Gopher trouble - any recs or suggestions?
We appear to have a gopher in our backyard. If you have any suggestions or experiences regarding ways to get rid of them, we would love to hear them! Ideally, we’re looking for non-toxic solutions.
thanks!
Jul 18, 2021
Parent Replies
Our neighbor recommended this team out of E. Palo Alto (but they travel ALL over the Bay Area). They caught 6 of our neighbors within a couple weeks and caught ours within a week or 2. There are a lot of "remedies" but if you want a reasonably priced EFFECTIVE team and in general to get that gopher gone, I'd call them: http://www.gophertrappingpros.com/
Try filling gopher holes with used coffee grounds, pack the holes full with the grounds. Good Luck!
Gopher traps are very effective and non-toxic (not non-lethal, though). I don't have a brand recommendation, but this video lays out the general approach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epe4DXA1yow
Try the gopher hawk- it’s the best trap. Easy to set, works like a charm
Two suggestions: (1) Use spring traps. You can buy these (still?) at Ace Pastime Hardware on San Pablo Ave. across from El Cerrito movie theater. It takes a bit of work to dig into tunnel opening enough to fit trap and allow room for the "arms" to swing unimpeded by tunnel walls/ceiling. Many tips online. And you have to be willing to deal with dead gopher (just pull trap from tunnel, open "arms/jaws" and drop into ... yard for raptors? Garbage? This method can take time, many trap resets, and really refining your trapping techniques. (2) There are sulfur bombs (size of small cigar) (Ace) that you can light and shove down the tunnel, then quickly cover the opening(s) ... tight! The sulfurous gas kills the gophers, and they die in their burrow(s), and not a "poison" like rat poison that can then kill going up the food chain, to whatever might eat a dead gopher. Good luck, and start soon. Rodents multiply quickly.