Whack-A-Vole

This is the first spring (this is our sixth here) that we have not seen a fox in our backyard.  Normally around this time of the year there is a fox that hangs out behind our house.  We are pretty sure that is the reason why our vole population is getting out of control!  Quick!  Bring me a fox!

I have seen them darting around the backyard along with the squirrels and chipmunks.  Yesterday though, we had an odd encounter with a vole.  The boys saw one and went to investigate.  The vole just sat there content to nibble on grass while the boys watched.  I went to get the camera and was surprised when it was still there when I made it back.  The boys were able to pet the vole, heck I even pet the vole!  The boys named him "Hunter-Cavan the Mice-Vole".

Now, it is nice that the boys thought they had a new best friend, but I am not a friend of voles.  Last year the voles did a lot of damage to my garden!  They ate carrots and chewed my pea plants off right at the bottom of the plant.  So I had to sit the boys down and tell them that mommy was determined to kill off all of the voles in our backyard.

Cavan insisted that Hunter-Cavan the Mice-Vole was not to blame.  Instead he said it was rabbits that ate the carrots last year!  Nice theory little buddy, but mommy is still going to kill the voles.  The boys finally agreed to my mass murder plan as long as I don't kill the baby voles.  So I will just leave the baby vole killing until they are asleep.

Matt set up some traps early in the evening and we watched as the voles trotted right past the them.  Apparently voles don't like sweet potato.  Sigh. 

I saw Hunter-Cavan the Mice-Vole come out to his grass spot for a nibble later in the evening and I told Matt to go and kill it!  So Matt played Whack-A-Vole with his trusty shovel.  Done!  Now to get the rest of his little buddies.

Can we keep him, Mom?

Hunter-Cavan the Mice Vole.  Now deceased.