I have caught several shrews by pure accident but how can you tell the difference in yard damage ? I have a yard with plenty of holes but no trails between them like most vole jobs I have been on . Any help would be appreciated .

Shrews usually do not make their own holes. At least not my area. They use vole, mouse, and mole run/holes.

In my area the shrews leave multple dime sized holes. When I am trapping voles I catch them as well as they like to eat on the vole carcass.

Lots of holes usually means voles; and vole holes that are heavily-used will be clear of any vegetation around them.