Please help identify problem!!

[radconjohn]

For the past couple of years at the begining of spring and when the snow starts to melt, I have been getting these "burrows" developing. They look like mole tunnels or piles of turd droppings. It looks like something is hibernating in the ground over the winter and coming out in the spring. I have attached pictures to see if someone can help me figure out what it is and how to combat it.
Thank you for any information and help!

[radconjohn]

another pic

[radconjohn]

another pic




Thank you for any help!!

[Leo the Landscaper]

I would say Voles, which are like mice. Especially the last picture. But I have nver really seen those above ground tunnels????

[joshua]

agree with leo. i have 3 properties that have the same problem coming oout of winter every year.

[jbc1013]

Its mole damage. They are looking for grubs and worms in the lawn. They can be controlled by trapping, and in some states, poison. Controlling the grubs helps reduce their foraging. Here's a link http://nwco.net/04-Safety/4-1-1-Risk...yCustomers.asp

[Capemay Eagle]

Yep, Moles, they suck! My moles are active all winter. We don't have snow on the ground all winter, so the just tunnel as normal. There is tons of damage out there now from the little bast****s.

[Dr.NewEarth]

Moles, Mice and Rats do that here.

[dboyd351]

If you are determined and persistant enough, you might be able to trap them out enough to really reduce the damage. I moved into a house in N CA that had just been built on a old horse pasture that was full of gophers. I tried several other things before resorting to spring loaded traps that pierce the gopher with a spike. You put the traps in the underground tunnel entrance. I did it every day for several weeks, or so, before they really thinned out (this was on a 1 acre yard). After that, I'd just put out a few traps when the tunnels re-appeared.
I was worried about doing it at first because I had 2 dogs in that fenced in yard, but they never got caught in a trap. I even had my next door neighbor, who had lived there 30 years, come over and tell me he couldn't believe it, the gophers were almost gone from his yard, too.
Haven't tried it on moles or voles, but I don't think they're much different from the gophers.
It WILL take persistence, though.