Our mousetraps have killed seven mice in the garage this year, more than in past years. Meanwhile, the dog caught and killed one in the basement. This is the first time a mouse has gotten into the house proper since 2020. Seven is also the most we’ve had in the garage for some time, maybe ever.
The traps I left in our basement storeroom remain empty, so I think that one must have snuck in from the garage. In the garage, the first ones we caught were larger, so I am guessing one had babies, and we are now catching the younger mice. Perhaps that means their numbers will be literally dying off.
I know the cold weather drives the mice to look for nice warm spots, but I’m not sure why so many are coming inside. Is the population of field mice higher than normal? Are the seals on the garage doors leaky? Or does some instinct tell the mice it’s going to be a colder than normal winter?
Our dog loves to catch mice and other small rodents. She desperately wants to catch chipmunks, and she will dig up a few square yards of dirt seeking a mole. Leave her unattended and she won’t dig, but if she is near a mole or other underground critter, she will excavate. She’ll even kick rocks out of the way.
It’s kind of funny to see a 90-pound dog chasing a tiny mouse, but a dog that big can move a good volume of earth.
Mouse Traps
If you live in the country, you’ll need mousetraps. You may also need bigger traps, or patience and a .22! Yes, we have friends who would shoot rats in their barn with a .22 loaded with snake shot.
When we first moved here, the house was infested. We would lie in bed and hear the “snap!” of the traps we set out. I started out buy four-packs of mousetraps, but it quickly became clear that was not enough. Plus, some brands can be difficult to reuse if the mouse guts get all over them when it whacks a mouse, or the trap components pull out of the wood when you try to remove the mouse. Some brands seem built to be disposable rather than reusable. I can’t blame someone squeamish from wanting to throw the whole thing—trap and dead rodent—out, but I try to reuse the trap when I can.
I’ve learned that Tomcat brand wooden mousetraps, which are a very traditional design with a yellow pad upon which to place your bait, are both effective and can usually be reused. They are also easier to set than some. I liked them so much, I bought a 48-pack back in 2022 and have at least 32 left.
The best bait I know of is peanut butter. It attracts the mouse, and its stickiness means they can’t run away with the bait.
I also have a few rat traps. We’ve not had a rat in the house, but I have caught one in the garden near the chicken coop. I think it was eating spilled chicken feed. The trap put an end to that.
I left the trap out in case there were more rats, but I had to put it away when the trap killed a sparrow that landed to eat the bait. Oops! A good reminder not to put traps where domestic animals or small kids can get at them.
Bigger Traps
For bigger animals, I have a live trap and conibears. I’ve brought out the 110 and 220 conibear on a couple of occasions, but I prefer to use the live trap unless I am trapping a skunk. I’m not against skunks; I just don’t want to get sprayed. They may be beneficial, but if I catch one in my live trap, I’m shooting it from a long distance.
I will use the live trap if I am curious about what is out there or there is something I don’t want to kill, like a possum. I’ll kill raccoons if they become a nuisance, but this is usually unnecessary. One neighbor thinks raccoons are good eating. He warned me, if I ever try to sell or trade a raccoon, leave the feet on so the person I am trading with knows it isn’t a cat. Good, if unexpected, advice.
We have lots of possums. These are generally benign creatures and don’t bother the bees or the chickens, so I leave them alone. (The raccoons will raid a beehive, eat eggs, and kill a chicken if they can.) Possums are not as cute as raccoons, but they are quieter, will play dead, and don’t seem to get in as much trouble. Raccoons can be like annoying neighborhood children who stir up trouble after dark.
We have not had to trap coyotes or the rarely seen bobcat, but the 330 conibear would probably work. I could build a long box, put the trap in it with the bait behind it. The coyote sticks its head in to get the bait and WHAM! The trap slams on its neck, killing it. Something to keep in mind after the SHTF.
Cats and Dogs
Farmers used to have cats just to help protect their grain. Not a bad idea, but outdoor cats don’t last long around here. They are prey, not just hunters.
Our cat is not as good a ratter as the dog, but the cat lives indoors and is a little spoiled. She would like to catch a mouse, and she pays attention when she sees a chipmunk run under the woodpile, but she prefers to catch those jumpy bugs that somehow get into the house. If we find an odd bug leg, we know the cat has caught another one.
I suspect both animals would be better at catching rodents if we fed them less. Hunger might spur them on, although I am not sure a mouse or mole would satisfy the dog. She might spend more calories hunting and digging than she gained by eating it. But mice will eat the chicken feed and our human food if we don’t control them, and the last thing we need is mouse poop everywhere. So, having a pet that will keep the vermin down is not a bad plan.
We keep a seven-month supply of cat food on hand and have four or five months of dog food in the storeroom. I’d have more food for the dog, but she gets a special diet, and it’s expensive. If we run low on food, the dog will have to eat rice and beans like the rest of us. With the occasional mouse thrown in.
Happy Thanksgiving
Not sure if I will be posting again this week as we’ll be doing some traveling. I guess it depends on how busy I am and how screwed up the world can get in a week.
Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your time with friends and family.
