How to Kill Gophers Permanently

Gophers are a common pest in home lawns and gardens.

Although novel, ideas such as chewing gum and laxatives are rarely effective for killing gophers. Poison baits and traps work best for killing gophers, but must be used correctly and at the right time to achieve desired results. Excluding gophers from an area also works well. Consider combining killing with exclusionary practices for best results, suggests the National Gardening Association.

Instructions

Trapping

1. Place traps in the gopher tunnels to effectively eradicate these rodents. Purchase traps at your local garden or hardware store, or from a pest control company. Use a probe to find the main tunnel, identifiable by its larger diameter (normally about the size of a tennis ball) and its 9- to 18-inch depth, according to the University of California.

2. Tie both traps with metal wire to a stake stuck in the ground nearby to keep traps in place. Place the traps in the main tunnel, facing in opposite directions. This ensures successful trapping, regardless of the direction from which the gopher approaches.

3. Cover the hole with soil or wood to block light from the tunnel. Gophers avoid tunnels with light, so this step prove pivotal for successful trapping. Check the traps daily, disposing of trapped gophers and replacing the traps. Continue until the traps remain empty and no more gopher holes appear in your yard.

Poison Baits

1. Purchase strychnine or an anticoagulant bait such as diphacinone. Strychnine, a botanical poison that comes mixed with grain, works within just 24 hours, according to the University of California. Anticoagulants are the same types of poison used on rats and other small mammal pests and must be eaten over a period of at least five days to be effective.

2. Make a hole in one of the gopher tunnels with a broom, shovel or bait placement tool. Put on a pair of rubber gloves before handling the poison. Place the poison bait in the tunnel, following instructions on the label regarding the proper amount. Cover the hole back up with soil or a piece of wood so that gophers continue using it.

3. Check the yard daily for new signs of gopher activity. Place more bait in any new tunnels, identified by new holes created from digging or feeding during the previous night.

Tips & Warnings

• Begin gopher control in the spring, when gophers are most active. Gophers have babies in the spring as well, so trap and bait early in the spring, before this occurs.

• Use poison baits with great care, as they also kill pets and other wildlife.

References

• University of California: Gopher Control
• Arizona Cooperative Extension: Pocket Gopher Control
• National Gardening Association: Gophers

Resources

• University of Wisconsin Extension: Gophers