What are they?
Pocket gophers take their name from fur-lined cheek pouches that they use for carrying food and nesting materials. Pocket gophers are widespread throughout much of the South, Midwest and Western United States. They are born diggers and create elaborate tunnel systems. Like moles Pocket gophers have powerful forequarters with large front paws.
Oftentimes mistaken for chipmunks or woodchucks Pocket gophers live in a burrow system that can exceed 2,500 square feet. Their fine fur allows them to move easily through any type of soil. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing which they use to locate food and avoid predators. They have small eyes and sensitive facial whiskers to assist their movements in the dark. Depending on species Pocket gophers vary in length from 7 to 12 inches.
Get rid of gophers
· Gas them. Use your vehicle\'s exhaust to flood the gopher tunnel network with carbon monoxide. Find a way to couple your exhaust pipe to one end of a garden hose, and put the other end of the garden hose in a tunnel. Make sure that you cover any open holes with dirt to keep as much of the exhaust from leaking to the surface as possible. Let your vehicle idle for 15 - 30 minutes to flood the entire tunnel network. Repeat as necessary.
· Trap them. Use the gopher traps and place it in the tunnels of an active gopher mound. Dig into the mound and place the trap crossways into the tunnel, then cover the area with a sheet of black plastic or burlap so that no light shines into the hole. It also helps to use latex gloves or rub the trap with fresh rosemary so that it doesn\'t smell of human scent.
· Poison them. Poison baits such as strychnine are very dangerous. Always read all labels and instructions. Be very careful when handling, keep away from children. Wash your hands very thoroughly after handling. This method is not recommended if there is a chance that another animal (such as a pet) could eat the gopher after it is poisoned. If your pet eats a poisoned gopher, it will be poisoned too.
· Drown them. Use a garden hose to flood the gopher tunnel with water. Be ready to kill the gopher with a shovel if he quickly pops out of the ground to avoid drowning. This method works about half of the time, but always creates a muddy mess.
Other recommendations for to get rid of gophers
Step 1: Purchase live bait traps at a hardware or home improvement store, such as Home Depot.
Step 2: Place live traps 6 to 12 inches underground into the gopher tunnel. Install two traps facing away from each other for best results. Wear gardening gloves when setting traps to avoid human scent transfer to traps.
Step 3: Insert garden hose into the gopher\'s main tunnel and allow water to flow into passageway for at least 15 minutes. While water is flooding tunnels, inspect other gopher burrow entrances for escaping gophers.
Step 4: Purchase garden chicken wire at any home improvement store. Dig a trench to a depth of 2 feet around any problem area where you need to get rid of gophers. Sink the fencing into the ground and allow at least 1 foot of the fence to remain above ground.
How to get rid of gophers >
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