6.13.2006

On The Hunt

We have a massive slope in our backyard; a slope that has been really tough to maintain over the years. Because it's so large, doing any formal landscaping is way too costly so weeds have been the ground covering of choice. About a year ago I finally broke down and had a company come in and hydro-seed it with some 'elephant grass'. It actually looks okay, but now I've got a new problem: Gophers! I've got three massive gopher holes and have seen as many as three of the little critters at one time digging, tearing up the grass and making themselves way too much at home.

If any of my Southern California Junior High girls were to read this next part, they'd break down in tears: I borrowed my friend's BB gun and have been having the time of my life trying to shoot the little guys. Unfortunately I'm a terrible shot and have had no luck. I'm about to go to Home Depot to buy some traps (why is it that using a BB gun sounds so harsh, but breaking their neck in a trap is perceived as humane?). Before I do, I thought I'd toss it out to anybody reading this to see if you have any other tried and true method of getting rid of gophers. If the traps don't work, I'll rent the original Caddyshack to get some tips from Bill Murray.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you have any venomous snakes, I'm guessing that releasing them into your backyard might solve the problem. Of course, then you'd have to deal with the snakes...but at least the gophers would be gone.

Anonymous said...

Hey Kurt,
I read somewhere that Coyote Urine will work. You pour around the outside of your property line. I think you can order it online. It supposedly scares the gophers away. But I would probably rather have gophers in my yard then have to deal with coyote urine. Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

Dude, my stepdad is the gopher hunter. He floods them out by gushing hose water through one hole and then waits with a shovel by the other. Then, when the water pushes them up you smack them on the head. Should definitely try this. Or have Cole do it.

Anonymous said...

Let's see...venomous snakes, coyote urine and shovels. I think I'll try the shovel.

Anonymous said...

Three letters - TNT!

Anonymous said...

yeah man...I remember wen I was a junior higher we would put a hose in there holes and drown them out. We would get them coming out of their hole all water drunk which I guess really slowed them down and then they were easier to catch. Pretty funny.

Anonymous said...

we had a massive gopher problem on the hill behind our old house. went through traps of various sorts, all from home depot or the likes. spent a bunch of money. none of it worked. in the end, we hired a company that guaranteed their results -- don't pay if they come back within 6 mos. well worth it -- wish i hadn't tried all those routes on my own!

Anonymous said...

Get some road flares and shove them down their home (granted they would be lighted). It suffocates them. We've had gopher problems here at the church and the flares seem to work great. The only thing is that maintenance guys say they burn for a good hour or two.

Anonymous said...

OK, it's not just Junior High girls who find issues with that!!!!!