How long do you guys trap and how often do you check.

I was thinking 8 days. Set on day one, check on day two and then every other day

If I set traps in the morning on a series of mounds that includes at least 1 freshly thrown mound, I should have a gopher by that evening or no later than by the next day by mid-morning. There has only been a half dozen instances where I've had to leave traps set longer than that. They will usually leave you some sign in the form of a "cover-up" (completely fill the set with dirt), tripped traps (look for hide/fur) or plug the tunnel in front of your traps. You will rarely catch more than 1 gopher per series of mounds except during breeding season or when the young of the year are dispersing. Gophers are mostly solitary and very territorial.

I have one mole job going that I am surely hoping yeilds something. I set on a run running against a sidewalk, not sure if that is productive?

I just set a new gopher job as well, for a gentleman I am also skunk trapping for. I used macabee's, albanos, and one "black hole, because I had it. I think I may pull it though, I am not to confident in it.

I am ordering more traps as well. I am getting a dozen more albano gopher traps, but am debating between albano mole traps or NoMol's as they are $30 cheaper a dozen

TB, OOS are the workhorse of our operation. NoMol traps are ok, it's what got me started. I'm lookin to order a few dozen moleinators to replace the NoMol.

I set an OOS today. I just think they are harder on lawns and harder to "aim" than in the tunnel traps

I hear the NoMol traps will also pick up voles and shrews.

Is it just me or are moles way harder than gophers

The NoMol will catch voles and shrews. No experience with gophers, although there is an isolated population in one county I trap.

Hi all I'm new to gopher trapping and have been getting a few using #1 jump traps I have for muskrats. I've also got a couple that keep plugging my holes. I looked through the archives and read a lot of post and not seeing much about using foot traps for gophers and maybe theres a reason for that. But my ? is what am I doing wrong?? What I've been doing is finding the fresh mounds and probing around to find the tunnel then follow it to the tee. I dig down clean out all three tunnels and place the trap at the intersection. Cover the hole with a shingle and cover with dirt. I'm pretty confident that I'm keeping all the light out. Do I need to dig the trap down so its lower than the tunnel? Any tips are appreciated. Also I'm not getting paid for this project so I'd like to keep using the equipment that I have if possible. Thanks for the help

A 0 would be a better size if your going to use a foothold.

OH Rats,

I totally get not trying to buy equipment if you are doing this for free, consider 2 of the gophinator traps $14.99 for two according to the website, plus shipping of course.

While time may not be money in this case, if you want to be confident you'll get what your after the specificity of the gophinator for a pocket gophers tunnel system is
the way to go.

You can probably buy a macabee trap at your local feed store or hardware, smaller than the gophinator and I personally don't use them but they were the standard years ago
and still are for some folks.

I personally like to situate between two fresh mounds, though you have to read the sign (which with pocket gophers is easier than many species), find the long run between two mounds
that is a longer road of sorts and dig between them until you find that area. While I do set as you mentioned in your description and cover the hole as you mentioned, I get more between
the runs than right below the mounds. I like to think of it as trapping the interstate versus the old dirt country road that you might go down once in a while. The interstate is allowing them
to move across their entire 30' or so range quickly.

I generally set pairs of traps at these locations, one each direction so you don't have to guess which direction they are coming from.

Hope that helps, $15.00 might just save you some head scratchin... (plus the traps of course can be used for a long time to come....)

Justin

I mostly do gopher work in residential yards. At times it can be tough to find the run as I am working in flower beds with potting soil in the ground it gives the same as a tunnel. Recently about half the push ups are plugged from the start is this the norm ??

Adam,

I'm definitely not a long term gopher guy but in some areas I've seen what you mention where I'm trying to find the run and its packed solid.

I don't know if it is weather related or predation threat? Snakes, etc....

The loose soil you mention is tough too, I get those here in beds that often have all cactus, good times!

I refer most p. gophers anymore to someone who refers the other "stuff" I'm wanting to do back to me.

Those little buggers are industrious though!

If I had to deal with cactus I would refer them too !

Thanks

thanks for the tips i'll look into some new equipment

I think moles are easy...but after over 8,700 moles caught in my career i should have a handle on em

Do gophers den up when it rains? I got zero last night

I think they do during a heavy rain . Their tunnels can start to fill with water and they head for a high area in their tunnel system

also IMO , there is no better gopher trap than Steves .

Caught a mole and a gopher in the same,run today