Someone told me about those electronic stakes that make vole noises to scare them away. I have had one in operation for almost 6 months. I looked the other day and there was a new vole tunnel (they can make their own tunnels in loose soil) right beside the noise maker stake! So, those things do NOT work.

I have also tried the chemical repellants with less than great results. They seem like they make work for a week (maybe), but you have to apply them even more frequently than the package/bottles say. That can get pretty expensive.

I'm still trying a number of approaches, but haven't found any magic bullet yet. I even found a feral cat in my barn, started feeding it to keep it around for the voles, and then found it gone after I'd bought more cat food.

Voles dont make tunnels, they use the tunnels that moles make. I usually get them in my iris beds, when I find an iris that has been eaten from below..I take a rat trap, bait it and set it beside the iris that has been eaten on...Sometimes I have to set more than 1 trap. I then cover it with a flower pot.. I have been able to catch many voles this way.. I was told that they also travel in groups and release a scent that tells other voles this area is taken.So once you get rid of the colony, you should be vole free for a couple of yrs..

What do you use for bait in your vole trap?

I believe we used apples...but would have to ask my husband to see if he remembers for sure..