Man, you're not going to believe what just happened! Long story, but I gotta share: Ok, I'm in the garage downstairs looknig up some Corvette parts on the laptop and watching Caddyshack in the background. Then I hear this rustling over in the corner, there's mouse on top some boxes standing up looking at me. Hmm.. didn't know there were any mice down here but it happens from time to time. I walk over there but it scampers away. I go upstairs to load my trusty trap with cheese and put it back in the corner on top the boxes where it was. I go back and some time goes by, I expected to hear it going into the trap but no mouse. Usually they crawl in pretty quickly. Hmm...that's strange.

So, I resume looking up some parts on the laptop which was sitting on the hood of the Trans Am, I was by the pass side front tire. Then suddenly the mouse pops up from under the back of the hood by the windshield wiper, litterally only about 2 feet away from my laptop. I was startled and jerked, the mouse instantly ducked back down. Ok, I went and moved the trap over onto the base of the windshield by the wipers and backed off a little and held still. Well, the little guy pops up and crawls around the trap but didn't go in. It walks away and so I watch this thing crawl all over the outside of the car. It was scary amazing. It walked the length of the fender towards me at the front of the bumper, then, seeing me, turns away and goes back, noses around the space between the back of the fender and base of the windshield. Then it comes back out and works around the mirror. It's checking everything out looking for that magic spot to make a nest and pi$$ all over the place. At one point, it lost it's grip and slid down the side of the fender (fairly slippery due to being waxed), but amazingly it catches itself at an almost vertical on the side of the fender and manages to climb up the side of the fender back onto the top of the fender. They have amazing grip. Then it walks along the outer belt weatherstrip at the door/side window and partly up and down the the window.

Now, the windows were rolled 1/2 way down so at this point I go from being passive to thinking I gotta get this SOB off the car before it sneaks into the car interior (and into the heater, where they always go, or above the headliner). I didn't know a mouse could do all that, climb on glass. From now on, not leaving the windows cracked on the car in the garage. I'm standing over by the vise on the bench so I look around for something suitable in my pile of steel and pipe in the corner. I picked up a piece of 5/8" pipe, that I thought was a piece of PVC but it was steel, then think, "Naahh", and exchanged it for a 1/2" wood dowel because it wouldn't muck up the paint much.

This is the amazing part, I couldn't duplicate this in a hundred tries: I gently and slowly crept back over to about the front wheel while the mouse was on the middle of the belt weatherstrip right by the glass holding still watching me with big eyes. It was about 4 1/2 - 5 ft away. I can't believe it didn't scamper away. I didn't want to hold the dowel out because that would have only scared him away. I held perfectly still, only glanced over at it a couple of times out of the corner of my eye, so as not to scare it away. I was holding onto the dowel with my L. hand about belly button high but the dowel was vertical straight up and down with the bottom only a few inches off the floor. I checked my grip, glanced at the mouse once more, then looked away, then, not looking at the mouse, in one ninja-like circular motion I rapidly swung the dowel around counter clockwise, rotating in almost a full circle over my head and all the way over to my left reaching out for extension ...and smacked the top of the door, all in the blink of an eye. I figured it was a total long-shot, because mice can be fast. But to my utter amazement it fell lifeless to the floor. SMACKDOWN!! I wish someone coudda seen it. It looked dead as could be but I slid a 1/2 full pale of sand on him for good measure to keep him that way. Man, I was jacked!

These fu@#& mice not going to leave windows down in the garage anymore. I laid a few glue boards down just in case he's got some friends.

Anyway, long story, but I was so jacked after that hole shot that I just had to tell the story.

Mark G

 

Good job!
Been there. Done that. I used a different approach though. I watched this mouse running back and forth ducking behind cabinets. So I decided to get a BB gun rifle and lay on the floor like a sniper about 10' or so away and wait for him to stick is head out. Well after a few minutes (which felt like a hour) he stuck his head out and looked around before he made his move. I waited and as he started to dart out I fired and hit him with the 1st shot. He stopped stunned and stood up and I shot him again. Well that was end of the stand off. That was years ago. When I think about it now that was a pretty stupid idea. What if I missed? Good thing it was an old Daisey air rifle that was not too powerfull.
Didn't need any recocheting.

 

Get a cat, after it gets the mouse get rid of the cat.

 

why? there tasty.

 

Hi Mark,
He was only the scout.
Either the rest will be scared away or will come to avenge his death!
Regards,
Alan

 

My cat takes care of any intruders not welcomed and she likes to watch while I work on it.I would get rid of the car before I get rid my cat.

 

Check with site "bugspray.com", as maybe not sounding like much, tells about all sorts of critters and their habbits. Sells lots of neat stuff too. Learned that mice aren't mean, just looking for a home and food. Mice like to run against walls at night, so place peanut buttered traps with the trip pad facing the wall. Also, when rodents get in, they feel it's their home and you gotta kill em' all, or they'll never leave. Check the site. As for cats, nice pets, but usually means more availible feed left out in open bowls.

 

PETA gonna get you.

 

Would love to get a cat but kid is very alergic to them. Once kid moves out, I'll get one or two.

Mark G

 

I hate them as well. When we had my 1977 coupe painted back in May, the guy who painted it said he found over five pounds of dog food inside the hood lol. Darn mice carried the stuff everywhere.

 

 

You need to think about becoming a writer (or ninja warrior). With the details of your story, I felt I was there with you. Great job.

 

The Force is strong with you, young Mark G, but you are not a Jedi yet...............


Scott

 

Well then I'll make you deal. I'll get you a dozen or more new cats and you give me your car.

 

Patience Grasshopper. You will have more opportunities to utilize this skill. ****** the pebble from my hand.....

My wife's cat caught a mole in our living room yesterday. My cat looks like something from the Macy's day parade. It would eat Mouse Flavored Little Friskies.
But catch one? I doubt it.

 

Peanut butter, as bait in the trap, never fails me.