You know life has slowed down when the big excitement of the day is an in depth discussion about unusual mouse encounters. Being a wildlife blog, we took liberties here by including mice as a part of the wildlife kingdom.
To kick things off, let’s start with a story I wrote a few years back, but never published, about a crazed mouse whose munchies attack was such that being lured into the first trap where his leg became entangled would not deter him from further pursuing another midnight snack…. Or could there be more to this story? You decide.
A NIGHT’S TAIL – One Mouse’s Recessional
Only in backwoods living would such a story be told. Most would not admit it happened in their home. However, in the interest of full disclosure and finding the humor in something disgusting, this story follows.
So I admit, we sometimes have a mouse problem since our move to the woods of Atlanta. We had set two traps in the kitchen. Recently, upon awakening at about 4:50 a.m. for nature’s call, as I entered the kitchen for a drink of water, I noticed that one of the traps had migrated to the left by 3 feet and was partially under the stove. I also noted a white, powder-like substance on the floor another foot to the left, adjacent to the refrigerator. I decided to wait until morning to deal with this, not even sure if there was still a mouse attached. I didn’t sleep so well after that. At one point I heard a noise coming from the kitchen that I thought might be a score on a second mouse.
Anyhow, when I woke up for the day, I was puzzled when the trap was no longer near the oven. As I scanned the area, I saw that it had moved 5 feet diagonally across the room to the second mouse trap. Upon closer inspection, I realized that this was a suicidal mouse. The first trap, “Jaws,” had trapped one of the mouse’s legs, so for a time he was mobile.
One initial theory is that of “Cocaine Mouse,” as opposed to “Cocaine Bear.” What was the white powder on the floor, eh? Were the actions of this crazed mouse the result of an illegal substance, and if so, where did his stash come from?
Another theory is that when he discovered that he was not going to be able to extricate himself, in his exhaustion and distress, he stuck his head in the second trap and ended it all.
Thus a crime scene investigation ensued. It was determined that the powder residue scattered throughout the kitchen was fragments of “Jaws,” which is no longer functional. Physical evidence revealed numerous bite marks that led to extensive damage, likely the result of a frantic mouse attempting to free himself from said trap.
Investigation complete, the case was closed and the trap was reset with hopes of another successful kill, should there be another culprit trespassing on the premises.
You can be repulsed or you can laugh about it. Life in the backwoods has certainly taught me to lighten up a bit and lean more toward finding the humor…. a survival skill that I’m sure will come in handy here.
THE HITCHHIKER
My husband tells of his most ridiculous encounter, at least when it comes to sheer number of mice, beyond counting, if we’re being honest. The good news is that it wasn’t our cabin, but rather one he’d rented in the eastern u.p. for hunting camp. He and his brother had to do some extreme cleaning to ready the place for the scheduled hunters.
When bringing a client to the premises, Gary was attempting to prepare the hunter for what was to come, including careful mention of the mouse infestation. As they pulled into the driveway, to his horror, a mouse actually dropped from a tree into the truck. So much for breaking it gently.
And then, salt would be added to the wound. Unbeknownst to them was that it wasn’t enough for these mice to dwell en masse like one big happy family in this particular cabin, but among them also happened to be the token runaway, apparently looking for greener pastures. It wasn’t until they’d traveled 15 miles that they discovered the escapee, at a roadside stop. The fur on his head was slicked back earning him the name… Elvis! He had fallen into a bear bait bucket at camp from which he’d jumped out and ran under the pickup truck. Grease from the bait bucket provided the Brylcreme effect. I know what you’re thinking here… “Don’t be Cruel.” And they weren’t. They let Elvis go “In the Ghetto” of the eastern upper peninsula, without a “Return to Sender.”
STICKER SHOCK
It’s been extraordinarily cold lately as single digit temps persist throughout Michigan. So it was not surprising to see a mouse run across the floor, quite boldly enjoying a bit of warmth and shelter. As our cabin transforms to more of a home, we’ve encountered less of these notorious rodents. I think we can all agree that the sight of a mouse is always unsettling. We had a standard trap under the kitchen sink, but felt such weather and this new sighting warranted another trap or two.
Gary had just found a set of sticky mouse traps that had long ago been stowed away in the garage. He set it up, then we went to bed. Midway through the night, we were rewarded to see our offender was detained. In the morning, Gary satisfactorily tossed the trap in a garbage can in the garage, thinking the mission was complete. Perhaps it was a distant memory of tossing a similar catch in the creek, then waving goodbye to Fievel as he floated down stream that gave him a false sense of security that the deed was indeed done.
Think again. Gary would soon learn that this resourceful little varmint had bested him. When Gary returned to add more items to the garbage can, he experienced sticker shock, but not the kind you find when shopping. He saw the adhesive pad, but the mouse was no longer in sight, that is, until he started rummaging through the garbage. It was then that this clever creature began the taunt. He climbed to the rim of the can, Gary swinging at him numerous times, but to no avail. He escaped and another lesson was learned.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Mouse Trilogy. May your mice be few.
- WHEN MICE MAKE HEADLINES: The Trilogy - January 28, 2026
- The Science of Buck Fever - November 13, 2025
- “The Chamber Flashbacks” – Holly Holy - October 18, 2025