Egon
Epic Contributor
The original poster is not interested in eliminating the pocket gophers.
Molehills in pasture.
- Thread starter SGBotsford
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The original poster is not interested in eliminating the pocket gophers.
alltoys
Silver Member
I will take a pic of the one I use the most then post it later this weekend. I will also take a pic of a gopher trap that I use for the Richardsons Ground Squirrel that we call a gopher. Totally different than the pocket gopher. I will show pics of both.
OP
SGBotsford
Bronze Member
Let's just say that I'm hesitant to try to eliminate gophers entirely, and I'm not sure I could do it even if I wanted to. The local farmers will till and reseed their pasture now and then as a control method. And there are some cool vids on Youtube about implements to knock down the hills.
I've also read some studies that show that poison baits generally don't work well, mostly due to that PGs prefer fresh over grain. May be different if you soaked a carrot in strychnine. In addition one of the issues with poison is the risk of secondary poisoning. E.g. Poison kills gopher, then coytes eat dead gopher. then coyotes aren't eating field mice. Zinc phosphide is a good poison bait for this: It dissipates in the victim and is no longer poisonous to animals that eat the carcase.
At this point I trap them in places where they get too anoying, and put the bucket down witht he front lip and inch off the ground while I mow. (this makes for a very shiny bucket...) I'm considering dragging a railroad tie behind the mower to further smear them out.
Generally a fresh hill isn't a problem. But a lot of my farm only gets mowed once a month. If it rains during that month, the hill sets into something a lot harder. At that point I need something a bit more active. Something like a heavy harrow with short teeth.
I've been thinking about an implement that would hook over the lip of my bucket. Have a couple of skids that would keep it an inch off the ground, and have a sawtooth blade that would dig into the hardened hills.
I've also read some studies that show that poison baits generally don't work well, mostly due to that PGs prefer fresh over grain. May be different if you soaked a carrot in strychnine. In addition one of the issues with poison is the risk of secondary poisoning. E.g. Poison kills gopher, then coytes eat dead gopher. then coyotes aren't eating field mice. Zinc phosphide is a good poison bait for this: It dissipates in the victim and is no longer poisonous to animals that eat the carcase.
At this point I trap them in places where they get too anoying, and put the bucket down witht he front lip and inch off the ground while I mow. (this makes for a very shiny bucket...) I'm considering dragging a railroad tie behind the mower to further smear them out.
Generally a fresh hill isn't a problem. But a lot of my farm only gets mowed once a month. If it rains during that month, the hill sets into something a lot harder. At that point I need something a bit more active. Something like a heavy harrow with short teeth.
I've been thinking about an implement that would hook over the lip of my bucket. Have a couple of skids that would keep it an inch off the ground, and have a sawtooth blade that would dig into the hardened hills.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Have you thought about a back blade with skid shoes?
Clint S
Veteran Member
I too look forward to a picture and possibly a place to buy one. I have tried it all. Mouse traps, spike traps, impalement traps, poison, grub control, smoke bombs poison, ultrasonics and other things I do not want to mention
chickenman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 408
i have one pasture with a resident gopher so i piled pallets over the burrow so it appears we have an agreement and coexist
chickenman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 408
Dan Hunter
Platinum Member
Just this weekend I achieved victory over a pocket gopher in my residential yard. I stuck a hose down the uphill hole and briefly flooded the tunnel to the end hole at the edge of my property. I came back later, put a 1/2 cup of Comet cleanser with bleach (honestly, it was the first thing I found under the sink cupboard) in the hole and then flushed it into the tunnel until I saw a white cloud develop at the last hole downhill at the other end. Apparently, the little bugger thinks Comet is disgusting as I do as it vacated the hole and stood by the hole it came out of where I beat it to death with a steel rod. I'm taking a bucket of Comet water out to the ranch along with my suppressed 10/22 and see what comes if it.
Sing it with me:
"Comet,
Will make you vomit.
So get some Comet,
And vomit,
today!"
It's even quieter than the steel rod smacking the ground:
Sing it with me:
"Comet,
Will make you vomit.
So get some Comet,
And vomit,
today!"
It's even quieter than the steel rod smacking the ground:
Ever tried noodling for gophers? I stuck my hand down a hole to clean out some dirt and felt a sharp pinching pain in the webbing between my thumb and forefinger. I yanked my hand out and the gopher came with it. He plopped on the ground in front of me and after a brief moment of shock (me) I beat him to death!
Dan Hunter
Platinum Member
I nominate you for tough bastard of the week. That's awesome!