A gopher is a type of rodent that is fur lined and mostly found underground. It stays underground rarely exposing itself on the surface. When underground, it digs tunnels as it looks for food. It can dig very many tunnels within a short period of time and completely destroy a garden or a well-manicured lawn. If you have encountered a gopher, you probably have seen the damage it can cause and you are now looking for a guide on how to trap a gopher. Read this article to give you ideas on how to deal with it.
Because of the nature of the rodent and the damage it can cause, it is best to detect it early enough. This minimizes the damage it can cause to your garden. It also improves your chances of trapping it before it digs too many tunnels. To successfully trap a gopher, you need to detect its main tunnel or burrow. This is where most of the short lateral tunnels connect to. You get more success by setting traps or baits on the main tunnel.
Traps are the best way to catch a gopher. The market has several types of traps that one can use. The box types are the most common that have been used and that can guarantee results. The traps work when a gopher triggers them through pushing against a wire.
Between the two traps, the box trap is the one recommended for a beginner as it is easy to set up and use. It requires some extra excavation to be done so you may be cautious if you do not want to destruct your lawn further. The trap is set facing opposite directions to ensure the gopher is trapped whichever side it comes from.
After you set the trap, you will need to cover the tunnel and prevent light from entering it. You can use a soft material to cover and seal it properly using fine soil around the edges. The gopher may try to bury the trap with soil if it can see it.
Monitor the trap regularly but preferably after three days. If there is no gopher that has been caught, consider setting the trap in another location. Sometimes the human scent on the trap can have an effect on the success of trapping the gopher.
The use of traps is considered friendly yet highly effective in trapping gophers. Another method that is common is the of baits that are placed inside the tunnels. These are however not recommended if you have children or pets nearby. The baits are usually highly poisonous and dogs can sometimes dig them out.
The best time to set the traps is during the spring and fall seasons. You can easily trap a gopher on your own if it just one or two in your garden. However, if you have a gopher community, you should seek professional help. In such a case a lot of time and experience is needed to successfully remove the colony from your property.
Because of the nature of the rodent and the damage it can cause, it is best to detect it early enough. This minimizes the damage it can cause to your garden. It also improves your chances of trapping it before it digs too many tunnels. To successfully trap a gopher, you need to detect its main tunnel or burrow. This is where most of the short lateral tunnels connect to. You get more success by setting traps or baits on the main tunnel.
Traps are the best way to catch a gopher. The market has several types of traps that one can use. The box types are the most common that have been used and that can guarantee results. The traps work when a gopher triggers them through pushing against a wire.
Between the two traps, the box trap is the one recommended for a beginner as it is easy to set up and use. It requires some extra excavation to be done so you may be cautious if you do not want to destruct your lawn further. The trap is set facing opposite directions to ensure the gopher is trapped whichever side it comes from.
After you set the trap, you will need to cover the tunnel and prevent light from entering it. You can use a soft material to cover and seal it properly using fine soil around the edges. The gopher may try to bury the trap with soil if it can see it.
Monitor the trap regularly but preferably after three days. If there is no gopher that has been caught, consider setting the trap in another location. Sometimes the human scent on the trap can have an effect on the success of trapping the gopher.
The use of traps is considered friendly yet highly effective in trapping gophers. Another method that is common is the of baits that are placed inside the tunnels. These are however not recommended if you have children or pets nearby. The baits are usually highly poisonous and dogs can sometimes dig them out.
The best time to set the traps is during the spring and fall seasons. You can easily trap a gopher on your own if it just one or two in your garden. However, if you have a gopher community, you should seek professional help. In such a case a lot of time and experience is needed to successfully remove the colony from your property.
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