Wildlife damage: What killed this oak tree?

[Timburr]

Ah, voles! 

A decade and a half ago, we had a massive vole problem.   They were gnawing the root collar on all  new transplants, giving us a low survival rate.   Since, more by luck than judgement, our forest management techniques seems to be conducive to an increase in owl population.   Vole damage is sporadic now and at a tolerable level.   An earlier planting and a more open woodland seems to have done the trick.  8)

One finding I've discovered(not scientific), voles seem to enjoy a herbaceous ground cover, especially grasses and I'm guessing this hides them from owls, raptors and other predators

[Left Coast Chris]

We have voles.  They love to chew wood.  Flood irrigation usually does them a number.

[Tom]

What do they taste like?

[Mooseherder]

What do they taste like?

Chicken! :D

[Tom]

Well, chicken is good!!   Eat the rascals!!

Advertise them as  the new gourmet treat.  "Vol-aray"

Get the whole world eating them and it won't be long before the the EPA and PETA will be trying to protect them.  :D

[Jeff]

What do they taste like?

Soylent green

[Left Coast Chris]

The vole is half the size of a mouse.  If the fur could be removed, they could be processed like sardines.............. gently roasted........maybe on pizza?  Of course you would have to get over the crunch. : :

[SwampDonkey]

I saw on an episode of Globe Trekkers they served fruit bats whole in some island of Micronesia. My memory fails me which, and there are too many islands there to count or even remember in my head. :D

[Dodgy Loner]

Apparently voles are a pretty big issue down here, too.  I got three calls about them in three days last week.  They aren't nearly as bad as what Phorester describes, though.

[Tom]

As long as they  haven't started chasing the constituants yet, y'all can learn to handle them, I'm sure.  I've been googling vole attack and carniverous Vole, but haven't had any luck yet.  Looks like, to me, if you could stiffen that tail, you could dip them in some kind of batter, deep fry them  and make some kind of carnival treat, like a corn dog. 

[Dodgy Loner]

Probably less bones in them than the corn dogs you get at the county fair, too ;)