I only blind trail set for voles, meaning no baiting is necessary. You can however add some bait if you feel it is necessary and makes you feel more confident about that method. If you are hole/burrow setting or setting along their grass cut runs you will connect if there is traffic and you are set up properly.

With baiting you can run the risk of attracting birds and other mammals that could interfere with firing your traps or actually removing them due to the added odor. Depending upon the odor of the bait being used you can minimize that broad attraction by limiting your selection of certain baits.

Voles are primarily vegetarians by nature so keep that in mind if considering baiting as an option. Preferring grasses, roots and bulbs of many varieties. Covering traps on trails particularly add to the effectiveness of your setups. Covering den set traps in my experience isn't as critical as trail set ups with traps set back to back.

I never use bait for vole trapping. Blind sets work fine. In these "hole sets", they can't miss the trap pan as they exit!

Typical catch when setting holes. Perfect neck catches almost every time.


Blind trail sets. Traps facing opposite (pans out) to catch vole from either direction. Staked with 16p nails. No bait. Just like trapping muskrats or beavers, they stay in the runways.


Larger rat-sized trap. Always make sure to cut the top of the hole fro striker bar clearance.


Tiny bit of blocking at top edge of hole to guide onto pan.