Gopher control--will this work?

[Folio]

We have 25 acres of dry land pasture being overrun with gophers--hundreds of mounds in every direction, which gives the dog (a poodle) no end of digging entertainment. And that's the problem: the deep holes she creates are becoming a hazard to both us and our seven livestock (llamas, sheep, horses). One of these days, one of us is going to sprain or break a body part tripping into one. We'd like to do something about it, but since this is a hobby farm and our living doesn't depend on it, we don't want to spend a lot of money.

Ingested poisons are out of the question for a variety of reasons, and the apparent number of critters makes trapping rather impractical, seems to me. Research says sonic/electronic solutions are ineffective. The propane explosive method works, but is cost prohibitive. So here's my idea:

1. Identify areas of current gopher activity per established standard operating procedures.

2. Dig out active mounds, find the tunnel openings, and set off a smoke bomb in each to reveal the extent of the tunneling.

2. Flood the tunnel with carbon dioxide from my tractor's (diesel) exhaust using either a commercial or handmade connection.

3. Say a few reverent, polite words for the gopher.

Seems simple, straightforward, and inexpensive. Would probably take several seasons to see concrete results, no? So what am I missing? Appreciate any and all feedback.

 

[rambler]

'Here' pocket gopher tails are worth a buck a pice in efforts to keep them under control. High school kids and retired guys like to trap over a property if you let them. Not really that hard to trap them, just gotta learn the trick to probe out the hole, leave it open with a trap in it. About an hour before dusk you should have a critter, move on to the next set of mounds.

Otherwise, they make special little gopher bait applicators, place the bits of bait a few inches below the ground surface. Kinda look like a one row 3pt planter. Often can find one to rent from dairy supply or Extension places, other farm & dairy supply stores.

You are esentually poisoning them with your idea, it can work but it takes a pretty long dose of exhaust, might need to turn up your gasoline (more effective than diesel) engine to a heavier fuel mix.

--->Paul

 

[Creamer]

Quick answer - NO! If you have ever spent time around gophers you will understand that they have a litter about every three weeks and can have 7-8 per litter, i.e multiply quicker than rabbits.

Poison is a realistic option or you can get a predator. Those are about the only two effective options. Trapping will help control them but will take a long time.

When I was young in South Dakota we had serious gopher problems for many years. The source of the problem was high fur prices which significantly reduced the predator population. The solution came from above when we got 7 inches of rain in four hours one day.

 

[Folio]

Creamer--I'm North Dakota bred and born and am used to the 13-striped ground squirrel you might be referring to. Shot more than I can count when they popped out of their holes. Here in Oregon, I've learned gophers are very different from the midwest. You never see them. Litter size might be the same though. Anyway, WHY wouldn't my solution work? What kind of predator are you talking about? A Jack Russel terrier? Pet coyote? An owl? (I have a Great Horned Owl spending nights in my barn. Fat good he's doing me!) A friendly python?

Not trying to be facetious, just trying to understand. Thanks much for responding.

 

[zzvyb6]

The smoke bombs don't work because the gophers backfill the gassed sections and easily survive. Same with flushing with CO or CO2. Leg traps are not a consideration because of the othe animals around. I've heard of people dumping a trough of water down the holes in an effort to drown them, but they get away, too, unless you are there with a shovel. A neighbor has a German shepherd that can catch one at a time if they get it on a run to another den. But, your dog may need some costly repair if its a house dog used to playing with stuffed animals.

What worked for me was a Remington solution: bolt action, heavy barrel, bipod, patience and .223. They are overgrown rats. Once 'disabled', I park them on a 24" square platform 14' off the ground and let the redtailed hawks and golden eagles feast on them. Another cute trick is to let a can of starting fluid loose into the hole. Same some for a trail running out about a yard from the entrance hole. Light a match to the trail and wait for the noise. You don't get to see if they got affected, but at least you don't have the guilt of using guns against mother nature. To me, my Remington is just like another wrench in the toolbox. A time for all of them. If I run out of patience, I can drill them out with my Barrett M99.

You know what they say about horses? "No hoof, no horse". If you can't stomach shooting the gophers, stick to raising apple trees or rasberries and save your animals some grief.

 

[rambler]

Creamer--I'm North Dakota bred and born and am used to the 13-striped ground squirrel you might be referring to. Shot more than I can count when they popped out of their holes. Here in Oregon, I've learned gophers are very different from the midwest. You never see them. Litter size might be the same though. Anyway, WHY wouldn't my solution work? What kind of predator are you talking about? A Jack Russel terrier? Pet coyote? An owl? (I have a Great Horned Owl spending nights in my barn. Fat good he's doing me!)

Not trying to be facetious, just trying to understand. Thanks much for responding.

Here in Minnesota, we have both - the 13 striped ground squirrel actually loves to use the abandoned burrows the pocket gophers make. The ground squirrel has open, very small holes they just barely fit into. They make no mess or fuss, _unless_ you grow corn, those buggers can dig up an acre of corn after you plant it along a grassy area and leave you with a weed patch, no corn.... But they don't bother a grassy area at all. Yea, these guys reproduce fast! I had a tom cat (disappeared last year, he was late middle aged, nice guy!) that walked my pasture fence every day in summer, he loved the taste of striped gopher. For the 8 years he was around, I grew wonderful corn along my pasture - that cat probably saved me $4000 of corn in his life. I remember dad always had trouble with missing corn there from these striped squirrels. I sure hope one of the tomcat's kids takes over his route!

The pocket gophers, which I think you are having troubles with, create dirt mounds not quite as bad but along the lines of a prairie dog village. Terrible for trying to make hay on, or walk through. These true gophers _hate_ sunlight and always cover their holes with a big pile of dirt, and you _Never_ see them walking on the ground in daylight. They make more holes/ mounds than there are gophers, so you do have a chance against them.

Their homes are deeper down than their tunnels, and since hot gas rises, you really would have to work a long time with the exhaust. And diesel engine isn't so good, despite the black smoke, diesel is too efficient - a poorly tuned gas engine will do it, but it won't be cheap or fast - you'll be idling there a long long time to try to get gas into all the deeper areas of their homes.

The poison, done right, is also placed deeper in the ground, not exposed to most things - I assume you are worried about the dog digging it up?

Trapping is the best, the traps are placed down in the ground into an open hole about 6 inches in, and a proper gopher trap is a one-way thing, not a leg trap, so a critter like your dog coming in from the top would set it off without being on the 'business end' of the trap.

You can try the exhaust gas, but think you will end up turning to something else.

--->Paul

 

[Creamer]

Folio - we had a few of the little 13 stripe ground squirrels like you mentioned but we had a similar but larger solid colored tan version that was the problem. Never had to deal with pocket gophers but have always heard that poison was the only way because you do not see them. They still come out sometimes though and a good hunting cat is a great predator and if you can get a few they will work as a team. I remember one summer my sister and I counted 36 cats around our place and we never fed them. A weasel is a great predator as well as they go right down the holes. Badgers eat a lot more but they also make a huge mess of the pasture as they literally outdig a gopher to catch them so that is trading one problem for another. Weasels also like chickens if you have those around it is hard to keep them out.

 

[SandburRanch]

The only sure fire methods of limited control is a good cat and a good trap. I've used the .22 but I don't have the patients to wait like a cat does and my hearing is a million miles from that of the cat that can hear them under ground.

And some cats will quickly learn to run your trap line for you. Teaching them to re-set the trap is more difficult

 

[Egon]

I assume you are talking about Pocket Gophers rather than Ground Squirrels.

Removing the food source, ie cultivation, will quickly remove them but that may not be viable for your situation.

The other methods mentioned all work but required considerable sustained application.

Another suggestion may be going over the area with a plug aerator that makes holes about six inches or more deep?? Don't know if they go that deep??

 

[Folio]

Yup, we're talking pocket gophers and I'm ruling out poisons because of the dog. Appreciate everyone's feedback. Thanks much. I'm new at this farm business so I'm happy to be in the company of you veterans. I'm thinking I'm going to have to resign myself to a long battle and start with traps and work from there.