What the heck is this?

[Vetmx]

Rainy day so I was just shooting my Taipan out to 60 on my side range. Kept seeing something zipping in my scope when shooting at my 40yrd target. I was sitting right on the regs set point and didn’t feel like refilling so I loaded another slug and just waited and scanned. Finally I picked this little thing out by a piece of wood. Super soft little thing, sounded like a balloon popped. What is it? I have no clue but I did know it was a rodent I was shooting at.

 

[Cajun1024]

MOLE!

 

[gendoc]

vol maybe ???

i have heard of these critters but here in the deep south.......there not around,

as far as i can tell. 

 

[DadsKrag]

vol maybe ??

i have heard of these critters but here in the deep south.......there not around,

as far as i can tell. 

Yes vole, and a fat one at that.

 

[RadioFlyer]

Shrew?

 

[Vetmx]

It’s not a mole. I have seen them and they are weird looking. This thing looks like something the kids would want at a pet store. I’ll google vole and see if a mugshot will match this things description. I just hope I don’t have a problem. There are little holes around my apple tree.

 

[idaho_varminter]

I think it’s a vole. They are currently wreaking havoc on my back yard. Prodigious tunneling little bastards. 

 

[davelarson]

Vole! They have a metabolism so fast they need to eat their own weight in food each day to survive. They live only a year... or less! lol, good shot!

 

[RadioFlyer]

Nope, not a shrew - the nose is not pointed - but the tail matches ( 1/3 the length of its body). I have never heard of a Vole but it matches the picture you provided. Thank you for sharing! Learned something new! 

 

[Vetmx]

Yep it’s a vole. Apparently a meadow vole. They don’t appear to be a huntable critter unless your too lazy to fill your gun and like staring through your scope inspecting every inch of your yard for movement. Might have to do more research on how to eradicate them. Or make YouTube videos of me popping them at 200yrds with my airgun. “Extreme long range Voling”. I’ll pass, 43yrds was hard enough. Thanks guys.

 

[Raden1942]

Confirmed vole. They are basically owl and snake food. They are slow awkward creatures. Honestly if the things didn't breed like rabbits on crack they would be extinct. They are one of the easiest kills in nature. I find it weird it was out during the day tho. I usually only see them at night. 

 

[Vetmx]

Raining and very dreary all day here in Pa. And as fat as it is, it probably has a eating disorder that forced him to forage for food. Or maybe it’s breeding season and it was cruising for chicks.

 

[Cajun1024]

Google "What is a vole" good info. about them

 

[Vetmx]

Yep. Looks like I will be at Tractor Supply in the morning getting some Vole poison. They said to trap them you need to put out 25-50 traps. Then check them twice a day plus cover them so other animals don’t set them off. That sounds like a part time job. My neighbors would love driving past and seeing 50 upside down pots and pans in my yard.

 

[Kevin23]

Definitely a Vole. They do a lot of damage, good to shoot 

 

[Matt247365]

Yep. Looks like I will be at Tractor Supply in the morning getting some Vole poison. They said to trap them you need to put out 25-50 traps. Then check them twice a day plus cover them so other animals don’t set them off. That sounds like a part time job. My neighbors would love driving past and seeing 50 upside down pots and pans in my yard.

Poison is always a bad idea.

Use traps. it works.

 

[boscoebrea]

Problem with poison is birds,raptors and snakes will eat dead one and then become poisoned to.That said if you can poison them and make sure the the "good" animals would get to them and eat them go for it.

 

[Vetmx]

I found a bunch of small holes around my apple tree and some near a bush. I’m just going to drop some little poison cubes down them. I’m hoping their little corpses remain in their burrows.

 

[OTmachine]

Bubble gum is supposed to work

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-eliminate-moles-with-bubble-gum

 

[OldSpook]

Works on gophers, moles, voles, other burrowing critters.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEEw4-mR2ws

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9gAsXbmyZ0