What is the best way to get rid of annoying gophers in yard?

Question

I have tried poision peanuts, smoke bombs, water down their tunnels and hitting them over their heads with shovels. I know it's mean but, I don't want my yard to look like the GRAND CANYON! What can I do? I heard that otters or some kind of animal like that can chase them out. Have any suggestions?

I have these traps that I don't know how to setup. They look like they can decapitate a human or something. Came with no directions. They have to prongs/like teeth at one end. Very crazy looking.

Answer 1

I watched an episode of Gardening by the Yard this past Saturday that addressed this very topic.

From Show:

"Although there are a number of ways to control dreaded subterranean dwellers--from trapping and flooding to poison--master gardener Paul James prefers to repel them by using a granular form of his favorite repellent: castor oil. This relatively new product does an excellent job of controlling moles and gophers as well as armadillos."

Click on the source link and you can learn how to do this!:)

Answer 2

The surest way to get rid of gophers is to get a dog bred for the purpose. I know terriers were used to hunt rats and if you do some research, you'll probably find the right kind. You might talk to your local animal shelter and see if they have a young dog (no more than two years or younger than 6 months) that will suit. If you don't want to keep the dog after, provide a foster home for it while they continue to list it.

If a dog is not an option, check with animal control for LIVE traps. They will show you how to set them. If they don't have any, they will know where to get them. These are actually more effective than death traps.

If you have enough gophers to make it worthwhile, there's also a service called "Dog Gone" which removes prairie dogs and will probably do gophers. They use a vacuum that simply sucks the dogs out of their tunnels and deposits them unharmed in a cage. They look a bit bewildered, but otherwise ok.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Get a cat. My two cats sit in the yard and watch for movement. At the first sign, they start to dig. Rarely do they eat them, but they bring them to the front door of my house to show what good hunters they are. Also there is a special trap that you place in the path of a gopher tunnel, it has four steel rods that hold it in place. when the gopher passes underneath and begins to press the dirt upward, a series of pointed spikes on an attached plate, spring down to kill the gopher. It works well.

Answer 4

I was told that a "sure" way was to dig in and exposed one side of the tunnel and connect it with a cardboard tube about the same size of the tunnel and bury it. But before you bury the tube, place a single blade razor blade on the top of the tube where the corner of the razor blade cuts thru and into the tube. The idea is that the gopher will travel thru the cardboard tube to clear the tunnels and in doing so will cut itself with the corner of the razor blade (which is protruding into the tub). Gopher(s) hate the smell of blood and will leave the area (if the loss of blood doesn't kill it).

Answer 5

I have worry with Gophers as well, a good chum of ideas purely gave me copies of a few pages from " Jerry's well timed Tonics" the following you flow, a million Cp Ammonia, a million/2 Cp liquid dish cleansing soap, a million/2 cup urine (sorry this is what the aspects are) and a million/4 Cp castor oil. blend all mutually and with Hose-sprayer thoroughly saturate all the animal runs and burrows you'll locate. wish this works for both one persons, good success.

Answer 6

Stand outside and contiually yell 'fore'. Will work on golfers as well.

Buy a dog to dig bigger holes?

Remove food source. Shoot, trap, or poison.

Are you sure it is not moles?

Positively ID varmint but the basic three apply(shootrapoison)

With positive ID you can take steps to prevent reoccurance- which will happen... digging a trench around yard filled with gravel
will halt most burrowing into... certain plants may be food source... replant with nonfood plants...

Contact Bill Murray(previous expert)

Watch your step= good luck- let me know if this helps

Answer 7

My dad always drove his truck out into the yard like it was some big safari and just got out, snuck up and shot the little things. And dont say its mean , your planning on poisioning them.....Lets see a nice slow death with a spiked peanut or a quick shot to the head?

Answer 8

I tried everything, those little bastards are smart and defiant, An old man I met on a job site was spreading Garlic powder in his planters and I asked him what he was doing he said he had gopher problems for many years and he found out that they hate garlic, I tried his poisen and to my amazement the gophers left the area and went to my neighbors planters. garlic powder only! garlic salt will kill some plants too much akaline in salt.

Answer 9

I know a lady who would ask hairdressers to save human hair for her, which she would then put in her garden/yard to keep raccoons out and said it works....might work for gophers too.

Answer 10

M-80'S