Voles...

[BLOWN PONY]

Anyone ever successfully got rid of voles in their yard?
My front, side and rear yard is getting wrecked by the little ****ers and I'm not seeing anything with great reviews.
I'd like to keep it safe for kids/pets because of the back yards, but I'll stop at nothing short of nukes for the front and side.

Ideas?

 

[Deceptive]

Get you a Florida Gator, it takes care of Vols and their annoying fans.

Or just say, “we’re back” and they disappear.

Right @TAF?


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[MDShelby]

Voles or moles? Sounds like moles to me.

 

[BLOWN PONY]

Voles or moles? Sounds like moles to me.

From what I can tell they are voles.
I don't really see many holes, but there are snake like tunnels that show up every morning.
From what I understand moles typically dig so deep you don't see their tunnels, just the holes.

 

[SHIFTYBUSINESS]

Moles make the tunnels. The only real way to get rid of them is to get a trap. Squash the tunnels down and set the trap. If it's an active tunnel they will try to open it up again an push up, that triggers the trap and voila dead mole. They are like Vietnamese! They can turn your yard into a tunnel system overnight.

 

[13COBRA]

The best thing I've ever seen are those smoke bomb things... but easier than that, if you chew up a pack of Juicy Fruit gum just to the point it's soft...then put it in their tunnels, they'll eat it and die.

 

[03cobra#694]

The best thing I've ever seen are those smoke bomb things... but easier than that, if you chew up a pack of Juicy Fruit gum just to the point it's soft...then put it in their tunnels, they'll eat it and die.

This is true.

 

[03Sssnake]

Get you a Florida Gator, it takes care of Vols and their annoying fans.

Or just say, “we’re back” and they disappear.

Right @TAF?


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

TAF is busy working at the bus station gloryhole.

 

[SHIFTYBUSINESS]

The best thing I've ever seen are those smoke bomb things... but easier than that, if you chew up a pack of Juicy Fruit gum just to the point it's soft...then put it in their tunnels, they'll eat it and die.

That doesn't work, neither smoke or the gum. We tried the poison gummy worm things also didn't work.

 

[MDShelby]

Yes that would be moles. Voles are more mouse-to-rat like and usually hang out in fields. At least that is the only place I see them, never around a house or yard.

Lots of suggestions with varied results. Open the tunnel and put some moth balls/flakes in it; tough to do and keep the tunnel open, but it will permeate the tunnel and they will avoid it. If you have several connected tunnels, put them in locations to try and cover all of it. If you can keep it underground, you won't smell it too much.

 

[13COBRA]

That doesn't work, neither smoke or the gum. We tried the poison gummy worm things also didn't work.

Really? I've used the gum thing multiple times and it wasn't a big deal at all. All gone within a week.

 

[SHIFTYBUSINESS]

Some say get grub killer because they eat grubs, the trap is really the only sure thing.
Just keep setting the trap until the tunnels are gone. It will take a few weeks but eventually you will thin them out.

 

[SHIFTYBUSINESS]

Really? I've used the gum thing multiple times and it wasn't a big deal at all. All gone within a week.

Me and my neighbor had no luck with any of that. You got lucky or we are unlucky haha! No pest control people have an answer either.

 

[GTSpartan]

The poison worms always worked well for me. Poke a little hole in the tunnel and drop one in. Do it in a couple of spots. The little buggers have super smelling, so you need to be careful of your scent, or else they won't eat it. Wear rubber/latex glove, and use short pipe (i.e. 1" conduit) to bore a small hole. Tear the worms into small pieces and drop them down the pipe. Carefully put dirt back over the hole and you should be good to go. Works every time for me.

They'll die underground. Have 3 dogs and have never had an issue

 

[SHIFTYBUSINESS]

The poison worms always worked well for me. Poke a little hole in the tunnel and drop one in. Do it in a couple of spots. The little buggers have super smelling, so you need to be careful of your scent, or else they won't eat it. Wear rubber/latex glove, and use short pipe (i.e. 1" conduit) to bore a small hole. Tear the worms into small pieces and drop them down the pipe. Carefully put dirt back over the hole and you should be good to go. Works every time for me.

They'll die underground. Have 3 dogs and have never had an issue

That could have been out problem, I'll give it another try using gloves. Makes sense.

 

[03cobra#694]

Just keep setting the trap until the tunnels are gone

That's what I used to see at the golf courses here. Those things with the spikes.

 

[TAF]

 

[Lambeau]

These are the best I've used.

About 75% catch/kill rate.
Simple, safe for everyone but the mole, expensive, made in USA, won't break, won't rust, pretty effective.

I've had some luck with the traps that have the spring loaded tines stabbing them, but they don't go deep enough.

I've tried poison pellets and worms. Jeez, idk, that's ~50% success rate too. I don't like using poison. Besides, I want to see their dead carcass - lol.

IMHO, observations and keys to catching/killing moles:
1) Use on fresh (within 12 hours) of them digging new, active tunnels.
2) They normally tunnel more after a rain.
3) Try to keep your hand scent off trap, especially the scissors.
4) Don't flatten out any more of the fresh tunnel other than where you set the trap.
4) Set trap as directed. Dude in video does it correctly.
5) IF you are successful, it'll be within the first 24 hours after you set the trap. After that, your success rate is ~ 10%.
6) I've caught them at all times of the day. Mostly late day, or early morning.
7) At times I've put the dead carcass back in the tunnel, other times, thrown it in the woods. Not really sure that it makes a difference.

Good luck!

 

[SHIFTYBUSINESS]

That's the trap I have, built like a tank!

 

[Relaxed Chaos]

Juicy Fruit.

Buy a family size of stick gum Juicy Fruit. Wearing latex gloves or a plastic bag on your hands, roll 1000 sticks (give or take; use a lot) into spiral cylinders. The plastic protects the gum from your stink. Using a screwdriver, make a small hole into the vermin tunnel. Keep wearing the gloves (or bags) place 1 spiral cylinder of gum into the tunnel and carefully cover the small hole. Repeat every 6 - 12" in every tunnel you find.

Why does this work? Bugs are attracted to the sugar coating on the gum. Vermin eat the bugs and gum for every meal. The gum plugs up the vermin digestion and they die a horrible death. Imagine your misery of eating a gut load of gum for every meal for 2-3 days.

Use A LOT of gum and keep your filthy human oils and stink off the gum and out of the tunnel. Works every time.