looks like you have mice. Maybe sprout them in pots and transplant them.

That would be interesting, since I have a HUGE problem with stray cats right now!

Possible old seed? Did you possibly overwater and the seeds rotted? Pole beans tend to like drier soil to germinate. I've done like glib said and started indoors. Takes only a couple weeks to get a bunch of transplants.

Kevin

I plant outside. True, beans will sprout in ground that is warm and only marginally moist. They sprout in soil where no green would ever sprout. Bean seed lasts, unfrozen, for years so I have trouble believing it is that. If I were the OP, I would sprout them indoors, in a ziploc bag with some wet paper, and plant them when they are just showing a spear, and see if this solves the problem. They have to sprout in coffee filter. This is better than transplanting seedlings, because 100 seedlings is a lot of work.

Too much water? Possibly seed maggot? Critter getting all the sprouts (I would expand that list beyond deer and rabbits as the only suspects-birds, mice, rats, maybe certain invertebrates)? Plenty of advice on starting again above, so I won't repeat them.

Doves stole all my bean seeds this year, and cow peas. They also made a huge mess of the corn.

If it is as Tracy says, a little bird netting over the bed will stop them.

Re seed again. That is what happened to mine too . I guess they rotted, ..too much rains and cool weather. Beans rot very readily. This time I am sprouting in cold frame.

What I actually like to do with beans, squash and cukes is start them in styrofoam or plastic cups with holes poked in the bottom. Throw them on a heat mat until they sprout then immediately move them outside for a few weeks until they have a few sets of leaves on them. Then I transplant them to the garden. I find a bulb planter works great for creating a cup-sized hole.

Apparently beans etc don't like having their roots disturbed, but I've never had a problem with this method. Probably helps that I don't let them get large enough to get root-bound. I find that I get much better results doing this than direct planting seeds, especially in the spring when germination can take much longer outside. By moving the plants outside as soon as they sprout I avoid having to harden them off.