Quick verdict
A metal lever operated by foot that compresses the springs of a scissor-type mole trap to set it, and opens the jaws to release a catch, so your hands never go near a trap under tension. Scissor traps are the most effective mole traps and the ones most likely to pinch a finger; this tool removes that moment. It fits most spring-loaded scissor traps and takes the strain off hands that find the springs too stiff.
Strengths
- Sets and releases scissor traps without hands near the jaws
- Foot leverage overcomes stiff springs
- Fits most spring-loaded scissor mole traps
- Metal construction for repeated use
- Makes trapping possible for people with weak grip
Weaknesses
- Only for scissor-type traps, not harpoon or box traps
- Another tool to carry to the lawn
- Check fit with your trap pattern
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Hands Away From the Jaws
Scissor traps are what mole catchers use because they work, and they are set by compressing two strong springs with your hands beside the jaws. Everyone who has trapped moles has a story about the moment it slipped. DPOD’s setter is a foot-operated lever that compresses the springs and opens the jaws to set the trap, and opens them again to release a catch, with hands nowhere near.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how scissor mole traps are set and used generally. We have not used this tool ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
Setting
Place the trap in the tool, step down on the lever and the springs compress and the jaws open. Set the trigger plate, lift the trap out with the tool holding it open and lower it into the prepared run. Step off and the trap is live in the tunnel. The leverage of a leg against a lever is many times that of fingers, so stiff springs become easy.
Releasing
After a catch, the jaws are clamped. Step on the lever again and they open, the mole drops out and the trap is ready to reset. No prying with a stick, no fingers in the jaws.
Who Benefits
Anyone, and especially people whose hands are not strong enough to compress scissor springs by hand, which keeps many gardeners from using the most effective traps. With a setter, the trap is usable by anyone who can stand on a lever.
Fit
Most two-spring scissor traps fit. Check your trap pattern against the listing. Harpoon traps and tunnel traps set differently and do not use it.
Trapping Technique
Find the main run by probing along a ridge, open it, set the trap across the tunnel with the jaws straddling the run, and cover the opening to exclude light. The setter makes the trap part safe; the probing is still the skill.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone who uses scissor mole traps.
- Gardeners with weak hands who could not set them before.
- People who have been bitten by their own trap.
Common Owner Complaints
Traps of an unusual pattern not fitting. Check first.
Care
Rinse soil off the lever and dry it so the pivot does not seize, and oil the moving joint once a season. Store it with the traps so it is to hand when a run is found. Check the lever fits your traps before the mole season starts rather than in the field.
Alternatives to Consider
Harpoon traps set from above with a foot and need no tool. The Victor Black Box is an enclosed baitless trap for gophers. A sturdy glove and care is the traditional method.
Verdict
If you set scissor traps, this lever is the accessory that keeps your fingers, and it makes the best mole traps usable by anyone. Find the run, set with the foot and check daily.
Full specifications
DPOD Universal Foot-Operated Metal Setter and Release Lever for Scissor-Type Mole Traps FAQs
Place the trap in the tool, step on the lever to compress the springs and open the jaws, set the trigger, then position the trap in the run. To release a catch, step on the lever again and the jaws open.
Scissor trap springs are strong and a slip snaps the jaws on fingers. Foot setting keeps hands clear and gives far more leverage.
Most scissor-pattern traps with two springs. Compare the trap dimensions with the listing; harpoon and tunnel traps do not use it.
Scissor-type gopher traps of the same pattern, yes.
