Settling the Score

Don't you want to play any more?

Cat: 2

Traps: 2

Chipmunks: ZERO

As my long-term followers know, Chipmunks and Beetles are my arch enemies.  My husband is particularly good at killing Chippies.  And I have a long history of Chippy-angst.  Usually we can get them by setting rat traps along the foundation where they run, unbaited, catching them unaware.  If we can kill as many as 6 Chipmunks within a week, then we are blessed with more than our fair share and some need to go.  And over the years we have had high head counts on more than one occasion.  Well, they're back.

We have been in all out war with them for several weeks.  They're everywhere!  In the strawberry cages, under the rail road ties, up in the vinyl siding corners, digging in the landscape.  We've identified most of their holes and are in the process of foaming them up.  Whenever I find a hole, I tape it up or put a brick over it to cut off their escape routes and funnel them into our traps which we set around blind corners.

Even the cat has finally gotten into the act.  Mitey Mite is 16 years old and hasn't caught anything in over 10 years.  But this year we have so many darn Chipmunks that two of them have accidentally run around the corner and smack into her face.  At least that's what we guess happened since her hunting skills since her two miraculous catches have been very disappointing.  Very disappointing indeed.  The Chipmunk can be 3 feet from her looking at her and we can be pointing and she will be looking at us.

Us:  "Mitey!  Chippy!"

Mitey:  "Huh?"

And then the Chippy will "CHIP!" and run and Mitey will run right to where she saw it last.  And her eyes aren't all that good.