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Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
#8941081
10/22/23 02:18 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,070
Ol_Yeller
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Posts: 1,070 |
Whatever they are they are building mounds in my yard. Looks like a volcano, 18"-24" around at the base, about 1 foot ht. with a 1"-2" hole at the top. What is the best way to kill them? Thanks for the help, they're driving me crazy!
"Duck hunter's minds are like concrete. All mixed up and permanently set."
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941235
10/22/23 06:11 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 20,891
TurkeyHunter
determined
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determined
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 20,891 |
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941259
10/22/23 06:54 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,565
Blank
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,565 |
Sounds like gophers, rather than ground squirrels. Questions to consider first. Is it a smaller space? The electronics/ultrasound works well for those areas, like enclosed yards. In a big area, like a field, they will just move away and start over again. Do you have pets or kids to worry about? Poisons are the most effective, but need to watch for accidental pick up. AMDRO makes a really effective gasser which will kill them and prevent their return. Nice side effect is if you have lots of gophers, you will find snakes there too. Getting rid of prey will reduce snakes.
Beer and whiskey, 'cause you can't drink bacon!!
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: TurkeyHunter]
#8941384
10/22/23 10:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 10,205
Old Rabbit
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 10,205 |
What he said. Learn to locate the tunnel and these will eradicate them quickly. No digging, just locate the tunnel with the provided tool, open it up with the second part of the tool and insert and set the trap.
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941427
10/22/23 10:41 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,640
Dave Davidson
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
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Posts: 8,640 |
Could you just start a garden hose in the hole to get them to relocate?
Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941447
10/22/23 11:09 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,444
Marc K
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Nothing that I have tried beats this stuff. Mole and Gopher underground bait
A Democracy is when two wolves and a lamb vote on the dinner menu. That is why this country was specifically not designed as a Democracy. We are a Constitutional Republic.
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941452
10/22/23 11:12 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,211
skinnerback
THF Celebrity Chef
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THF Celebrity Chef
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,211 |
Pocket Gophers, they’re everywhere here and have fought them my whole life. Best method to get rid of them is trapping them with standard gopher traps. Depending on where each mound is located in the tunnel system there will be 1, 2, or sometimes 3 tunnels under that mound. Trickiest part of it is finding the tunnels. I use one of those skinny green bamboo garden stakes to find the tunnels. You want to dig them out ONLY big enough to insert the set trap. If you dig out too much they will almost always go around it and fill it back in. Set a trap in every tunnel. Use 4’ of piano wire (metal leader line we use offshore fishing) to secure the trap to a bamboo stick that you stick in the ground near the mound (make an eye on the end to slide on & off). Don’t use string or twine because they’ll bite it and you’ll lose your trap. They can’t stand for their tunnels to be open and normally respond pretty quick, but I always give them at least an hour, sometimes two. If you go on a trapping mission and stay on them you can kill the whole colony.
I’ve taught all of my kids how to trap them and I used to pay them $5/gopher.
The traps used to be $4-5 each, I bought another half dozen earlier this year and those little traps are now $15 each!
Or if you have kids or are bored you can open up the tunnels, grab a chair & a pellet gun, and pop them when they come to close in the hole. Did that a lot as a kid.
I don’t use poison because of pets that love to dig them up and eat them.
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Dave Davidson]
#8941455
10/22/23 11:13 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,211
skinnerback
THF Celebrity Chef
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THF Celebrity Chef
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,211 |
Could you just start a garden hose in the hole to get them to relocate? Doesn’t work.
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941470
10/22/23 11:46 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,640
Dave Davidson
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,640 |
I’ve seen smaller prairie dog burrows than that.
Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941473
10/22/23 11:55 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,070
Ol_Yeller
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Thanks for the input guys. I ordered the gopher hawk. Being retired and living at the lake I get a lot of cocktail time on the back porch. Should be added fun to watch for the trap to spring. I've tried to wait them out with my Gamo but obviously my reflexes have slowed some. Thanks again all!
"Duck hunter's minds are like concrete. All mixed up and permanently set."
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8941768
10/23/23 01:21 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 8,331
Double Naught Spy
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 8,331 |
My ex-wife's uncle used to sit out on his front porch with a .22 rifle and a beer, shooting gophers in the head when they would pop their heads up from the burrows. He would get 2 or 3 every Saturday. I think his record was 6.
The Gopher Hawk is probably a much better idea.
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: TurkeyHunter]
#8946020
10/30/23 04:45 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,786
pigplinker
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: Ol_Yeller]
#8946267
10/30/23 04:29 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,577
garyrapp55
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,577 |
I hate the craters my dogs leave behind thinking they can dig them up more than I hate the gophers.
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Re: Gophers / Ground squirrels ?
[Re: pigplinker]
#8946490
10/30/23 10:16 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,347
oldoak2000
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,347 |
Thanks! - Gonna have to try this....
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