War is Ugly

The latest count: 4 dead, one MIA, and one prisoner released.

After one disappeared, I found this morning when I went to check - no trap. Which means that it got away again? But no, as I'm looking around under the sink, I hear a rustling in the back corner. Uh oh. Sounds like a live one. I pull everything out very carefully. I don't want the mouse to escape still stuck in the trap. It's bad enough that he is hurt. I fish him out with a ruler and a dustpan. Darby was nice enough to come in from the backyard, leaving the door ajar, just then so that I could escape hands-free. I took the poor guy out to the back near the shed. Once I put him down, he tried to run away but couldn't because he was still in the trap. I was able to release him without him biting me. He seemed fine except for a broken front paw. Once free he scampered off into the leaves.

I really hate this part of the mice wars. I don't like killing them but it is the best compromise I can come up with for the situation. I want my traps to kill immediately every time. I don't enjoy killing them but even worse is not killing them. Finding a wounded prisoner is not fun. Leaves a pit in my stomach.

Yes, it's true. War is ugly.