I use a very effective gas called "Giant Destroyer" and it is a god-send. They look like sticks of dynamite, come in 4 packs and can be found in any box store garden section. You light the fuse, stick it in the hole, and quickly cover it up - ensuring no gas is coming out of the ground anywhere and vwalah - the end. I've been using them for years to keep the horse pastures free of deadly holes. I just started using them in the garden this year as it became overrun with gophers. Had 5 different areas with gopher tunnels underneath rose/flower beds. One Giant Destroyer in a fresh hole leading to each tunnel and ... right now, all is quiet. I love animals and it doesn't make me feel good to kill these guys. But - I also love my flowers and horses...

home_grower........Yes, it takes patience to catch gophers. I generally check my traps after a full 24 hours, unless the dogs tell me that there's a gopher in the trap sooner that that. From looking at your picture, I would offer two suggestions, if I may. The idea is to pique the gophers curiosity without raising a danger alarm, which will cause friend gopher to backfill his run and avoid that particular entrance hole which youve nicely set with trap and lure. This can be accomplished by establishing a minimal air flow with an enticing scent, along with no light from the surface shining down into his nice and safe, dark world First, if you can dig down under the mound of dirt you first find on the surface, going beneath the entrance tunnel, you can find the main run underground. This can be 6 to 24 inches below surface, depending on your soil composition. And the main run will seldom be directly beneath the opening on the surface, but off to one side or the other. This main run will go out in two directions from the entrance tunnel. Once you find the main run, you can then set one trap into each side of the main run. Granddad always attached light chain to each of his traps, and left the chain up on the surface looped around a stake stuck in the ground. He said this was to keep an injured gopher from crawling back down the run with his trap, causing him to have to dig up the run to find his trap. I have several sets of traps made by attaching a trap to each end of a 3-foot length of chain. The gopher travels underground, and comes to the surface usually at night. The entrance you've uncovered will be one of many. The idea is to lure him back to the entrance you've set with traps. By having a trap in each side of the main run, you can catch him no matter which direction he comes from to investigate your 'lure'. Sometimes I cannot find the main run, or can find only one side of it opened. I will then set the trap down just the one side of the main run, or as deeply as I can into the entrance tunnel. The tunnel may have to be slightly enlarged to accommodate the trap, but set it as deep as you can. Second, I was taught to cover the hole with the soil/root clump dug up to find the run, or a board with something heavy set on the board to weigh it down. The idea, Granddad said, was to keep the sun from shining down in the hole. As a nocturnal creature, the gopher is apt to interpret light in his run as danger (something has invaded my home). Danger outweighs curiosity and he will just backfill the run without investigating the 'lure' placed in the entrance, thereby missing the trap altogether. It's important to leave a small hole up top and a channel that is clear and open from the surface down into the run, making a small airway to pull air from above the ground down into the run. Think 'chimney flue'. An opening thumb to half-dollar size is ideal, just so the pathway is clear for the air to get sucked down inside to main run, carrying the scent of the 'lure' down with it. Too much breeze wafting down a hole tells the gopher that something has opened and/or invaded his run and hell close it off without even bothering to investigate. Again, danger outweighs curiosity and he doesnt even go near the trap. So, you might (1) set your traps deep into the main run, one trap in each direction. Then (2) cover the entrance with soil and/or a solid cover to block the light, leaving a small airway to carry your wonderful lure scent down to him. This will allow Mr. Gopher to feel safe to investigate that nice scent wafting gently down into his safe, dark run. Hopefully that curiosity will get him caught! Happy hunting.

Gophers are back .... I now have around 110 containers that I have buried in the ground. It seems that the gophers are pretty much not bothering the plants in the buried containers (yet ...). The gophers are even pulling down the California Poppies! I think this is the first time they have bothered the California Poppies, but I really don't mind, if that will keep them from completely destroying my best plants. My funds are extremely limited, but I do plan on laying down chicken wire, and if possible laying some rocks over the chicken wire. I will only be able to do this with very small plots (2x3 feet, or 3x4 feet), one at a time. My health is not good, so I work very slow, sometimes extremely slow ..... I'm also experimenting with allowing some wild plants to spread naturally, like Stinging Nettle, Chickweed, Henbit, and whatever else comes up as volunteers (Tomatoes, Oregano, Thyme, Calendulas, Radishes, Mustard, Chinese Cabbage, Garlic, Onions, Potatoes). I'm hoping that by allowing the Stinging Nettles to grow wild and spread everywhere, perhaps the gophers will stay away from the Nettles mixed in with almost everything ... ??? I have not yet seen the gophers stealing any nettles.

After awhile, some people get over their aversion to killing rodents. Especially after those rodents destroy several years worth of your hard work in the garden, not to mention some very expensive plants. I've never seen any non-lethal gadget that worked permanently on any pest animal, whether birds, coyotes, or gophers. They all get used to mechanical & electronic devices after awhile. For a truly permanent cure, lookup a gadget called the Rodenator. Even if you never use one, the video is a hoot! Here is a link that might be useful: Rodenator underground rodent exterminator