Are There Voles in Montana?
Yes, voles are common throughout Montana in grasslands and mountain meadows from valleys to the Rockies. These small rodents thrive near the Yellowstone River and in alpine zones. Voles remain active year-round, and their runway systems become visible under winter snow.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
California Vole · Cricket Raspet CC BY
Woodland Vole · Violet T. CC BY
Eastern Meadow Vole · rubyheron CC BY-ND
- 3,866
- GBIF records
Yes, voles are in Montana. Next you'll want:
Yes, voles are common throughout Montana in grasslands and mountain meadows from valleys to the Rockies. These small rodents thrive near the Yellowstone River and in alpine zones. Voles remain active year-round, and their runway systems become visible under winter snow.
Where in Montana the Vole Is Found
Voles are found throughout Montana in suitable habitats from the Missoula valley to the Gallatin River basin. They occur in the intermountain valleys where grasslands and sagebrush mix with riparian areas. The Flathead region north of Missoula supports healthy vole populations in meadows and grassland margins. Voles thrive in the Madison Range foothills and along tributaries feeding into the Yellowstone River. High elevation alpine meadows in the Mission Mountains and Beartooth Range harbor voles in summer and early fall. In western Montana, the Bitterroot valley provides excellent vole habitat in its meadow systems. Voles are less common in the coldest, harshest high mountain zones above treeline but do occur in protected alpine meadows. Eastern Montana grasslands support prairie voles in particular. The Missouri River valley and its adjacent grasslands harbor voles year-round. Vole populations indicate healthy grassland ecosystems across Montana's diverse topography. For more on vole in Montana, see ourMontana vole guide.
Season and Timing
Voles are active throughout Montana's year, though their visibility changes with the seasons. Winter is when vole activity becomes most obvious as their tunnels under the snow create visible runway networks in the spring. Summer voles are harder to detect despite their high numbers, as they move through tall grass and dense vegetation. In spring, Montana's mountain meadows flood with snowmelt, creating ideal conditions for vole populations to expand and breed. Peak breeding occurs from April through June, with young voles appearing in the summer months. Fall activity increases as voles prepare for winter, caching seeds and vegetation in their burrows. In alpine areas, voles may retreat to lower elevations or deeper burrows as snow depths increase in late fall and winter. Population densities in Montana fluctuate with food availability and weather patterns. The Yellowstone River valley experiences relatively consistent vole presence year-round. These seasonal patterns affect predator populations like raptors and coyotes. You can also browseMontana wildlife.
How to Identify a Vole
Voles in Montana are small rodents ranging from three to five inches in total length. Their stocky, compact bodies are covered in thick fur that is usually gray to reddish-brown. You can tell voles apart from mice by their much shorter tails, smaller eyes, and broader, blunter faces. Vole ears are small and often hidden entirely within their fur. Their ever-growing front teeth have a distinctive groove running lengthwise down the center. Most Montana voles are the meadow vole or the montane vole, both with similar body shapes. Males and females look virtually identical, though males may be slightly larger. Voles move quickly across the ground with a jerky gait rather than the running style of mice. When you observe a vole, its overall stocky appearance and short tail are the most obvious identifying features. Color varies slightly between species and seasons, but the body plan remains consistent. See all of ourwildlife guides.
Where Sightings Concentrate in Montana
Voles concentrate in the Missoula valley's grasslands and in meadow systems throughout the intermountain west. Along the Yellowstone River and its floodplain, voles thrive in willow-dominated riparian areas mixed with grassland openings. The Gallatin River valley near Bozeman provides excellent vole habitat in its wide meadows and grassland edges. High elevation alpine meadows in the Absaroka Range and Beartooth Mountains support healthy vole populations during warmer months. Wetland areas near Flathead Lake and in the Mission Valley harbor voles in sedge meadows and fen complexes. State wildlife management areas show particularly high vole densities. Undisturbed grassland patches on public lands often contain the most active vole runway networks. Even in suburban areas around Missoula and Bozeman, voles occupy yards and parks with dense vegetation. The wetter margins of sagebrush areas, especially those with willows and riparian vegetation, support significant vole populations. Your/wildlife/montanaguide can help you identify specific locations for observing voles.
Typical Behavior
Voles in Montana are herbivorous, feeding primarily on grasses, clover, forbs, and seeds throughout the year. They are active both day and night in a polyphase pattern, alternating between activity and rest periods multiple times daily. Voles create and maintain complex runway systems through grass and vegetation, using the same trails repeatedly across weeks and months. These highways become useful to other small mammals and even shrews, who also travel the vole runways. In winter, voles tunnel beneath the snow to access vegetation and remain mostly hidden from aerial predators. Voles are generally solitary animals but will tolerate others sharing the same general area if space allows. They build nests from shredded grasses and plant material, typically in burrows or under dense grass clumps. Social behaviors vary by species, with some voles defending territories aggressively. Droppings are small pellets scattered along their runway systems. Population cycles occur in some vole species, with peak years followed by crashes that affect predator areas. OurMontana wildlife guidecovers more species you may run into.
Coexistence and Safety Notes
Voles are a vital component of Montana's food web, providing prey for raptors, snakes, coyotes, and bobcats. They are completely harmless to humans and pose zero safety risk. Voles do not carry rabies or readily transmit diseases to people. Their runway systems and burrowing improve soil structure and water infiltration, benefiting grassland plant areas. In rare cases on agricultural land, high vole populations might cause minor bark stripping on young trees or damage to stored crops, but populations usually self-regulate. Native voles have no specific legal protection status in Montana and are not commercially harvested. If you wish to discourage voles in a specific area, reducing dense vegetation cover through mowing or managed grazing works well. Removing tall grass and brush eliminates ideal vole habitat. Encouraging natural predators like red-tailed hawks provides effective population control. Coexisting with voles enriches your property by supporting the raptors and carnivores that depend on them.
Common Species People Confuse with Vole
Voles are often mistaken for mice by people unfamiliar with Montana rodents. Deer mice have much larger eyes, longer tails, and a distinctive two-colored pattern with white bellies. Shrews are also commonly confused with voles but have pointed snouts, tiny eyes, and are insectivores rather than herbivores. Pocket gophers are much larger than voles and create characteristic dirt mounds when tunneling. Moles are subterranean and leave raised ridges on the ground surface, different from vole runway patterns. Young wood rats might be confused with large voles, but rats have much longer tails and larger ears. Jumping mice are rare in Montana but have extremely long hind legs and move by leaping rather than scurrying. People occasionally mistake vole runways for ant trails or other insect activity. Learning to recognize actual vole features and the distinct runway networks helps distinguish them from similar species. The/wildlifeguide provides identification help for many Montana small mammals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are voles common in Montana? A: Yes, voles are found throughout Montana in suitable grassland and meadow habitats, both in mountain valleys and lower elevation grasslands. Q: Can voles survive Montana winters? A: Yes, voles are adapted to Montana winters and tunnel under the snow to access vegetation and stay protected from predators. Q: What do Montana voles eat? A: Voles eat grasses, clover, forbs, seeds, and roots, feeding year-round on available vegetation. Q: How can I identify a vole in Montana? A: Voles are small, stocky rodents with short tails, small eyes, and gray to reddish-brown fur, quite different from the larger-eyed deer mice.
Plan your vole sighting in Montana
3,866 verified vole records have been logged in Montana, most recently in 2025. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Montana
- Big Hole National Battlefield · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Nez Perce National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Yellowstone National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
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