Mole trap and method of operation therefor

A method of operating a mole trap comprising the steps of:

• providing a trap having a housing with at least one slot, a trigger with an upper end and a lower end with a trigger slot therein, a release component having a release slot and an upper tab and a test tab, a first shaft and a second shaft arranged parallel and adjacent one another, said first shaft connected to a trigger pad, said second shaft being spring loaded by a spring and moveable with respect to said first shaft, said spring loaded second shaft operably connected to a tine body having a plurality of tines;
• pushing the test tab downwardly in the housing slot to pivot the release component clockwise and position the upper tab for engagement with an upper end of said first shaft;
• pulling upwardly on said second shaft and engaging the tine body with the trigger slot to hold the trap in a set position;
• said upper tab engaging the upper end of said first shaft and the upper end of the trigger being held within the release slot of the release component when the trap is in the set position.

A method of operating a mole trap that has a housing containing a trigger and a release component, a first shaft and a second shaft generally parallel to and moveable with respect to said first shaft, a spring for spring loading the second shaft, a tine body and a plurality of tines affixed to a lower end of said second shaft, a trigger pad affixed to a lower end of said first shaft, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing the mole trap over a mole tunnel and pressing downwardly until the trigger pad contacts a ground surface forming a top of the mole tunnel;
• pulling upwardly on the second shaft to compress said spring and spring load said second shaft;
• pushing a test tab which protrudes through a slot of the mole trap housing;
• and
• lowering the spring loaded second shaft until a portion of the tine body engages in a slot formed in the trigger within the housing and is held in a set position thereby.