Pocket gophers, commonly called gophers, are burrowing rodents that spend most of their lives underground, creating extensive tunnel systems that damage lawns and gardens. These solitary animals use their powerful claws and prominent incisors to dig, pushing excavated soil to the surface in noticeable mounds. The resulting damage includes destruction of plant roots, creation of tripping hazards on the lawn, and large patches of bare soil. Successfully addressing this problem requires a two-part approach: removing the animal and then physically repairing the disturbed landscape.
Identifying Gopher Damage vs. Other Pests
Distinguishing gopher activity from that of other burrowing animals like moles or voles is the first step toward effective control. Gophers create fan-shaped or horseshoe-shaped mounds of soil, where the tunnel entrance is typically sealed with a soil plug. This mound shape is distinct from the volcano-shaped or cone-shaped mounds created by moles.
Moles, which are insectivores, create raised ridges or shallow, surface-level tunnels as they hunt for worms and grubs. Gophers, being herbivores, create deeper, lateral tunnels that are rarely visible on the surface, except for the entrance to the main runway. Voles, which are smaller rodents, do not typically leave mounds but instead create narrow, visible runways in the grass with open, unplugged entry holes.
Methods for Gopher Removal
The most practical and consistently effective methods for removing pocket gophers are trapping and baiting, which target the animal directly within its tunnel system. Trapping is considered a safe and effective control method, particularly for smaller infestations or individual animals. Common traps include two-pronged pincer traps and choker-style box traps, all designed to be placed directly into the main runway of the burrow.
To place a trap or bait correctly, the main runway must first be located by probing the ground four to 12 inches away from the sealed soil plug of a fresh mound. Once the probe drops suddenly, the main tunnel is found, and the opening is enlarged to insert the trap or toxic bait. Traps should be set in pairs facing opposite directions within the main tunnel to increase the chance of capture regardless of which direction the gopher travels.
Baiting utilizes toxic pellets, often containing acute toxicants or anticoagulants. For safety, the bait must be placed deep into the main tunnel using a probe and funnel, ensuring no toxic material is spilled on the surface where non-target animals or children might access it. Fumigation can also be effective, but it requires sufficient soil moisture to contain the toxic gas and is generally less reliable than trapping or baiting because gophers quickly seal off their tunnels.
Repairing Tunnels and Restoring the Landscape
Once the gopher has been successfully removed, the next step is to address the extensive physical damage left behind by the burrow system and soil mounds. The goal is to collapse the underground tunnels and level the surface to prevent future settling and tripping hazards. To begin, any fresh mounds of soil should be spread out evenly across the lawn or removed if there is excess material.
The hidden tunnels must be filled to prevent the ground from sinking later. This is done by locating the main tunnels and backfilling them with soil; using water can help collapse the runways and identify areas needing more backfill. The excavated soil, along with additional topsoil, should be firmly compacted into the holes and tunnels to ensure a stable surface.
After the area is leveled, bare spots in the lawn need to be repaired through reseeding or patching with sod. For reseeding, the repaired soil should be lightly raked and covered with grass seed that matches the existing turf. A light layer of topsoil and starter fertilizer should be applied over the seed, and the area must be kept consistently moist for approximately two weeks to promote germination.
Exclusion and Deterrence Strategies
Long-term prevention focuses on creating physical barriers and making the landscape unattractive to gophers to prevent their return. One of the most effective exclusion methods is installing a subterranean barrier using galvanized hardware cloth or gopher wire mesh. This wire should have a small opening, typically a half-inch or quarter-inch mesh, to prevent the rodents from passing through.
For new lawns or garden beds, the hardware cloth should be laid horizontally across the entire area and buried below the finished grade before topsoil and sod are installed. For existing areas, the mesh can be installed vertically around the perimeter of garden spaces, buried at least 18 inches deep, with a few inches left above ground to deter travel over the top. When protecting individual plants, wire baskets can be placed around the root balls at the time of planting.
Deterrence methods, while less reliable than physical barriers, can supplement the exclusion effort. Gophers prefer moist, well-drained soil, so improving soil drainage can make the area less attractive. Some gardeners use sonic devices or select plants that are known to be less palatable to gophers, although the effectiveness of these methods can vary widely depending on the local gopher population.