Tree Killer #62 Meets His Maker

This weekend went to the ranch to enjoy with a few friends the fact we now own it. No matter what happens there is a place to go that I can say is mine. Don't have to pay anybody anything to live there. I would be there now but there are no good paying jobs close by.

Over the ten years we saved this old house plus so many other improvements it's a pleasure to now sit around and enjoy. Some 130 trips over the years 280 one way from here. There had been several attempts during that time to get new trees established but always after a year or so you'd look out and see one leaning and you knew it was dead as all were going to be dead because of these tree root eating rat sonsofbitches in the video below. It was so discouraging to see this happen after so much work went into the efforts to establish new trees.

In any case there is a fellow who rents one of the houses and helps out. One thing he does is trap these these rodents as is shown below. Last year he got 60 and this one is #2 for the year. It's because of this the trees in the ground now are into their third year and are doing very well.



These traps are old and specialized. When new activity is noticed as these rodents do not expose themselves except for very brief periods the tunnel end is opened the trap placed and the hole left open. The tunnels are never open so they come to close it and trip the trap. At times it takes 2-4 attempts but generally they can be had. Unclear as to what the proper name for these rodents but I think it may be a type of vole. If anyone knows for sure please tell me.