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Every year when we take out our pv pits, there are holes chewed by mice and mice nests in the pits. They are stored in a shed outside by our track. It looks terrible and eventually so much damage will be done we will have to replace items.
We've talked about putting moth balls in with the pits to keep them away.
Will that work?

What are some ways to avoid this?

I have my pit outside year round (Minnesota) once a year I will put moth balls in pot pie tins and put them under the pit in between the slats on the pallets. I use about 4 boxes. So far, no mouse damage in the 2 years that I have had the pit in my back yard. I've been told that they don't like the smell of fabric softener sheets either. Trouble with those is that they need to be changed with more regularity. We often tell people that have critters seeking shelter under the hoods of their cars (you wouldn't believe the junk that we find in air boxes in cars and trucks that mice have put in there) to put the fabric softener sheets in the engine compartment. Next time around I might try the fabric softener trick as the moth ball smell is pretty bad. Later........Mike

1yeldud1 wrote:Have your maint director buy about 8 boxes of moth balls when you get ready to store the mats for the winter. Put the moth balls in plastic plates or small bowls around or under the mats. This WILL keep the mice out. We change our moth balls twice a year at the barn on our farm and we have had only one incident of mice in 7 years - this was because I was lax / late in replacing the old moth balls - give it a try it works. The $20.00 for the moth balls is cheap insurance for expensive p/v mats

Do moth balls work against vandalous kids? Cuz I need some kid repellent for when our pits go into storage next year.

We are from a very small community - it would be hard to fathom if our mats got destroyed. We have probably 20 kids trying pole vault - all ages from 5th grade thru high school - these kids LOVE the opportunity to vault - we basically turn NO ONE away that wants to try. Hopefully with all the eyes that we have on our pits the opportunity for vandals would be miniscule. I'm crossing my fingers as I speak.

I have started to use fabric sheets in our shed to keep out mice. I know of one school that has the portable pit garage and they use fabric sheets and they have not had a rodent problem since they got there new pits. The fabric sheets seem to make our garage and pits smell snuggley soft.