Hanging moles

[rebajayne]

Hiya

I went to the dales at the weekend and i saw 4 moles hanging on a barb wire fence, Does anyone know why this is. My mum said it was an old wifes tale about stopping moles from entering the fields, Sounds silly really!!

[gessoo]

Your mum is right! It is still a widespread custom among gamekeepers to hang up the bodies of 'vermin' to deter others of the same species. This is often done with crows. Personally, I think it is a horrible custom which serves no purpose. And seeing as moles are very much underground creatures and are blind I don't suppose they would even notice.

[marton]

Many years ago I came across a similar sight whilst walking in Wales.I dont particularly remember moles but there were many stoats and weasels and probably other species as well--I seem to remember dozens in total.My father told me they had been put there by a gamekeeper not as a deterent but simply as a trophy board to show off his skills!! I thought this objectionable practice had long since died out.

[coprinus00]

In days of old when landed gentry ruled the world the gamekeepers hung up all the vermin so as he walked(or rode)his family acres his lordship could see that his minions were earning their bread and dripping.

So with a quick touch of the forelock "oi bid ee gooday"

[gessoo]

Landed gentry still seem to rule the world where I live (rural North Norfolk)! They still expect people to touch the forelock to them (and unbelievably quite a large proportion of them still do so).