moles hanging on fences... anyone know why???

[andy b]

i've seen this many times before but have never known the reasoning behind it. when moles are caught and killed, the landowner will hang them on thier fences.... but why?? surely it cant be to deter other moles, can it?? or is it a 'trophy' thing? do any of you know the reason... if so it, would answer a mystery that has 'bugged' me for years.
no wonder the mole is an excellent excavator, look at the size of the front 'shovels'!!!
p.s apologies for the grusome nature of these shots.

[Merlin]

Andy, this is one of many of my favourite 'countryside' subjects with which nobody visiting this website would want me to get too political about. However, I cannot - nor ever will - take a farmer serious if he practices this barbaric act with the mole.

In brief the best explanation for this medieval act is......they are traditionally 'hung out' to let the passing landowner see that his steward of the countryside (farmer) is doing his job right.

Pete.

[andy b]

cheers for that pete..though as you say gruesome in this day and age

[Chocky]

That is a dreadful thing to do

[rolf]

I think they are normally dead first Beryl, but it was common practice for trappers employed by the farmer to use this method as a tally for payment due, similarly with Crows and other animals considered vermin.

[andy b]

thanks rolf, it's all dropping in place now!!

[Chocky]

Oh. Right. But still not nice
Some one hanged a wood pigeon and it's hight up in a tree near the park. It's been there for a longtime now.