how to get rid of gophers

[rcrcomputing]

I need to say, I don't hold much hope. We put alot of time and care into our garden with raised beds. However, starting last years the gophers have found it. They really like cabbage the best, however, they are not nice about it and leave me nothing for me.

I've tried traps, poisons, etc.. My cat has caught a few. I need some ideas short of propane which will likely come in the fall. Surely, in 2009, there is a way to get rid of gophers.

 

[MossRoad]

Can you fence the garden or is it too big? The reason I ask is we have a garden that is 24 X 60. I put up a welded wire fence called rabbit guard fence. The mesh is 4" wide up and down. But the horizontal wires are really close together at the bottom,maybe 1/2 inch at the most. As you go up, they get farther apart. I buried it about an inch into the soil. I used wood 4x4 posts. About 8" up off the ground I ran an electric fence attached to the wood posts. It sticks out from the wire fence about 1". Then I ran a second strand around about a foot higher. What happens is if an animal tries to climb the fence it has to touch one of the wires on its way up. Even small animals like ground squirrels and chipmunks have to touch the wire. Since the entire welded fence is grounded, if they are on the fence and touch a wire, they get zapped. I use a solar charged battery powered fencer that was about a hundred bucks. Since I installed it I have not had any mammals in the garden with the exception of moles, which don't eat plants, so I don't mind. Hope that helps.

 

[chh]

My neighbor has a solar powered electronic device in the ground that sends out vibrations periodically. It just looks like a tent stake with a solar panel on top. I really though it was some gimmicky thing, but it seems to be working in his yard and flower beds which where overrun by moles/gophers last year. They cost about $30 at Lowes if I remember what he said correctly. I plan on getting a couple since my cat can not seem to keep up.

 

[DieselPower]

My neighbor has a solar powered electronic device in the ground that sends out vibrations periodically. It just looks like a tent stake with a solar panel on top. I really though it was some gimmicky thing, but it seems to be working in his yard and flower beds which where overrun by moles/gophers last year. They cost about $30 at Lowes if I remember what he said correctly. I plan on getting a couple since my cat can not seem to keep up.

I have them in my flower bed to keep out the moles and they seem to work rather well. Mine are battery powered and last a whole season. It vibrates every once in a while and the moles and gophers apparently can't stand it. They work for me, all the moles have moved back into the fields.

 

[MossRoad]

My neighbor has a solar powered electronic device in the ground that sends out vibrations periodically. It just looks like a tent stake with a solar panel on top. I really though it was some gimmicky thing, but it seems to be working in his yard and flower beds which where overrun by moles/gophers last year. They cost about $30 at Lowes if I remember what he said correctly. I plan on getting a couple since my cat can not seem to keep up.

I had one of those mole chasers next to my above ground pool. The moles tunneled around it so much it fell over!

Soon after that, they tunneled under the edges of my pool and collapsed it. Soon after that I went nuts and started trapping them.

 

[rcrcomputing]

My neighbor has a solar powered electronic device in the ground that sends out vibrations periodically. It just looks like a tent stake with a solar panel on top. I really though it was some gimmicky thing, but it seems to be working in his yard and flower beds which where overrun by moles/gophers last year. They cost about $30 at Lowes if I remember what he said correctly. I plan on getting a couple since my cat can not seem to keep up.

Yeah yellow top? Got 2 of them. Gophers eat out of the bed they are in.

 

[rcrcomputing]

Can you fence the garden or is it too big? The reason I ask is we have a garden that is 24 X 60. I put up a welded wire fence called rabbit guard fence. The mesh is 4" wide up and down. But the horizontal wires are really close together at the bottom,maybe 1/2 inch at the most. As you go up, they get farther apart. I buried it about an inch into the soil. I used wood 4x4 posts. About 8" up off the ground I ran an electric fence attached to the wood posts. It sticks out from the wire fence about 1". Then I ran a second strand around about a foot higher. What happens is if an animal tries to climb the fence it has to touch one of the wires on its way up. Even small animals like ground squirrels and chipmunks have to touch the wire. Since the entire welded fence is grounded, if they are on the fence and touch a wire, they get zapped. I use a solar charged battery powered fencer that was about a hundred bucks. Since I installed it I have not had any mammals in the garden with the exception of moles, which don't eat plants, so I don't mind. Hope that helps.

The garden is fenced. With a 1x6 at the bottom of the fence to make it easier to weedeat. The come from underground. Like moles do. I feel like the guy on caddy shack.

I'll take some pictures of my garden. I've 15 - 4x8 beds - mulched ground between them, not a weed in site. I can't believe nothing works.. I do have propane.. And am prepared to use it barring another good idea. I'M MAD AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!

Kinda funny, after I told my wife I'd posted here for help, I was looking at some grapple drawings in another thread. She saw those and got a really weird look on her face. She thought I'd found a project item to build via TBN that would grab and crush the gophers. (and everything else it touched). I think she thinks you guys (and me), get a bit serious about tractors and hydraulics and great big he-man tools!

 

[chh]

Yeah yellow top? Got 2 of them. Gophers eat out of the bed they are in.

Sorry to hear that. Maybe I'll wait a little longer and see if his are still working before I buy any.

 

[MossRoad]

The garden is fenced. With a 1x6 at the bottom of the fence to make it easier to weedeat.

That was one mistake I made.... I planted wild flowers around the outside of our garden fence. Guess what? Wild flowers are pretty looking weeds!

I ended up tilling a 2' wide path around the outside of the fence. This is my "shock zone". The fresh, tilled fluffy soil makes for good ground contact between the paws and the electric fence. I can also go out daily and see who tried to visit the garden. Mr. woodchuck, Mr. raccoon, Mr. dog, etc... by the tracks in the soil. I can also see where the moles have tunneled and place traps accordingly.

Have you looked into gopher traps?