Carbon Monoxide for Gophers?

[SteveHGraham]

First off, Merry Christmas.

Second thing, it looks like I have gophers in addition to moles. Or maybe I just have gophers. I thought I had moles, and then while I was reading up on the best ways to annihilate them and remove their seed from the earth, I found out my area also has gophers. There are several piles of sand in my yard with no ants, and that is supposedly a gopher thing.

I checked the University of Florida's site to see what they knew about killing gophers. Their insane suggestion: excavating my yard with a shovel and setting elaborate traps. They say it's illegal to use poison. Yeah, I really care about the laws protecting underground rats. It's only illegal if you get caught.

I saw some neat videos of people "jugging" gophers. You take a 1-gallon or larger jug full of water, empty it on top of a gopher hole, and the idiot gopher swims up into the jug. It sounds like a hoax, but I've seen it work on Youtube. Unfortunately, it only works in places where the dirt is dense and holds water well.

I have been using CO gas to kill moles. Or possibly gophers. Is there any reason why it won't work on gophers just as well as moles? I assume both species are equally stupid when faced with the prospect of asphyxiation.

I found some moth balls in the little cabinet where the pool chlorine is stored. I assume the guy who sold us the house used them for mole tunnels. I have read that they don't work, but if he took the trouble to buy them, there must be something to it.

[John Hasler]

The pool chlorine will work a lot better than the mothballs. For extra oomph add ammonia. Do it when the wind is away from the house. May leave some brown spots on the lawn, though.

Or just get a Jack Russell terrier.

[Dave_C]

Steve,

I've had mole problems for years and tried to do some research as to what works and what does not. Most of the baits were said to be useless and about the only thing that seems to work are traps like the ones on Amazon (Wire Tek 1001 EasySet Mole Eliminator Trap). I bought four of these and I've been able to trap over a dozen moles so far only to find that after I kill off the current population, the other moles in the nearby area come and populate the abandon tunnels. So it is a never ending job!

I don't think the traps will work on gophers though.

AK or AR maybe (just kidding)

Dave C.

[SteveHGraham]

I don't want a dog. They die from old age as soon as they're broken in. Depressing.

I am considering getting a neutered barn cat, strictly for outdoor use. I have no interest in feline pets, but I am told keeping one for utilitarian reasons will reduce the vermin count on a property.

I had another idea: bear spray into the tunnels once a week. Cheap and easy. If it doesn't work, at least it will make the moles and gophers share my suffering.

[John Hasler]

I don't want a dog. They die from old age as soon as they're broken in. Depressing.

Yes. I don't know why no one has bred long-lived dogs.

I am considering getting a neutered barn cat, strictly for outdoor use. I have no interest in feline pets, but I am told keeping one for utilitarian reasons will reduce the vermin count on a property.

We do that. She reduces the mouse population but does not eliminate it. She kills some moles but I don't know how much impact she has on the mole population as I don't care what the moles do to the "lawn". She does not kill any rats (the raccoons do, though).

Out here it often is not necessary to acquire a cat: they just show up and stick around if you feed them. Cats vary enormously in their hunting skills and propensities. We once had a tom who pretty much exterminated the mice and rats (he didn't kill adult rats but did see to it that the young ones never grew up) and was starting in on the sparrows in the indoor arena when he disappeared. Others can't be bothered to pounce on a mouse unless it runs across their paws.

[Harold_V]

I am considering getting a neutered barn cat, strictly for outdoor use. I have no interest in feline pets, but I am told keeping one for utilitarian reasons will reduce the vermin count on a property.

Song birds, too.

I'd rather have the vermin.

H

[Russ Hanscom]

Remember that nature abhors a vacuum, so the moment you start to get the gophers out of your field, the word will go out to the surrounding fields for volunteers to fill the void. You should set up the defensive line outside the area you wish to keep gopher free.

Personally, I like the wire traps - no doubt when you have got the varmint; I only use poison if there is one that is really trap shy. Most good poisons will kill an animal that eats the gopher - so poisons should be avoided if possible. Leave the body in the hole as a deterrent. I have never had much success with smoke bombs, flooding, or the like.

I was catching so many gophers at one time that I offered my wife a gopher skin coat - the offer was graciously declined.

[John Hasler]

I am considering getting a neutered barn cat, strictly for outdoor use. I have no interest in feline pets, but I am told keeping one for utilitarian reasons will reduce the vermin count on a property.

Song birds, too.

I'd rather have the vermin.

H

So they say, but I've never seen any sign of any impact.

[SteveHGraham]

I just realized I haven't noticed any songbirds here. Lots of crows and hawks, though.

[steamin10]

A friend now passed got tired of mice eating plans and papers in his shop and infesting his saved things. He built a beautiful 3/4 Tich and Raretan. Anyway, he got some 'blue death' cubes for rodents at the elevator and spread them around. In two months the mice were not apparent. In three months all 4 cats were gone too. That winter the barn space was overrun with rodents worse than ever. Nuff said.

[Harold_V]

I am considering getting a neutered barn cat, strictly for outdoor use. I have no interest in feline pets, but I am told keeping one for utilitarian reasons will reduce the vermin count on a property.

Song birds, too.

I'd rather have the vermin.

H

So they say, but I've never seen any sign of any impact.

I expect that casual observations aren't an indicator. Many are declining in numbers. Literally millions of deaths of birds are attributed to cats each year. My personal experience dictates it's likely true.

Birds may not mean much to some folks, but to those of us who like them, it's not a good thing to see them slowly going away. It would be a very different world without them---especially those that dine on insects.

H

[spro]

There is a balance of these things and results of poison. I'm not a champion of moles, mice and vermin but they are interweaved into a complicated balance. Consider a mole, consider a gofer. What are they actually doing besides what we see ? Are they purposely trying to destroy trees, lawns? They have their place and underground aeration is an enormous feat to something else. I have seen the results of short term poison upon a small lawn. The insects die and the song birds coo their last song and there is a stillness. The worms die and I should have mowed tight to the surface. Low and perfect. Sprayed it with green paint. There you are, county. No damned wild onions, daffys and different weeds. No concern about the underground interplay of a balance out of narrow sight. Without the insects is without the birds. Without the holes, etc. Whipperwills , morning ( Mourning) doves, orioles and jays, Mockingbirds, and small fleeting birds.
This thread is also balance because nobody said kill them all. We would be left with roaches and termites.