Gophers

I mow a 1 acre lot in a business area every year. I got a call today from the property manager of the lot. The problem is the gophers are leaving the empty lot, and invading the property of others, with landscaped areas. I am just wondering if the property owner is really responsible for controlling the gophers leaving their property for greener pastures. I think it would be like. If my wife feeds the wild brids, and the birds poop on the neighbors cars. Will I be responsible? Your thoughts. Stan

I say gophers -- not responsible ,but, feeding birds and poopin' on cars ,well in my state there was a case where a feeder for birds attracted so many deer [ and eating neighbors shrubs] so they got sent notices to ceast and desist feeding or be fined. Any feeding of any wildlife is illegal in my state but it is not enforced.

Wouldn't be wise to work together, seems the disturbance causes their flight to seek cover, knowing its a problem ahead of time, both parties could work together on it for resolution. I don't see how the blame game works so well, nothing gets done and the problem persists.

You want to talk about being invaded by rodents, in '01-'02 I was working on a new building on the NYU campus, adjacent to it, across one street, the site work just commenced for the next building and when they started demolition, the rats started coming out and literally took over the new building. I have never seen anything like it, and the CM/GC had a serious problem on their hand, they never prepared for it. Rodent control starts at the foundation stage and lasts throughout the life of the project, or until its deemed no longer necessary.

These rats chewed holes through new drywall like it was nothing, they made passages, and paths everywhere, the sheer number of them was just incredible. Darned things would ride the elevator with you, smart as a whip and right until the building was to open they were a real problem, was never so glad to get our last gangbox off that job.

I was heavily involved on the next one adjacent to this one, once the steel started going up, and as that one progressed, I never saw one rat in that building, sure they were around, they always are, but nothing like what happened after that mass exodus.

I've had trouble with them on other jobs, but knew that an exterminator is part of the general conditions cost, best to get them in on time and regularly, or have your laborers do the same work needed to control them. They love unkept job sites, so its paramount to keep the entire site clean and orderly. The developer whom I worked for said you run a clean jobsite, I agreed, and said you can't let housekeeping go on any site, just pays to keep after it for numerous reasons, mostly safety, but also pest control. Blaming this and that does nothing.

Barney Fyfe said it best, "nip it in the bud", don't do that and you will get over run, the city is teeming with rats in places.

Gophers like any wild animal is just that and will and can go as they please where they please. That is why many cities have problems with a large number of deer and they cause lots of problems with landscapes. The people who build the parking lots and buildings pushing the deer to lawns and landscapes are not responsible for the deer any more then any body can be for gophers

I have eliminated all gofer problems with Loaded Rear tractor tires every time they show up..!!

Just give them repeated "Headaches" from the Lugs ans they definitely go away..

They may go toward the fences, but they will eventually LEAVE entirely..!

Ron.

I just run a hose from a 20# LP tank to their run,they can t stand the smell.

How can They prove the gophers came from Your clients lot?
And what are You supposed to do about it?

Steve A W

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city people........fighting city people you'll probably lose, but I'd still have some fun.

Woodchucks here, and we all know when you see them in a flat, open, mowed yard/field...They are just eating and catching some sun. They don't 'live' there.
I'd walk over to those raised landscape beds, shrubs, under cute little sheds, until I found their holes.
Point em out and ask politely if they would keep [i:f3c9b3b682]their[/i:f3c9b3b682] woodchucks out of my field.