pocket gopher deterrent

coshoo · Jan 25, 2018

Among the hints on here for getting rid of moles was sprinkling the ground with something to kill the worms (don't remember the name of it)- how about pocket gophers? I don't think they eat worms. Any hints for just keeping them completely out of an area? These are the little pocket gophers, about the size of a mole, not the bigger gophers.

9001ron · Jan 25, 2018

Natural determent = don't shoot the coyote's, foxes -- not only do they eat gophers but mice as well. Moles are a different story -- I have seen where some body tries to dig them out but I figure a mole can dig faster than any body digging after them. Dad would trap them -- he would dig a hole and lay in a leg hold trap and then cover it up with a small chunk of plywood to block out any light and he would get them -- I just don't have that kind of motivation or pacence to do that.

kcm.MN · Jan 25, 2018

About the only thing I know of that works is in-ground sound (vibration) deterrents. They've made little sonic pest chasers for years, but I've actually seen some areas where the activity level actually increased when using them!

I have a couple of ideas to use on my garden this year, but not sure how well they'll work. One thing's for sure though, they won't run off of solar or tiny little batteries!

rustyfarmall · Jan 25, 2018

We had an infestation of those striped ground squirrels. At first, they were cute, but then they became destructive. A chunk of rat bait placed into each of the holes in the ground soon solved the problem.

fixerupper · Jan 25, 2018

I used to trap then with a leg hold trap too using the same method. I would lay the trap, put a board over the hole, then cover the board with dirt. My rate of luck was 50 percent. They are nasty critters when caught.

grizz02 · Jan 25, 2018

Used to put poison down the hole now I use my 4 wheeler with a hose off the exhaust , clear the hole out and put hose down the hole for a minute and cover it back up seems to work a lot better and kills the little ones also .

Lucid · Jan 25, 2018

Maybe not a good suggestion, but I have a black lab/hound mix. She loves to dig up the moles and kill them! Will stand there for a long time watching the dirt move, then pounce. Of course ahe kills them and waits until they get stinky, then rolls on em.

old popper · Jan 25, 2018

I trapped pocket gophers when I was in grade school. At that time there was a $.20 bounty on them in Buena Vista county. Cut their front feet off, and stored them in rock salt till I could get to the courthouse. We were a little more willing to work for our spending money in those days.

cuby · Jan 25, 2018

When I was a kid I would trap them. Dig in to mound to find runway,set trap, cover with cow pie or corn stock butt, fill over with dirt. The little devels could sure plug a trap easy. If I caught any then we take to court house for bounty money.

guido · Jan 25, 2018

Hello coshoo,

I was told that vinegar or bleach will work. Strong vapors will burn their noses. I hope so, I have had one next to the mail box for years. I will try that,

Guido.

JF in MI · Jan 25, 2018

We get them every year digging holes all over out airport (they really like living under the runway light cones). I go out a couple of times a weekend, in the summer months, with my 22 and eradicate them. They have one weakness which is curiosity. They like to stand up to see things and they're easy to spot. When you see them dive into a hole you usually wait about 5 minutes and they pop their head out to see what's going on. That's when I 'pop a cap' on them. Like playing 'Whack-a-mole'. Crows or other critters take care of the mess within a day. Nailed hundreds over the past few years. Basic hunting license is only $5 for seniors. You could also try the water jug trick.

D beatty · Jan 25, 2018

I use a 410 snake charmer with bird shot or .22 cal with bird shot.

Ferd · Jan 25, 2018

Prozac for gophers (They eat grain) and Talprid for moles (they eat worms and their mounds are round - not u shape). Take a thin steel rod and locate the runway about 6 inches away from the mound. Then make a hole around three-quarter inch diameter to the runway. Either put Proyzac or Talpirid in the hole and either pinch the hole shut or cover with dirt so no light gets down the runway. Usually I take a shovel and level the mound off after I?ve poison them. If I see a new mound I go right out and do the same thing over again. I got 5 acres it was full of moles and gophers and I haven?t had any back here in the last two years.

DENNIS MIN · Jan 25, 2018

coshoo,

There's a trap from wiretek, called mole eliminator. It works, and is re-usable. I have trapped no less than 54 moles on a 3 acre patch.

I have tried the worm deterrent, the chewy worms, even a professional exterminator. Traps are the right tool. I am not affiliated with that company, just wanted the moles gone and found what works fr me.

D.

wolfman · Jan 25, 2018

I had mounds of dirt and mole runs all over my lawn, used enough grubb killer to saturate the world ,still mounds of dirt. Got an old three-prong fork with the prongs near straight and decided to stab the ground until I heard a squeal. I stabbed every mole tract all-around a mound of dirt and heard no squeal. Next day no mounds of dirt or signs of moles. Maybe he went quietly or my hearing is as bad as they tell me. Every now and again I have to stab another spot in the lawn. You'd think they'd learn to stay away from this ole farmer.

Tim in OR · Jan 26, 2018

What worked for me was totally by accident. We had an above ground swimming pool I needed to take down for the year. That mole was driving me nuts, so I took the hose from the filter and stuck it into the closest mole hill. I drained 1/2 of that 18' pool, then started a siphon to drain the rest. It all went down that hole, I didn't see any of that water anywhere else. I haven't seen any mole activity in 4 or 5 years.
I guess I was just lucky.
Tim in OR

pocket gopher deterrent

coshoo

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9001ron

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kcm.MN

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rustyfarmall

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fixerupper

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grizz02

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Lucid

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old popper

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cuby

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guido

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JF in MI

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D beatty

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Ferd

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DENNIS MIN

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wolfman

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Tim in OR

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