materials).Naturally, Amazon is good about returns, but for safety concerns, I contacted Victor directly to make them aware of the material defects and dangers in this product. Another solid American company bites the dust by shifting manufacturing elsewhere – shameful, if you ask me!I hope this may be helpful to anyone on the fence about whether to buy THIS model, OR to KEEP LOOKING. Personally, I did buy a completely different trap design, and Yes - I did give Victor another chance on the competing model purchased locally. So for now, the jury is still out on the new 'Plunger.' Happy Hunting