Another mouse rant...

[Mtsoxfan]

I'm a longtime mouser, so this is just an semi-rant. I found a mouse nest just in front of radiator screen, of my new tractor, yesterday while cleaning hay seed accumulated from brush hogging a field. Took me a minute to figure out some of the material it used to build. From a roll of underlayment I just couldn't throw away when I moved from CT to VT. You know, I may have a use for it some day. )
I usually keep the hoods open of my tractors, as mice love privacy. Since I moved to VT, I stopped using poison, as I don't want to harm natural predators of mice. I know I have ermine, fox and coyotes around home. I use snap traps with peanut butter. Successful enough for me. When I catch mice, I just put body outside barn to attract predators. ( Ok, no real farmer would call it a barn, due to the size, 20x20x20, but that's what I call it to differentiate from shed) It is the time of year though for me to stock up on snap traps, as after a couple of kills, they fall apart. I don't have a problem with catching mice, and they are under control. it's just time to start the dance. Seems like it was a short summer around here...

 

[Jstpssng]

Seems like it was a short summer around here

They seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Sometimes I think that July and August must have been removed from the calendar.

And I know just what you mean about mice. I also have red squirrels to contend with, and they are even worse.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

There are red squirrels around the area, luckily, none at my place. knock on wood. A friend 3/4 mile as crow flies has issues with them. He can keep them...

 

[caver]

My tractor has been sitting outside for a couple years due to too much stuff in the barn. I always keep the hood open when parked.

 

[ponytug]

Here, keeping the hood open only invites the squirrels in. Ask me how I know...

 

[ponytug]

All of which brings to mind the classic joke about a bear attack: "I don't have to out run the bear, I just have to out run YOU."

If you look at cabins in Alaska or Canada in bear areas, many of them are beefed up to keep bears from being able to get it. To me, it is like fire resistance; it is another expense, but the price of being where we are.

@ultrarunner To me it is about making your place less attractive than your neighbors. If they have come through your siding once, what about covering the siding with stone or cinder block up four or five feet to keep the bears at bay? You can also get some nice galvanized steel hurricane panels these days to bolt up over windows and doors, which would also add to the cabin's fire resistance.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

From the experts… bears look for vacant homes to set up a lair… squatters as you will with squatters rights?

No food whatsoever remains in the cabin.

 

[ponytug]

From the experts… bears look for vacant homes to set up a lair… squatters as you will with squatters rights?

No food whatsoever remains in the cabin.

Talk radio left on?

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I like barn cats, don't gotta re-set them!

Good seat warmers, too!

 

[ultrarunner]

Talk radio left on?

Could try it but standard practice is power off at the main as well as propane at the tank and water at shutoff.