Source: landwirt.com
Voles damage meadow forage plants by gnawing at their roots. The resulting mounds of soil reduce sward density and forage yield, as well as forage quality and animal performance. Read here how to successfully catch voles with a pincer trap.
Grassland damage and significantly poorer silage quality due to soil contamination of feed are driving farmers to despair and encouraging mouse hunting. Farmer Michael Hauer from Waldkirchen am Wesen in Upper Austria explains: "Many farmers do nothing to combat soil mounds on their grassland. If no mice are caught in the trap, the hunting fever is soon over." The trapping method and, above all, the success rate of the trap therefore contribute significantly to good work morale.
Success with pincer catching
The most effective method for vole control is setting traps. The Wolf's Forceps Trap, also known as the vole trap, is an effective trapping method. This mechanical bait trap works on the principle of scissors. When the clamps are pulled, the trap arms bend apart. Michael Hauer has been working with the forceps trap since 2009 and has been a sought-after expert ever since. He holds around 40 trapping courses annually in Austria, Bavaria, and Switzerland. Last year, more than 10,000 Wolf's Forceps Traps were sold in Austria alone, at a price of €3–4 each.
Correct procedure for catching mice
- Voles can live practically all year round – Except for the period with a continuous snow cover, the existing mounds of earth should be removed before the start of vegetation, when the ground is dry and easily accessible. The following day, freshly dug mounds reveal where the voles are active.
- The number of traps required for control depends on the extent of the vole infestation. For beginners and with a small population, about 20 traps are sufficient. With a large vole population in several areas, an experienced mouse hunter can even manage more than 100 traps.
- The tunnels are located using a search rod (a thin metal rod) that is gently pushed into the soil. If it slides through 6–9 cm, the tunnel has been found. Walkways are usually located at a depth of approximately five to a maximum of 25 cm. The main tunnel is often just a hand's span away from the mound of dirt.
- The passage can be cleared with a garden hoe or spade. Michael Hauer removes clods of earth and stones with a soup spoon so that these obstacles do not trigger the trap when the mouse comes to the bait.
- After the pincer trap is baited with a piece of carrot, it is inserted into the tunnel at half tension. When the arms are fully tensioned, the tentacles are pressed into the tunnel wall and do not hinder the mouse as it tries to reach the bait. As soon as the trigger plate is engaged, the trap is armed. Lowering of the trap at the rear of the arms can be prevented by placing a small piece of hay or a clod of earth underneath. If the trap is positioned too steeply, the bait will scrape the tunnel floor, and the trap will not trigger upon contact with the mouse.
It's also important to check the trap's trigger for ease of release before covering the exposed hole with soil. There must be enough space in the area around the trigger to allow the triggers to fully expand when the trap is released. Otherwise, the catch arms won't close completely. It's advisable to set a trap in each direction of the tunnel. This way, the vole can be caught from any side. Depending on the mouse hunter's experience, setting a trap takes about three minutes. - It is essential to place a stained wooden stake next to the trap to mark the location. Otherwise, the trap will be lost and damage to mowing equipment may occur. The Wolf's Pincer Trap is only very rarely carried by cats or foxes.
- The traps should be checked at least once a day. "You can tell at a glance whether the trap has been triggered. This saves time compared to other methods," says Michael Hauer. With the pincer trap, you don't need to touch the trapped mouse. By squeezing the arms together, the tentacles release the dead vole.
- After the successful catch, the pincer trap should be immediately set up again in the same corridor. This process should be repeated until all mice using this corridor are caught.
- Consistency is half the battle when it comes to mouse trapping, because voles repeatedly migrate from the forest or neighboring areas. Vole activity must therefore be monitored annually, and traps must be set whenever new mounds of dirt appear.
The vole
The vole is a vegetarian and feeds primarily on roots. It consumes its own weight in root mass per day. It grows to a length of six to 23 centimeters and lives for two to four years. Well-nourished adults can weigh well over 200 grams. Females give birth three to six times per year, with three to eight young per litter.
On average, a single female vole raises ten to 30 young per year. Voles are solitary creatures that build several burrows next to each other. Their burrow system is between five and 30 meters long. Vole mounds often contain roots and plant fragments, are elongated, flat, and rather unevenly distributed across the terrain. Their burrows are oval. Voles are intermediate hosts of the fox tapeworm, so gloves should be worn when trapping them.
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