[PCO Profile] Mole Man Part Two: Mole Woman

The skill of mole catching may not be something inheritable, but it’s definitely a skill that can be taught. At least, it’s a skill that can be taught if your dad is "The Mole Man." So that’s good news for Sara Schmidt, daughter of Tom Schmidt.

Cincinnati, Ohio’s Mole Man Tom Schmidt now has a "Mole Woman" working for his company. His daughter Sara has been trapping moles since 1998. It wasn’t something she’d planned on doing, but it was something she ended up doing. Now, she said she enjoys it for the most part.

Sara’s dad approached her in 1997 and asked her to join the company. At the time, it was just Tom Schmidt and his brother, Dick Schmidt, trapping moles. "So he asked if I would join the team and I said, ‘Dad, I don’t think that’s something that I want to do, but thanks," Sara said.

CHANGING CAREERS. However, she continued to see the stress of the busy business wearing her dad down. The two men were at their capacity, and more people continued to call needing mole help. Tom approached her again, asking for her help, and Sara agreed this time. She left her job as a manager at a paint and decorating store, and went to trap moles. "It was quite a change…going from fabrics and paint and little old ladies needing help with colors to trapping moles," she said.

Sara started training even though she was skeptical about her capabilities. Growing up as the daughter of the Mole Man she was familiar with moles but she didn’t know if she could trap them. "At first I wasn’t sure if I could do it or not," she said. "I didn’t know if I could handle seeing a dead mole."

Over time she got used to it, and it just became her job. Sara has her own route, and visits about 20 clients per day — a little more or less depending upon the season. She tries to service every property on her route about once a week. During the busiest times, she usually works six days a week, but the hours are flexible, which is convenient because she is a single mother. The workload is fairly constant throughout the year, with a little bit of a break in January and February, when the ground is frozen and/or there is snow.

Today the company has between 400 and 450 clients; Sara handles about 80 of them. Besides her and her father, there are currently three other mole catchers: her father’s brothers, Dick and Jim Schmidt; and Bob Hay, a family friend. She said she thinks her dad might want to slow down soon, but she is sure that she and her uncles will try to keep the business going.

Sara said she finds mole catching to be satisfying, although it can be exhausting when it’s very hot or cold outside. Also, the work can feel somewhat never ending because once she gets rid of a mole, another one will try to come in and take over the old one’s tunnels. But it’s gratifying to see a lawn go from being overrun by moles to looking nice again.

"It’s a really good feeling — it’s very satisfying — to start with a property that’s just a mess and see it through until it looks great," Sara said. "And the customers are thoroughly impressed. That’s another thing that makes it nice."

The author is a contributing writer to PCT magazine.