you keep trying.. and trying.. varying methods.. until you catch one.. and then try for all of them ....

research will get you dozens of methods.. try them all ...

with chipmunk .. it finally figured out a way to wire a nut on the rat trap.. and finally got one.. took me most of one summer to come up with that ...

but i have nothing specific for you on voles.. i just wanted to say.. dont give up ... but dont limit yourself to you one method ....

have you considered hiring a pro???

ken

Try a different brand of mouse trap. Another way I have read is to bait the trap but do not set it. I believe they call this "prebait". Let the animal feed off the unset trap for a few days (keep replacing bait). They will trust it, then set it.

get some cotton or rubber gloves from the dollar store.. and dont get your stink all over the trap ...

try youtube also ...

ken

You have to re adjust your thinking/attitude on trying to eliminate pests such as voles in your garden.....try to live with the fact that you will never eliminate this problem....kill one and one will take its place....planting gardens are sources of food for whatever likes to eat what you are growing....example...plant milkweed you get caterpillars....so if you want to get rid of voles....eliminate what they like to eat or live with these critters.....try to live with nature and not wage war on it......

Way to go Ian!!
I deal c "wabbits" and chipmunks on a regular basis and have just given up on some plants, while concentrating on other more bunny resistant fare. I have never trapped or killed one. Does no good. Like you said, one will just replace it.
River rock on top of my potted plants keeps the chippers from digging them up.

Oh dear God ! Just realized my vole problem today- they're eating the roots of my oak leaf hydrangeas & self heal herbs- I read they are drawn by my compost pile- I googled - it says to set suffer bombs in the tunnels - traps & call pros in- the multiply like crazy & must be dealt with- my sheepdog loves to dig them up & kill them. This is troubling ! ( voles, that is... Sigh )