How To Get Rid of Gophers

Do you have mounds of dirt showing up in your lawn or garden? Is something munching on your plants and vegetables? If the answer to these two questions is "yes," you probably have at least one gopher residing on your property.

Gophers are burrowers and they like moist soil because it makes it easier for them to tunnel, dig and feed on the delicious vegetation growing in your yard. Any good gopher will try to flee if you stumble upon him doing his "pesky" deeds. However, they have been known to attack or bite when they feel cornered or provoked.

Gopher trapping is by far the most effective way to get rid of gophers. These traps do not require bait but they do require a little patience on your part. Organic growers prefer gopher trapping as it does not employ any chemicals. Here's how to use traps to get rid of gophers:

1. Dig a hole in the gopher mound to locate the gopher's tunnel.
2. Use a long stick to locate the gopher's tunnel. It is usually between one and two feet away from the mound. You will know it when you find it as it will be a tunnel going in both directions.
3. Insert two cocked traps into the tunnel. Place the traps back to back. No matter which way the gopher comes through the tunnel he will be trapped and killed.
4. After you have placed your trap, it is important that you cover the hole you made with dirt. If gophers sense any light in their tunnels, they will fill in their tunnels with dirt and abandon them.
5. When the gopher travels through the tunnel to the mound, he will be caught in the trap. You should wait at least 24-36 hours before checking the trap. Remove the dead gopher and place him in a sealed plastic bag and throw the bag in the garbage.

Poison is another method you can use to rid your property of gophers.

• If you do use poison pellets or gas in your gopher tunnels and you locate the dead carcass, you should seal it in a plastic bag and dispose of it. Animals (such as cats and dogs) who gnaw or eat a poisoned gopher could become ill and die.

Other tips for ridding your property of gophers include:

• Encourage birds to your property, especially hawks and owls. Provide them with nest boxes, food and water.
• Keep your lawn mowed and weeds pulled. This will enable predatory birds to spot gophers easily.
• If gophers are a problem in your vegetable garden, lay hardware cloth two feet under your garden's surface. This will keep gophers from tunneling into your garden and eating your veggies. If they can't get to the goodies, they will tunnel elsewhere.