To get rid of voles in your yard, a combination of habitat modification, physical barriers, trapping, and repellents is most effective:

Habitat Modification

• Remove weeds, ground cover, leaf litter, woodpiles, and debris where voles hide and nest

• Keep grass trimmed short and bushes pruned up from the ground to reduce cover for voles

• Avoid mulching close to trees and keep mulch around shrubs minimal

• Remove or clean under bird feeders to reduce food sources

• Soil cultivation or tilling in garden beds can destroy vole runways and nests

Physical Barriers

• Protect young trees with metal, wire mesh, or plastic tree guards buried 6 inches below soil to prevent burrowing

• Use wire mesh fencing (hardware cloth) with 1/4 inch or smaller mesh around garden beds or plants, burying the bottom 6-10 inches underground and extending 12 inches above ground

• Adding sharp gravel or gritty materials around plants can deter voles from crossing

Trapping

• Use snap mouse traps baited with peanut butter placed perpendicular to vole runways or tunnels

• Live traps can be used to catch voles humanely and relocate them at least 5 miles away

• Cover traps with boxes or flower pots to protect non-target animals

• Set multiple traps near active vole holes for best results

Repellents

• Natural repellents include castor oil, garlic spray, capsaicin (hot pepper spray), and predator urine (bobcat or coyote urine)

• Chemical repellents like thiram-based products exist but may not be suitable for edible plants and require frequent reapplication

• Repellents must be reapplied after rain and may lose effectiveness over time

Additional Tips

• Establish owl boxes to attract natural predators like owls that feed on voles

• Maintain a 10-20 foot wide low grass buffer around planting beds to discourage vole travel

• Use ultrasonic mole deterrents to scare voles away by disturbing their underground environment (less proven method)

Combining these methods-removing cover, protecting plants physically, trapping, and applying repellents-provides the best chance to reduce vole populations and protect your yard and garden from damage