Blame it on a mild winter. Call it a “natural breeding cycle.” Whatever the cause, a surge in the mice population in a popular Wisconsin campground has caused authorities to shut the place down early—and perhaps pray for a cold winter. A mouse invasion has closed Rock Island State Park.
Mouse invasion sends campers scurrying
The “Mus musculus” invasion has sent campers scurrying. One frustrated camper told local news media that his family resorted to putting all their “stuff” in plastic bags, and hanging the bags by rope. No matter, the resurgent rodents simply clambered down one of the ropes and tried gnawing through the plastic bag.
Another camper reported the mice were apparently believers in malicious mischief. A pair of beloved Crocs were reportedly consumed by the ravenous rodents. One camper said that by day, nearly two dozen mice would turn up at a time; but come nightfall, “it seemed like hundreds” wanted to share the campsite.
Cold winter, mouse predators may be enough to reopen come spring
It was enough for Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources. The agency has shut down the popular campground season early. It says a mild winter and the rodents’ prolific rodent breeding habits of have just overrun the abilities of mouse predators. No, apparently cats aren’t part of the plan. The agency suggests snakes, foxes, and birds of prey may help to defuse the mouse explosion.
The agency says by next camping season, they’re confident the mouse militia will be back to manageable levels.
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Good reason to stay out of the Midwest in summertime. Better in the SW where all we have are bushy-tailed, wire insulation-eating, pack rats. I’m pretty sure pack rats are not Japanese, but they sure do love soy-based insulation!
This is no time to play nice-nice with rodents of any kind. Don’t repel ’em. kill ’em!
My worst nightmare.
We’ll see what happens by next spring before we start making our travel plans..
People out here in Ca. are having the same problems too. Our rv’s, boats are under attack!
Sounds like just the place to do a serious study of rodent repellants! String lights around half the sites, alternating every other site…dark the other half. 😉😆 Would be a larger test of what mousetrapmondays already did.
Agreed but belly lights without predators is akin to mouse traps without bait.
Since the article said, “the prolific rodent breeding habits of have overrun the abilities of mouse predators”, you’d be “testing” a sponge in the ocean…..
Your witness council…..
Another reason not to visit Wisconsin
Thank you, Russ and Tina! We have had recurrent problems with field mice entering our RV, but nothing to this extent, thankfully. After several failed remedies, we recently got 4 barn cats from our local animal shelter. We’ll see if this works. Meanwhile, have a great weekend and safe travels! 🙂