Pocket gophers are robust, burrowing rodents that spend the majority of their lives underground, creating complex tunnel systems that extensively damage lawns and gardens. They are herbivores, feeding primarily on plant roots, tubers, and bulbs, which they often pull down into their tunnels for consumption. This feeding results in wilting plants and dead patches of grass across a yard. Their digging activity also creates unsightly mounds of soil and can weaken the ground’s structural integrity, sometimes interfering with irrigation systems and underground utility lines. Controlling a gopher infestation requires correctly identifying the pest and then applying consistent, targeted removal or exclusion methods.
Confirming Gopher Activity
Identifying the specific subterranean pest is the crucial first step, as treatment methods for gophers, moles, and voles differ significantly. Gophers are best identified by the characteristic shape of the soil mounds they create. A gopher mound is typically crescent or horseshoe-shaped, often described as a fan of dirt pushed out from a lateral tunnel. A definitive sign is the plugged opening, which is sealed with soil and is always located off to one side of the mound.
This differs from a molehill, which is a symmetrical, volcano-shaped mound with the exit plug located squarely in the center. Moles also create raised ridges or surface tunnels in the lawn as they hunt for worms and insects, while gophers rarely create these visible surface runways. Voles, which are smaller, also create damage, but they leave small, open burrow holes and shallow, narrow runways on top of the grass, rather than large soil mounds.
Effective Methods for Removal
Trapping is widely considered the most reliable and effective method for removing gophers, especially in smaller areas like a residential lawn. Specialized traps, such as Macabee or Cinch traps, are designed to be placed directly into the gopher’s tunnel system. To locate the main tunnel, a probe should be used about 6 to 12 inches away from the plugged side of a fresh mound until it drops suddenly into the open runway.
Once the main tunnel is located and opened, it is recommended to set two traps facing in opposite directions to catch the gopher regardless of which way it approaches. After setting the traps, the opening must be carefully covered with sod or a piece of plywood to prevent light and air from entering. This covering encourages the gopher to return and plug the breach. If a trap does not yield a catch within 48 hours, it should be moved to a different, more active mound.
The use of toxic bait, typically containing an active ingredient like strychnine, can be effective, particularly for larger or widespread infestations. Bait must be applied directly into the main runway using a probe or a specialized bait applicator to ensure the gopher consumes it underground. This direct placement is important to minimize the risk of non-target animals, such as pets or wildlife, accessing the poison. Homeowners must exercise extreme caution with toxic baits, as they pose a significant danger to children and pets, and it is important to check local regulations regarding their use. If bait is applied, any new mounds that appear after application indicate a surviving gopher, which can then be targeted with traps.
Humane Deterrents and Repellents
Non-lethal methods focus on making the environment unwelcoming enough for gophers to encourage them to leave the area voluntarily. Many of these deterrents rely on the gopher’s sensitive sense of smell. Repellents often contain castor oil, which is not toxic but is highly unpalatable to gophers and disrupts their digestive system if they consume it. Castor oil is typically applied as granules spread across the lawn and then watered in, or as a liquid spray, allowing the substance to penetrate the soil and tunnels. These applications often require frequent re-treatment, especially after rain, to maintain effectiveness.
Other strong-smelling substances, like coffee grounds, peppermint oil, or planting natural deterrents such as daffodils and garlic, can also be placed near tunnel entrances to discourage activity. Vibration or sound-emitting devices, sometimes called sonic spikes, are another humane option that attempts to disrupt the gopher’s underground comfort zone. These devices emit high-frequency sounds or vibrations into the soil. However, the effectiveness of these sonic and vibrating repellents is inconsistent, as gophers may simply adapt to the localized disturbance or tunnel around the affected area.
Structural Prevention Measures
Long-term gopher control is best achieved through physical exclusion, which involves installing barriers to prevent them from entering vulnerable areas. For raised beds or small garden plots, a permanent barrier of hardware cloth or gopher wire mesh can be installed beneath the soil. This material should have a mesh size of one-half inch or smaller and be made of galvanized or stainless steel for corrosion resistance.
The wire mesh should be secured to the bottom of the raised bed frame or buried horizontally a few inches below the surface of the lawn, effectively blocking their upward burrowing path. For protecting individual trees or shrubs, gopher baskets made from the same durable wire material can be wrapped around the root ball before planting. Minimizing excessive watering can also reduce the lush root growth that gophers seek as a food source, making the area less appealing for foraging and colonization.