How to wipe out gophers and burrowing varmits

[Arizona Mike]

Back in the midwest we had moles, but I could never control them. Out here we have pocket gophers. These things are even worse. At least you can stomp down the mole tunnels. If left unchecked the pocket gopher out here will make your lawn look like "prairie dog village" at the zoo. The gophers have the need to surface and deposit large mounds of dirt everywhere that need to be raked up

The gas bombs and baits are worthless for these critters. You need a Macabees Old Reliable trap, a few digging tools and a little patience.

Here you can see where he came out and made the pile. He was throwing the dirt towards the top of the picture, so dig your hole near the bottom of the spot where he came up.

You will probably need to excavate a little bit with a spoon to find his tunnel because they like to plug their holes after they finish making the mess.

Set your trap and slide it into the tunnel.

Cover end of tunnel with a rock or clump of dirt.

Rake out and repair the surrounding area. You know he's toast and will not be back....maybe. Sometimes they will move on and continue to tear things up.

Wait about 24 hr., and if you see no more activity did him up.



Mike communicated that the pictures for this thread are lost (missing links) but did add this on 01/23/2018:

For digging into the main borrow use a 3” steel spoon. It provides for less digging but will leave a path wide enough for the trap.

Finding the path into the main burrow is facilitated by using a steel probe such as a small tire bar or piece of rebar. This is the most important thing to having success. Trap must to be in the main run. Dig carefully until you find it. Place the trap into the run. Don’t backfill. They will usually return to the open hole.

[Dan England]

A few comments on the very well written, well illustrated article by Arizona Mike on trapping gophers. They have an extensive network of tunnels, usually six to ten inches below ground surface. They may dig an extension to the surface to feed on above ground plant material although most feeding occurs on plant material below the surface. Most extensions to the surface are created to dispose of loose dirt as the tunnel is made, thus creating the mounds. By probing around the mound, maybe with a large screwdriver, the location of the tunnel can be determined. Remove the dirt and set two traps, one on either side of the upward extension, facing opposite directions. Carefully cover the hole with a flat rock, a board, roofing shingle or similar material, then cover that with dirt to block all light from the tunnel. If light penetrates into the tunnel, gophers will pile dirt there until it blocks all light. And, in the process, the traps will be covered and become inoperable. A wire, or string in Mike's pictures, should be attached to each trap with the opposite end extending above ground. The easiest and safest way to check the traps is to apply a gentle pull on the string. No gopher if it offers little resistance. If you must pull hard to move it, you have a gopher on the other end. I have caught a lot of gophers by this method. Now, if someone can tell me how to catch moles. They love our flower and vegetable gardens, probably because earthworms and grubs also love them. In several years of trapping moles, I have caught a grand total of two. Probably the two dumbest in the group or I wouldn't have gotten them. Dan

[technova]

Now, if someone can tell me how to catch moles. They love our flower and vegetable gardens, probably because earthworms and grubs also love them. In several years of trapping moles, I have caught a grand total of two. Probably the two dumbest in the group or I wouldn't have gotten them. Dan

I stick the garden hose in the tunnels and wait for them to come up.
Have a pitch fork handy. I got two this year after someone told me this.
Moles are really ugly!

[Paul_NJ]

Just last week a friend told me a good way to get rid of my burrowing groundhogs is soaking unshelled peanuts in antifreeze before throwing them down their hole. Haven't tried it yet . . . anyone know if this works?

[George Willer]

Just last week a friend told me a good way to get rid of my burrowing groundhogs is soaking unshelled peanuts in antifreeze before throwing them down their hole. Haven't tried it yet . . . anyone know if this works?

Great solution if it works on moles. I have a bucket of old coolant and a jar of stale peanuts. I wonder if the moles will mind if the peanuts are stale?

[Paul_NJ]

Just last week a friend told me a good way to get rid of my burrowing groundhogs is soaking unshelled peanuts in antifreeze before throwing them down their hole. Haven't tried it yet . . . anyone know if this works?

Great solution if it works on moles. I have a bucket of old coolant and a jar of stale peanuts. I wonder if the moles will mind if the peanuts are stale?

I imagine with the antifreeze chaser it might be like beer . . . after the first couple you don't notice the brand as much.

[ebax]

This is the best gopher getter I've ever seen. Jet was a stray dog who was dumped off at the end of our country road. She survived for several months on whatever she could catch before she adopted us. She is still a small game hunter and supplements her diet on a daily basis with gophers, moles, mice, and whatever else she can get. She has also trained our cats to hunt and they are getting to be good at it. The cats catch rodents and Jet eats them. It's a win/win situation for her.

Ed

[george]

Last year I evicted a groundhog living under my woodshed by pouring a box of mothballs into his burrow; he hasn't been back this year.
George

[Yogie]

I've tried all the methods on removing Moles and such. The only real way to get rid of this type of rodent is to kill out their food source. I picked up a spray mixture for the lawn that killed grubs and such and the moles are gone for good... It's been about 18 years now... Must have been so goooood stuff.