I put my cats hair out by where they are digging, they were digging in my cucs, put the hair out there, no more signs of them, these might be gophers though.

Here are the easy ways: (1) Get a cat. (2) Make it hard for them to hide, or to travel undetected. Keep the lawn mowed for at least 15 feet around your garden, weed frequently, and hope the neighborhood predators (hawks, owls, foxes) will find them.

Forget about sprays, vibrating machines, etc. If you can't get pets or wildlife to get rid of them, you will need to trench some heavy-duty ¼" mesh hardware cloth down at least a foot and leave at least 18 inches above ground, all around your garden (or plantings).

This year, voles ate about two-thirds of my seedlings and chomped down on lots of mature plants, strawberries, and tomatoes. They like to eat broccoli and kale plants down to the nub, can devour an entire pepper plant overnight, and will bite through a pea vine at the base, killing the whole plant (ditto morning glories).

I tried trenching in some hardware cloth about 6" down. It wasn't long before they figured out how to dig under it, and not long after that they discovered they could bite through it. Every week I'd inspect the fence and find new tunnels to plug with rocks, and new holes to patch.

The past couple of weeks, I finally trenched in some heavy stainless-steel mesh down a foot and out a foot (in an "L" shape) around the entire 200-foot perimeter of the garden. That had better keep them out, because I am at my wits' end.

It wasn't easy.

Here's what's worked for me. I've posted it here before, and managed to anger some people, but it works. Start by finding exit holes. This can be difficult when foliage is bushed out, and is easier after frost and garden clean up. Not all holes are active ones, but you can still use this set up, moving it if nothing happens.

Place some mouse poison (Decon) in a plastic yogurt cup and lay it on its side facing the hole and the angle the hole goes into the ground. On either side of the hole and cup place two short pieces of 2x4. Put a five gallon bucket on the 2x4 and weight it down with a rock. This keeps birds and pets out of the poison. Check it daily, adding poison as necessary. When no more poison is taken, move it to another hole. If no poison is taken, the hole isn't an active one. Find another.

I'd look into that, however, one of my late dogs got into it and bang ! Dead dog. I use mouse or rat spring traps. If my dogs get into that they get a surprise, not a shocking end.

What I did last evening is ran around the yard looking for holes, and when found, run the hose until filled and overflowed. Nothing came out but some holes took on 20-30 gallons in my clay soil. I've seen sulfur smoke bombs do it but drowning sounds so much easier on mother nature.

Here is a link that might be useful: Green Anything !

I used a castor oil product. It took a few applications over a two-week timeframe, but it seems to have worked. Haven't had any more issues with the little varmint.

Rick

Here is a link that might be useful: Previous vole discussion thread

Visit the following thread at the Home Orchard Society's web forum:
http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1201

The Quintox stuff worked for the voles around my fruit trees.
It's supposedly safe for wildlife and pets. Do your own due diligence.

Supposedly safe ? Instructions say not to disperse around domesticated animals or wildlife. It's just another rat poison. A bait station sounds better away from animals, however you run the risk of wildlife catching and eating the infected rodents. I don't have any owls around but do have hawks and sparrow hawks patrolling the fields.

Maybe a better idea is to keep certain areas wetter than normal to discourage burrowing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Green Anything !

I have two white turkish angoras cats (long haired) They are deaf so they are house cats, but I collect the hair and put it around the holes and mounds and now no sign of them.(the gophers or moles) I think it's the smell.

I'd like to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm going to try something unique. Just bought 5000 catnip seeds. Spread them around my orchards like in my website. When the stuff grows should attract cats. Who knows, I will be overrun with cats instead of Voles. My honey bees won't mind either and the garden should be protected also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Green Anything !