Ultimate Guide to the Best Gopher Traps: Expert Reviews & Proven Techniques

Most residential yards typically host 1-3 gophers per quarter acre. While this number seems small, a single gopher can create 10-30 mounds per month and tunnel hundreds of feet, causing significant damage.

Female gophers can produce up to three litters per year with 5-6 young each, so addressing infestations quickly is important to prevent population growth.

If a trap hasn’t captured a gopher within 48-72 hours, it’s generally best to relocate it to another active tunnel. Gophers typically investigate tunnel disturbances within the first day.

Extended periods without activity suggest the tunnel may be abandoned or the trap improperly placed. Professional trappers often check and reset traps daily to maximize efficiency.

When properly set underground in gopher tunnels, most traps pose minimal risk to pets and children. However, always keep trap locations marked and supervised when using in areas accessible to children or pets.

Box-style traps offer additional safety benefits as their mechanisms are fully enclosed. For homes with curious pets or young children, consider using traps with safety features or enclosed designs.

Spring and fall typically yield the best trapping results as these seasons correspond with peak gopher activity and breeding periods. In spring, soil is often moist and workable, making tunnel location easier.

However, gopher control can be conducted year-round in most climates, with seasonal adjustments to technique based on soil conditions and activity patterns. Winter can be effective in regions without ground freeze, as food sources are more limited.

Gopher mounds are crescent or horseshoe-shaped with a plugged hole typically to one side. The soil in gopher mounds appears finely sifted with few clumps. Gophers create soil plugs to close tunnel openings.

Mole mounds are more conical or volcano-shaped without a visible entrance hole, and the soil appears clumpier. Moles leave open surface tunnels visible as raised ridges across lawns. Additionally, gophers are herbivores that damage plant roots, while moles primarily eat insects and earthworms.

Most gopher traps don’t require bait to be effective. Gophers are primarily triggered to investigate and clear blocked tunnels, making proper trap placement more important than baiting.

However, if initial trapping attempts are unsuccessful, adding small amounts of fresh vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes) or peanut butter near the trigger mechanism may increase success rates. Avoid using too much bait, as this can make gophers suspicious or allow them to spring traps without being caught.

Gopher traps should be placed in main tunnels, which typically run 6-12 inches below the surface. The most effective placement is in horizontal main tunnels, not in the vertical tunnels that lead directly to mounds.

Use a probe tool to locate the main tunnel, which will typically be found 8-12 inches away from the plug side of fresh mounds. When you feel the probe suddenly drop about 2 inches, you’ve located a tunnel where traps should be placed.

Gophers are territorial, but new gophers will quickly move into vacant tunnels and territory once the resident gopher is removed. This is especially true in areas with high gopher populations or if your property offers attractive food sources.

For long-term control, combine trapping with exclusion methods like underground barriers around valuable planting areas. Consider implementing a regular monitoring program to catch new invaders quickly before they establish extensive tunnel systems.

Flooding tunnels is rarely effective as a standalone control method. Gophers have evolved to deal with occasional flooding in their natural environment and often simply move to higher tunnel sections or temporarily exit until water recedes.

However, flooding can sometimes be useful as a way to locate tunnel systems (by observing where water emerges) or in combination with trapping by forcing gophers to investigate blocked tunnels. Be aware that excessive flooding may damage soil structure and plant roots.

Gophers reproduce rapidly under favorable conditions. A single female pocket gopher can produce 1-3 litters per year with an average of 5-6 young per litter. Young gophers can begin breeding at just a few months of age.

This reproductive capacity means that failing to address even a small gopher population can quickly lead to significant infestations. Consistent control measures throughout the year are important for preventing population rebounds.