Gopher Facts
The gopher can be found all across North America and are sometimes referred to as pocket gophers. Gophers are equipped with large claws that make them great diggers. Mating occurs in the spring months. Gophers produce litters of 10 pups after about one month. Their diet includes plants, shrubs, and trees, as well as their roots.
Gopher Damage
These root-loving rodents can become problematic when they begin to destroy your yard. Trees, flowers, and crops may begin to die as the gophers continue to feed. The piles of dirt they will leave around your yard from tunneling is unattractive, not to mention dangerous. These tunnels and holes weaken the ground, potentially causing you to twist your ankle. As gophers build these tunnels, they may also gnaw through underground cables, water lines, sprinkler systems, and irrigation pipes. And, if you play golf, they might just pull a “Caddy Shack” and make your outing miserable.
Types of Gophers
Gopher Identification
The gopher can measure between six to eight inches in length with brown fur and large cheek pockets, giving it the nickname “pocket gopher”. Their eyes are very small and they have a short, hairy tails that they use to feel around when they move backwards.
Gophers in the Yard & Garden
Gophers favor homes or properties that are located near wooded areas, prairies, or mountainous regions. If they’re poking around your yard, it’s probably because you’ve got a lot of plants they want to munch on. Vegetables, roots, and stems will bring them near, and having water around doesn’t hurt, either. The gopher will pile dirt or sand around your yard from digging. They can also weaken turf where tunnels have been created. Your plants may be chewed on or uprooted. For landscapers, gophers are a nightmare.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep gophers away?
In order to keep gophers at bay, it may help to construct a barrier around your flower or vegetable garden. Installing wire mesh fences that are planted deep into the soil will deter these critters from digging through to the other side. Placing wire baskets around the roots of shrubs and trees before they are planted should also help get the gophers to back off. Flooding their tunnels will also evict them and ruin their nests.
If you decide to try this, do it only in the late winter and early spring to ensure no young are present. Natural options are also available. Encouraging predators to the gopher may also keep their numbers down. Dogs, coyotes, weasels, and snakes will often feed on small mammals, so allowing them in your yard may actually help curtail your problem.
But the safest, most effective way to take care of a gopher problem is to consult a licensed pest control expert who can remove the critters and protect the property.
What are the benefits of professional rodent or wildlife pest control?
Expert pest specialists have the educational background, equipment, and skill to control and remove wildlife nuisances from a property in a safe, efficient way.
If you’re struggling with gophers on your property, contact us. Our technicians can safely remove the critters and help you regain control of your property and sanity.
