Observe daily for several days and restamp any raised sections. A ridge raised daily indicates an active path and a trap should be set there. Be certain to move any trap that fails to catch a mole within two days. Surface burrow Inspect traps after a rain. If the soil has washed away, leaving a space beneath a trap trigger, insert a chip of flat stone in this space to ensure quick trigger action or reset the trap.
Most shrews are a rather drab gray or gray-brown.
The masked shrew is prevalent across the northern United States and Canada and probably is the most common member of the shrew family. Control Shrews do occur in urban and suburban areas, particularly where the residential landscaping or surrounding natural vegetation supports high populations of the shrews preferred foods. As predators, shrews tend to focus their activity in areas where prey is plentiful. Occasionally shrews enter dwellings, but they seldom cause damage. The presence of shrews in large numbers may indicate that household pests such as mice or large insects are also present.