FAQs About Trapping
- I have tried everything: pellets, poison grain, gas canisters, sonic vibrators. Nothing has worked. What am I doing wrong?
- How does the GopherGoner trap work on MOLES and GOPHERS?
- Where do I set the traps?
- How can I tell if the mound or feed hole is fresh?
- If I catch the MOLE or GOPER, won’t another take its place?
- Once I set the traps, how long should it take to catch the MOLE or GOPHER?
- When is the best time to trap?
- Can you tell how big the MOLE or GOPHER by the size of the mound?
- How can I tell how many gophers and/or moles I have on my property?
- Are there any natural remedies that will it keep MOLES and GOPHERS out of my yard and away from my plants?
- I own 25 acres of quality wine grapes. Does erecting a Barn Owl box really help to rid an area of GOPHERS?
- What if I decide not to get rid of the MOLES and GOPHERS?
- How can I protect my underground cable & irrigation lines?
I have tried everything: pellets, poison grain, gas canisters, sonic vibrators. Nothing has worked. What am I doing wrong?
There are several things you may be doing wrong. You may not have identified your pest correctly. It is important to learn how to distinguish MOLE activity from GOPHER activity because trap size and trapping methods are different for each. There are many abatement options. Some are more effective than others.
- Registered toxicants include Strychnine alkaloid and in some states, Chlorophacinone.
- Fumigants include aluminum phosphide and gas cartridges.
There are no registered repellents that have proven scientific results. The plants known as caper spurge, gopher purge, or mole plant (Euphorbia lathyrus) and the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis) have been sold as gopher repellents, but there is no evidence that they actually repell MOLES and GOPHERS. We do not recommend them since they are both poisonous to humans and pets. - Ultrasonic and vibration devices are ineffective.
- Car exhaust is dangerous and illegal in some states.
- Drowning is impractical.
- Shooting is not advised.
- All other methods, none tested have proven effective.
You can read more about control options and their effectiveness at the these
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How does the GopherGoner trap work on MOLES and GOPHERS?
MOLES and GOPHERS behave predictably 85% of the time. The GopherGoner trap operates on two very predictable MOLE and GOPHER habits. 1) MOLES and GOPHERS are meticulous about keeping their runways clear, and 2) MOLES and GOPHERS instinctively close all open burrows to protect their scent and keep out natural elements. As the MOLE and GOPHER checks its burrows or as the MOLE and GOPHER tries to plug the opening, it will be caught in the trap. GOPHER traps should be checked every four to eight hours. MOLE traps should be checked once or twice a day.
The GopherGoner™ trap is a modification of the 100 year old Cinch™ trap, approved by the U.S. Forest Service for GOPHER control and is the best trap on the market for the control of MOLES and GOPHERS. Once you start trapping, you need to follow through in order to reach your goal of total control. Repopulation will occur and successful trapping depends upon whether you trap out every MOLE and GOPHER and also the proximity of other MOLES and GOPHERS.
Trapping is a lot like fishing. It is possible to catch a fish by putting a worm on a hook and hoping a fish finds it, but if you know exactly where to cast your line, you will have much better results. Here is another analogy to ponder: We have a piano in the house, but only one person can play it. Don’t blame trapping or the traps if you don’t take the time to learn about these pests. Learn how the professionals trap. Stay with a consistent trapping program.
You can learn more about how our traps work on our Gopher Goner Trap page.
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Where do I set the traps?
Trap size and methods are different for MOLES and GOPHERS. Let’s discuss setting traps on MOLES. We recommend watching the GopherGoner DVD. An entire chapter is devoted to setting traps on MOLES. We will do our best to describe where to set them in this answer. Deeper/permanent tunnels, located under fresh MOLE mounds will be the most productive trap locations since these tunnels may be used several times daily. To identify main tunnel in a yard or area, look for a tunnel that follows a generally straight line or that appears to connect two MOLE mounds or two feeding areas (surface tunnels). Deeper/permanent MOLE tunnels often will follow fencerows, foundations, landscape timbers, or some other permanent manmade border.
The MOLE mounds must be fresh or it is a waste of time setting traps there. Once you have identified a fresh MOLE mound, level the mound by fanning the dirt with a shovel. Use the 14 x 14-inch template, as described in the GopherGoner™ DVD, dig out the turf at an angle on all 4-sides, and pop out the square. Next, using the digging tool, locate the soil plug and dig it out until you reach the open tunnel which is anywhere from 2 to 16 inches. Probe inside the tunnel with the digging tool for tunnels that fork. Avoid setting traps in any tunnels that fork before the trigger of the trap. Backfilled traps are an indication of improper trap placement. Set two traps going in opposite directions.
If only surface tunnels are showing up in your property, try to locate a place where the surface tunnel travels in a straight line for some distance. MOLES use these tunnels more often than winding surface tunnels. To check on which surface tunnels MOLES are using, slightly open the tunnel or clear the mound and mark it with a flag. Return the next day, if the tunnel has been repaired or there is fresh activity, set two traps in opposite directions.
MOLES are active both night and daylight hours, so check your traps twice a day. Some MOLE tunnels are only used once when they are dug and the MOLE never returns to them. If the trap is set and not sprung in 3 days, move to a new location. If the MOLE traps are backfilled or sprung, but no MOLES are caught, reset traps. Also, set the trap a little deeper. Using several traps in the area will usually increase your chances of trapping a MOLE in 24-hours.
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As mentioned earlier, we recommend watching the GopherGoner DVD. Three chapters are devoted to setting traps on GOPHERS. We will do our best to describe where to set them at another time.
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How can I tell if the mound or feed hole is fresh?
The best time to look for fresh activity is early morning. The fresh dirt will be darker and wetter because the sun has not bleached the soil. The mounds will be fluffy free of footprints, leaves and grass. Sprinklers and rain will not have pounded down the dirt.
Unfortunately, moles are not so cooperative when you open their tunnels or level their mounds. A MOLE tunnel system is much larger and his habits are different from a GOPHER. MOLES may not return for 2-3 days, or it may have sealed off the tunnel portion under your property and left for an indefinite period of time. To check for the freshest MOLE mounds, fan all the dirt excavated by the MOLE with a shovel evenly across the ground. This prevents the plants underneath from smothering and dirt from dulling machinery. Then recheck these places for several days to see where the MOLE has been active. It is a waste of time to set a trap in a MOLE or GOPHER mound or a GOPHER feedhole that is old.
Fresh GOPHER feed holes will also have dark, fluffy dirt plugging the hole. If you open a very fresh gopher plug and watch for a few minutes, a gopher will sense a draft and come to the opening to investigate. You will see the gopher plug up the opening again if you wait long enough. When this occurs, it is the best opportunity to set a trap.
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If I catch the MOLE or GOPER, won’t another take its place?
Yes. Once the tunnels are established, another MOLE or GOPHER will move in eventually. Experts call this re-population. No matter what abatement method you use, there is no permanent fix to the problem, especially if your property adjoins open woodland or open space. Trapping is the only effective way to keep up with a MOLE or GOPHER problem. In addition to other animals taking over an abandoned tunnel system, the female of both MOLES and GOPHERS will evict the pups from the nest as soon they are weaned. This forces the pups to travel overland in search of their own territory. Construction and heavy machinery can cause MOLES to seek new territory. As experienced MOLE and GOPHER trappers, we recommend a trapping consistent maintenance program. We return routinely to the same customer once, twice, sometimes three times a year. The alternative is to learn how to trap and maintain your property.
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Once I set the traps, how long should it take to catch the MOLE or GOPHER?
MOLES are far more difficult to catch than GOPHERS. Since MOLES are such voracious diggers, their tunneling system is very extensive. MOLES cannot be depended upon to return to the same surface tunnel with any accuracy. They can dig to your neighbor’s property overnight and not return to your property to feed for a month or more. Deeper/permanent tunnels, located under fresh mounds will be the most productive trap locations since these tunnels may be used several times daily.
GOPHERS are much easier to trap than moles. You should catch GOPHER in 24-hours or less, but we caution you to recheck the area for another day or two. If you return to the area where you successfully trapped a GOPHER and there is fresh activity, you know there is still a mate, or worse, a bunch of pups running around down there. Set a second trap, if the trap remains empty after two nights, the tunnel is empty. Trap out every GOPHER; not just the easy ones.
Frequently, we have opened a fresh GOPHER mound or feedhole, set a trap and caught the GOPHER within a few minutes as the customer is standing there. When this happens, the customer gets the impression that trapping is easy. We attribute it to luck, not skill. Seriously, Gregg’s biggest catch in one day was 97 GOPHERS. When we trap GOPHERS on small acreage, we leave the traps in the ground overnight, return the next day, reset any traps that were sprung or backfilled and look for fresh activity to set more traps. When we trap on a larger scale, we start in one area, leave them in the ground over night and work our way across the property continually rotating the traps until the entire property has been covered for at least a 24-hour period with traps in the ground. You have the advantage of leaving the traps in the ground even longer if you learn to trap.
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When is the best time to trap?
The best time to trap is when MOLES and GOPHERS are most active. Both animals are sensitive to vibrations and prefer to move about in early morning and later in the evening. MOLES and GOPHERS avoid water and will plug up their burrows during periods of rain. If you are lucky, get traps set in the ground before the rain and leave the tunnels open while it rains. MOLES and GOPHERS are more active on days that are overcast or foggy. This may have to do with the barometer, but it is a good time to set traps as well.
Seasonally, both MOLES and GOPHERS are most active in spring and fall months. Mating season occurs in the spring for MOLES and GOPHERS and again the fall for some species of GOPHERS. Late summer, early fall also marks the time both MOLE and GOPHER pups are effected from the nest and must travel to establish new territory of their own. MOLES and GOPHERS do not hibernate and remain active all year. MOLES cannot store fat and do not store food and must continue to expand their system in search of food supplies. GOPHERS dig food caches and store food year round.
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Can you tell how big the MOLE or GOPHER by the size of the mound?
No. The size of the mound is determined by whether the soil is easy for MOLES or GOPHERS to dig through Large mounds indicate how deep the tunnels and a sophisticated system. The excavated dirt must be dumped somewhere.
Regarding GOPHER mounds, it is more important to pay attention to the diameter of a tunnel rather than the size of the mound. Generally, the larger GOPHERS live in larger tunnels. If I find a small tunnel close to an obviously larger tunnel, I suspect there might be two GOPHERS living in two separate systems. However, it is possible for a young GOPHER to move into an abandoned tunnel system previously controlled by a large adult male. When that happens, it takes a little more investigation, but we catch him eventually.
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How can I tell how many gophers and/or moles I have on my property?
A: Population densities for MOLES are estimated to average 2 per acre in woodlands and higher in residential areas. Densities for GOPHERS can reach 60-70 per acre depending upon soil conditions and food supply.
95% of the time, we trap only 1 MOLE when we are called to a job. That being said, we have trapped three moles in a small backyard overnight. Two of the MOLES were trapped in tunnels a foot apart. This leads us to believe that in some situations, tunnels can be used by several MOLES at one time. We even suspect that MOLES and GOPHERS share certain tunnels because we have trapped a MOLE in a GOPHER tunnel on occasion. We have not found a method of estimating MOLE infestation.
MOLE and GOPHERS mate in the springtime. It is not uncommon for us to trap two animals in nearby tunnels during the spring months. We attribute our good fortune to MOLE and GOPHER mating habits. In the spring months, we always check for nursing female GOPHERS because pups
are surely close by. We have read that MOLES may share tunnels while the female is nursing the pups. We don’t know if this is true, but we do trap a lot more MOLES and GOPHERS in close proximity during the spring and fall months.As commercial trappers, we have a trained eye to distinguish one GOPHER system from another. With practice, you will learn to spot the usually lineal group of crescent shaped mounds. Another simple way, but a little time consuming, is to use a shovel to level all the mounds, check the next day. If you have different areas of fresh activity in one night, there is a possibility you have more than one GOPHER. If you have only one area active at a time, you may have only one GOPHER.
On large, commercial GOPHER trapping jobs, we routinely pull 50-60 GOPHERS out of the ground in a day. We even get higher catches in some areas where both soil conditions and food supplies are good. Gregg has trapped 4,500 GOPHERS on a 16-acre vineyard over the period of 4-years! His record is 92 in one day at a school athletic field.
We recommend trying this method. It will save the smothering plants underneath the mounds and your mower blades from breaking. Level the mounds with a shovel and return the next day. In the case of GOPHERS, you can determine how many areas are active at the same time by watching for new mounds that are created.
There is no rock solid way of determining exactly how many MOLES or GOPHERS there are per acre until the pest is trapped and there is no more activity. We always leave the tunnel open a few days after we’ve trapped a MOLE or GOPHER checking if the tunnel is plugged. If there is no activity, we know there was only one MOLE or one GOPHER in that system.
These are good reasons to trap all the MOLES and GOPHERS in the area, not just the easy ones. Trapping is the only effective method of control, but you must empty all the tunnels and then, “un-invite” neighboring MOLES and GOPHERS from entering abandoned tunnels.
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Are there any natural remedies that will it keep MOLES and GOPHERS out of my yard and away from my plants?
Most people over water their yards and they wonder why they have a MOLE and their neighbors don't. MOLES are a water animal. They're attracted to the wet soil. It's easier to dig. If soggy lawns are attracting moles, change your irrigation system to water deeply and less often; most lawns need no more than an inch a week.
For large, open gardens, we recommend Marigolds; they really do help. Marigolds don’t have a pleasant odor; we can all agree on that, but have you ever tried tasting the stem or root? Don't. You'll become extremely sick. Marigolds make a difference with GOPHERS and also with the bugs. Remember, MOLES follow bugs, so Marigolds are a good deterrent. You can use tall, giant and even small Marigolds. Mix them up and when they die, take off the dead petals and replant, you've just doubled, if not quadrupled your investment.
Underground fencing might be justified for valuable ornamental shrubs or landscape trees. To protect existing plantings, bury ½ inch hardware cloth and extended at least 1 foot aboveground to deter MOLES and GOPHERS from traveling overland. Unfortunately, the hardware cloth can interfere with root growth and we question if the MOLES and GOPHERS get to the roots when outside the cloth.
It is possible to protect small areas such as flower beds and raised vegetable gardens by completely enclosing an underground screening of sides and bottoms. If you use this method whether lying down sod or enclosing an underground screening, underlay the wire with 4-6 inches of topsoil.
Personally, we don’t invest in wire baskets. We find the wire baskets cause the same problems as hardware cloth. If you decide to invest in wire baskets for individual plants, I recommend using stainless steel wire baskets rather than galvanized wire baskets. If your water contains a large amount of iron and your soil is acidic, the galvanized baskets erode in 3-4 years and gopher will eat thru the wire.
The only tried and true method is trapping. It is hard work and time consuming, but you will know for sure that your MOLE and GOPHER will not come back.
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I own 25 acres of quality wine grapes. Does erecting a Barn Owl box really help to rid an area of GOPHERS?
Yes and maybe. People may hope that natural predators will help, but trapping is the only effective method of controlling a MOLE and GOPHER problem.
We definitely encourage customers to attract Barn owls, but if they spot fresh GOPHER activity and don’t take action with traps immediately, you they asking for trouble. When a single GOPHER, which is capable of causing a lot of damage quickly, invades a yard, garden, field, orchard, vineyard or whatever your investment, we cannot afford to wait for an owl to arrive. Effective action must be taken immediately. Set traps.
The process of coaxing a Barn owl to your box has several stages and requires attention and commitment. The most important factor installing these boxes is placement. On an overage only about fifty percent of the nesting boxes you place will be inhabited by owls so it is important to place them properly and use more than you think you will need. Here are some tips for placing successful nesting boxes for Barn Owls.
- The nest boxes should be about 10 feet off the ground and near pasture and barn areas.
- The boxes can be located on posts, trees, or on barns.
- Keep the entrance to the nesting box away from the prevailing winds in your area and in natural shade if possible.
- Putting the boxes together in pairs can encourage more brooding.
- Make sure the boxes are in a safe place where they will not be interfered with.
- The box should be lined with about 2 inches of wood shavings to make a soft place for the eggs.
- The boxes must be cleaned regularly.
Unfortunately, although barn owls prey on GOPHERS, they have a habit of hunting over large areas, often far from their nesting boxes, and they tend to hunt areas where the hunting is easy pickings, which can tend to make them unreliable for gopher control. Since Great Horned Owls are predators of Barn owls it is best not to put nesting boxes up where Great Horned Owls are known to live. If you have Great Horned Owls or Barn Owls on your property then they are probably controlling the rodents for you and it is especially important not to use poison.
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What if I decide not to get rid of the MOLES and GOPHERS?
Your soil will be well aerated. We can’t find any other good things to say.
GOPHERS are responsible for chewing through irrigation lines and utility cables. GOPHERS that live under foundations, septic systems, swimming pools, and ditch banks can ruin the integrity of the structure. GOPHERS (and MOLES) digging under driveways and sidewalks create tunnels that easily collapse under minimal weight creating cracks. Soil brought to the surface by the pocket gopher has a greater chance of erosion by rainwater. Rainwater can enter a tunneling system and create one, large surge of water as it finds an exit that creates serious erosion if on a hillside. This erosion is particularly concerning for vineyards and orchards planted on steep hillsides. One GOPHER can destroy a 4-year old grape vine overnight. The loss to the grower is estimated at $400. GOPHERS reduce the productivity of alfalfa fields and native grasslands by 20 to 50 percent. In addition to smothering crops, farmers must raise the sickle bar when harvesting hay or alfalfa to avoid dulling and breaking sickle bar. A single GOPHER can destroy an entire garden or landscape if ignored.
MOLE damage on the surface can create as much damage as the damage below. Surface tunneling causes roots to separate from the soil, killing grass and leaving a twisted yellow strip in an otherwise green lawn. The surface tunnels interfere with mowing. If surface tunnels are not rolled or somehow flattened, the exposed soil along the tunnel ridges become “seedbeds” for blowing weed seeds to propagate. We find crab grass and nimble weed often growing along side MOLE surface tunnels. Bare spots in the grass from MOLE mounding will also cultivate weed growth.
In neglected orchards, the ground can be infiltrated with tunnels and mounding around tree roots. The mounds of fluffy dirt are the result of soil dug in and around the roots of the tree. Some of the deep/permanent tunnels will eventually work around the root ball of the tree and allow the MOLE access to the all the organisms living within the root ball throughout the year, since many insects and their larvae live off the root moisture and sap year round.
Since MOLES are constantly adding on new tunnels to the old year after year, counting the number of MOLE mounds or ridges, especially during the active spring and fall months, is not a reliable way of taking MOLE census. A single MOLE can tunnel 50-60 yards in one night or construct from 50 to 100 mounds in a month.
Trapping is the only way you can be sure you have the culprit. We encourage you to set traps. Check them twice a day. If nothing happens in a day or two, pull them, but leave the tunnel open. Check open tunnels for fresh activity. If the tunnels stay open, he’s gone. Don’t waste your time setting traps there. Look around. Take a peek over your neighbor’s fence. Talk to your neighbors. No matter how big an area or small. A MOLE's territory is measured in acres so almost any mole problem is usually a part of a larger mole population. GOPHERS stay in once place, rigorously defending his territory. Trapping does not solve your MOLE or GOPHER problem overnight. Trapping is labor intensive, but the GopherGoner trap is the most effective method of eliminating MOLES with the least intrusion and without poisons.
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How can I protect my underground cable & irrigation lines?
Buried utility cables and irrigation lines can be protected by enclosing them in various materials, as long as the outside diameter exceeds 2.9 inches (7.4 cm). Gophers can open their mouths only wide enough to allow about a 1-inch (2.5-cm) span between the upper and lower incisors. Buried cables may be protected from gopher damage by surrounding the cable with 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) of coarse gravel. Pocket gophers usually burrow around gravel 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, whereas smaller pebbles may be pushed to the surface.