gophers

[sage]

Gopher holes everywhere! Anyone have any great ideas how to get rid of these pesky critters?  We've tried just about everything Mountain Hardware sells.  First, poison pellets, second, the thing that lets out a beep every few seconds that is supposed to drive them crazy and they can't stand it, so they are supposed to pack up and leave.  But guess what, they are still here!  And for the last effort, we bought the hose attachment that you connect to the tailpipe of your car and put it in the hole hoping to kill them with the exhaust.  Thought that one worked, but alas, there were new holes yesterday.  I have lived here for 15 years and have never had problems with these before. Any grat suggestions would be graciously appreciated!

[KW]

I can't help, but can relate my funny stories with gophers from when we lived in Pinon Hills. I was so fed up with them, that I thought a bombarment of evil might get rid of them.

There were four holes in the yard. All at once, I placed poison in one, a trap in another, a gas bomb in another, and a fast-flowing hose in the last one. I let that hose run so long I thought it would undermine my yard! Did it work?

No! The next day there were five new holes!

Someone once told me that if you hook up your propane (from the barbecue) to the holes, that it will kill them quickly. I was afraid to do that - thought I might blow up the yard.

All I can say is, good luck!

[sage]

i forgot that we also tried the gas bombs and running the water from the hose into their holes for a long time.  I just want them to pack their bags and move on...

[fisherman]

I used to use cheep chlorine bleach, Poor a gallon down the last hole you think they are using and plug it and the holes near it. Just don't use it near any shrubs. Worked every time for me. May take a few gallons to finish the job.

[ezzpete]

I used to use cheep chlorine bleach, Poor a gallon down the last hole you think they are using and plug it and the holes near it. Just don't use it near any shrubs. Worked every time for me. May take a few gallons to finish the job.

where does the bleach go?

[fisherman]

Runs down through their run. Chlorine gas was used during WW1. Soon breaks down into a fertilizer, My Grandfather taught my how to do this 60 years ago.

[LasPulgas]

Hmmmm..... 

I know that in the mid-West people use human hair to keep deer away.... 

Ask a local hair salon if you can get a bag of cuttings to try? 

Worst that can happen:  Won't work. 

Lots of animals hate the smell of us human varmints.

[TableMtn]

Heck, I just tolerate them--I call them "nature's rototillers".  They are doing a great job in an area where I pulled a whole bunch of 50 years of  rotten sticks and crap under some 50 year old manzanitas.  I didn't go down to bare mineral soil as there was a bunch of composted stuff  about halfway down.  The gophers or ground squirrels (not sure which) are now busily builinding their mounds and incorporating all that compost into the dirt.  THANKS GUYS!

[Nolena]

Yeah, I don't mind them, either. They stay out of the garden in the back yard because we have dogs. Then, most of my stuff is wildflowers, so the sild gophers blend in. 

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

Gopher holes everywhere! Anyone have any great ideas how to get rid of these pesky critters?  We've tried just about everything Mountain Hardware sells.  First, poison pellets, second, the thing that lets out a beep every few seconds that is supposed to drive them crazy and they can't stand it, so they are supposed to pack up and leave.  But guess what, they are still here!  And for the last effort, we bought the hose attachment that you connect to the tailpipe of your car and put it in the hole hoping to kill them with the exhaust.  Thought that one worked, but alas, there were new holes yesterday.  I have lived here for 15 years and have never had problems with these before. Any grat suggestions would be graciously appreciated!

Wow Sage!  I was just joking about the sling-shot squirrel thing.  Sorry you took offense.  However, I would never, ever do this.....   
Nothing like good ol' selective rodent killing....

[in my dreams]

Heck, I just tolerate them--I call them "nature's rototillers".  They are doing a great job in an area where I pulled a whole bunch of 50 years of  rotten sticks and crap under some 50 year old manzanitas.  I didn't go down to bare mineral soil as there was a bunch of composted stuff  about halfway down.  The gophers or ground squirrels (not sure which) are now busily builinding their mounds and incorporating all that compost into the dirt.  THANKS GUYS!

Unfortunately, subterranean termites travel through gopher tunnels and spread that way. Great for a forest, but. . . At least most people up here aren't built on slab foundations so their destruction is easier to monitor if/when your home is attacked.

[fisherman]

I have used cheep chlorine bleach in the past. A few gallons in scatterd holes worked. Don't use near plants.

[sage]

Quote from: sage on Nov 17, 04, 08:10:08 AM
Gopher holes everywhere!  Anyone have any great ideas how to get rid of these pesky critters?  We've tried just about everything Mountain Hardware sells.  First, poison pellets, second, the thing that lets out a beep every few seconds that is supposed to drive them crazy and they can't stand it, so they are supposed to pack up and leave.  But guess what, they are still here!  And for the last effort, we bought the hose attachment that you connect to the tailpipe of your car and put it in the hole hoping to kill them with the exhaust.  Thought that one worked, but alas, there were new holes yesterday.  I have lived here for 15 years and have never had problems with these before. Any grat suggestions would be graciously appreciated!

I wonder how long it took you to find this post, get a life JasonHill. The ones asking for the advice on how to save a squirrel had some compassion and wanted to do the best they could for the squirrel. I had gophers destroying my yard and yes I wanted to get rid of them, trying first a humane way with the beeper thing and it didn't work. Enough said.

[Toolman]

http://www.rodenator.com/pests-controls-videos-rodenators

May as well have a little fun 

[esprit]

Any chance the gophers could be relocated?  They seem like all other forest critters, they just want to live in a natural habitat and raise their babies?  We had some ground squirrels in a neighboring lot - I'm pretty sure their numbers were lowered by natural causes and local coyote families.

[ezzpete]

try urinating around the areas you want to protect.

[Nolena]

That's the last time I walk the dogs past Ezzpete's house. 

[ezzpete]

That's the last time I walk the dogs past Ezzpete's house. 

see, it works

[luvroses]

LOL Pete!

But seriously, some of the commercial varmint-repellents are nothing but fox urine in a bottle.