Gophers may seem like small, unassuming critters, but don’t let their size fool you. Their underground tunneling can leave your yard looking like a war zone, with destroyed lawns, uprooted plants, and unsightly mounds. If you’re ready to kick these troublemakers to the curb, we’ve got your back. In this guide, we’ll break down the most effective ways to not only evict gophers from your yard but also keep them from ever returning. It’s time to reclaim your outdoor space!

What Are Gophers?

Gophers are the Houdinis of the underground world, turning your yard into a bustling network of tunnels and mounds. With over 40 species scattered across North and Central America, these rodents, known as pocket gophers due to their cheek pouches, are more than just a garden troublemaker—they’re expert burrowers. Their expansive tunnels, stretching up to 2,000 square feet, form a secret network beneath your lawn.

Equipped with sharp claws, long teeth, and sleek tails, gophers are built for digging. Their fur, blending into shades of brown, gray, or black, provides perfect camouflage against predators. While their underground highways remain unseen, their handiwork is evident: your garden will show signs of mounds and disturbed roots.

So, while gophers may be tiny, their ability to turn a tranquil garden into a maze of mounds is a testament to the remarkable- and sometimes maddening- adaptability of wildlife.

How to Identify Gophers

1. Size and Shape: Gophers are between 5 to 14 inches long, including their tail. They’re bigger than mice but smaller than rats, making them pretty easy to spot if you know what to look for.
2. Fur and Color: Their fur is usually brown or gray, blending in with the soil for camouflage. This natural coloring helps them stay hidden from predators.
3. Distinctive Digging: Unlike moles, gophers don’t have spade-like paws. Instead, they use their long, sharp claws to dig crescent-shaped mounds and burrows. They often plug these entrances, which can be a clear sign of their presence.
4. Feeding Habits: Gophers munch on plant roots, causing damage to gardens and lawns. They’ll uproot vegetables like carrots and potatoes and can even mess up irrigation systems with their digging.
5. Species Overview:
   • Pocket Gopher: Brown, 6-10 inches long (sometimes up to 14 inches), found across North and Central America.
   • Botta’s Pocket Gopher: Tan to medium brown, 7.1 to 10.6 inches long, mostly in the western U.S.
   • Plains Pocket Gopher: Brown to black, around 7 inches long, common in the Great Plains and parts of Canada.
   • Mazama Pocket Gopher: Light brown to black, 5-6 inches long, found in the Pacific Northwest.

What Do Gopher Droppings Look Like?

Gopher droppings are small, dark brown pellets with an elongated shape. Since these creatures are mostly active underground, their droppings are typically found within their burrow systems. If you spot them near burrow entrances, they’re a clear sign that gophers are active in your area.

What Are the Signs That You Have a Gopher Infestation?

1. Mounds of Dirt: Keep an eye out for crescent-shaped mounds of soil on your lawn. These are classic signs of gophers at work, as they push dirt to the surface while digging.
2. Bare Spots: Are there large, unsightly patches on your lawn? Gophers often uproot grass and plants, leaving behind noticeable bare spots as they tunnel.
3. Damaged Roots: Inspect your garden for damaged or withered plants. Gophers feed on plant roots, and their feeding habits can cause significant damage to your garden.
4. Subterranean Tunnels: Look for irregular depressions or holes in your yard. These could be entrances to a network of gopher tunnels beneath the surface.

While gophers are generally solitary, they can reproduce quickly. If you’re dealing with a gopher family, you might face a more extensive infestation.

What Damage Can Gophers Cause?

Gophers might be the stars of comedic mishaps in movies, but their real-life impact is no laughing matter. Here’s how they can affect your property:

1. Lawn and Garden Damage: Gophers dig a web of tunnels that disrupt the soil and uproot plants. This can leave your lawn lumpy and your garden with patches of dead or damaged vegetation, turning your well-kept space into a chaotic mess.
2. Crop Destruction: If you’re growing your own vegetables or other crops, gophers can be a major headache. They munch on roots and bulbs, which can spoil your harvest and make all your hard work seem for nothing.
3. Structural Concerns: When gophers dig extensively, they can weaken the soil, and in extreme cases, this might even affect the foundation of nearby structures. The potential for costly repairs is real if their tunneling goes unchecked.

Even though you might not spot the gophers themselves, their damage is hard to ignore. Keeping an eye out for signs of their activity and dealing with any issues quickly can help you avoid expensive fixes and protect your garden from further trouble.

How to Get Rid of Gophers in Your Yard

Dealing with gophers in your yard starts with finding their main tunnel, which can take some practice. Be patient and follow these tips to successfully manage the problem.

If you’d rather leave it to the experts, Take Care Termite is here to help! With 30 years of experience, out skilled team knows exactly how to handle gophers and other pests, ensuring your home and garden stay in top shape. Reach out today and let us take the stress out of pest control!

Install Exclusion Fencing

One effective method is to put up exclusion fencing around your yard. This acts as a barrier to keep gophers out. For a job well done, contact pest control services- they’ll ensure the fencing is properly installed. While fencing isn’t perfect (some persistent gophers might dig underneath), it’s a great way to protect certain areas without resorting to chemicals or traps.

Lay Gopher Traps

Using traps for gophers can be a successful strategy, though it might take a few attempts. You can find live traps at most supply stores and use them year-round, since gophers don’t hibernate. Just make sure to check local and state regulations first, as some areas require a license for trapping.

Use Gopher Repellents

Repellents, particularly those containing castor oil, can make your yard less inviting to gophers. Apply them around active burrows and gradually expand the treatment area. While not fool-proof, these repellents can disrupt gophers’ senses and encourage them to move elsewhere. Natural options like castor oil granules or sprays are also pet-friendly and can be effective when used as directed.

Set Rodenticide Baits

If other methods haven’t worked, rodenticides might be your last option. For gophers, strychnine-treated grain is highly effective, often requiring just one feeding. Be sure to place rodenticides in the gopher’s main tunnel and follow all safety guidelines to protect pets, wildlife, and people. Avoid using rodenticides in vegetable gardens to prevent contamination of your crops.

How to Prevent Gophers from Returning

To make your property less appealing to gophers and keep them at bay, follow these simple steps:

1. Remove Food Sources: Gophers are deterred by strong scents. Sprinkle coffee grounds around your garden or spray peppermint oil near their tunnels to create a smell they dislike and drive them away.
2. Use Water Blasts: Give any new dirt mounds a good soaking with a strong spray from your garden hose. The sudden blast of water can startle gophers and make them think twice about settling in.
3. Install Gopher Baskets: Safeguard your new plants by encasing them in wire mesh gopher baskets. This protective barrier keeps gophers from munching on roots while allowing your plants to thrive.
4. Place Dryer Sheets: Gophers aren’t fans of the scent of dryer sheets. Toss a few into their tunnels to help deter them from making your yard their home.

Get Rid of Gophers with Take Care Termite Pest Control

At Take Care Termite & Pest Control, we understand how disruptive gophers can be to your property. With over 30 years of experience in Tracy, CA, our team is dedicated to offering you effective, personalized solutions to keep your yard gopher-free. We’ll start with a thorough assessment, then use proven treatments and preventive measures to tackle the problem and ensure those pesky rodents don’t return.

Whether you need targeted traps, natural repellents, or expert rodent control services, we’ve got you covered. Let us use our expertise to protect your home and landscape. Reach out to us today for a consultation and let’s put an end to your gopher troubles altogether.

FAQs

1. Can natural predators help eliminate gophers?

   Relying solely on predators like barn owls may not give the results you hope for. While some homeowners install owl boxes to attract them, there’s no guarantee that owls will specifically target gophers or limit their hunting to your yard.

2. What do gophers hate the most?

   Gophers despise sage because it disrupts their sense of smell and confuses them in avoiding predators. Planting sage, especially alongside rosemary, can effectively deter them from your garden.

3. Do coffee grounds get rid of gophers?

   Yes, coffee grounds can help repel gophers. The strong smell overwhelms them, pushing them to leave. To maintain effectiveness, you should regularly refresh the coffee grounds in infested areas.

4. What are gophers afraid of?

   Gophers are frightened by loud, persistent noises. With their sensitive ears, they find wind chimes or radios unbearable and will eventually move away to escape the continuous irritation.