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In Experiment 2, we attempted to determine the relative gains in efficiency when using drift fences in conjunction with Longworth and pitfall traps. Mortality rates in mealworm-baited traps checked at short and medium intervals were similar ( t = −1.33, P = 0.20, Bonferroni-corrected alpha = 0.004). Shrews in mealworm-baited traps checked at short intervals experienced no mortality. We observed the highest mean mortality rates in traps without mealworms, checked at long intervals. Contrary to our predictions, Longworth traps captured significantly more shrews than pitfall traps. In response to high mortality rates, we varied the frequency of trap checks, with intervals of 12–14 h (long), 6–9 h (medium) and 3–4 h (short). In addition, we randomly selected 50 % of trap stations and provided 6 g of mealworms ( Tenebrio molitor) larvae as bait. A total of 100 trap stations, on each of three trapping grids, were equipped with a 3-m-long drift fence and randomly assigned either one pitfall at the centre of each fence, or two Longworth traps, one at each end of the fence. In Experiment 1 we compared efficiency of pitfall and Longworth live-traps operated with drift fences on 1-ha trapping grids for capturing vagrant shrews ( Sorex vagrans) on agricultural set-asides in Delta, British Columbia, Canada. Here we report the results of two experiments attempting to integrate successful livetrapping of shrews into standard rodent trapping protocols. Due to high metabolic rates, previous attempts to livetrap shrews have been faced with very high (exceeding 95 % in some circumstances) mortality rates. Pitfall trapping is believed to be the most efficient method for capturing shrews ( Sorex spp.) however, Longworth live-traps have been used successfully in North America and Great Britain.