Pocket Gopher Identification and Specialized Removal

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Pocket Gophers are easily identified by the distinct shape of their mounds and their destructive tunneling.

• Mound Shape: They create a crescent-shaped mound of soil (not volcano-shaped like some moles).

• Activity: They will dig just about anywhere, including garden beds and lawn areas. Mounds are usually grouped together.

• Destruction Rate: A single pocket gopher can destroy a garden or lawn area in a very short time. Their extensive burrow systems can extend up to 2,000 square feet, and they remain active even during the winter (burrowing beneath the snow).

• Mound Production: One single pocket gopher may create as many as fifty mounds a year.

  • Residential: It is common to have one or two pocket gophers, though more may be lurking on adjoining properties.

  • Acreages: It is common to have ten or more pocket gophers due to the larger space.

How to Identify a Pocket Gopher

• Size: They weigh around half a pound and are about 6–8 inches long in body length (plus a 1–2 inch tail). Males are larger than females.

• Appearance: Most have brown fur that closely matches the soil color.

• Key Feature: Their most characteristic features are their large, fur-lined cheek pouches (the "pocket" in their name) which extend onto the shoulders and can be turned inside out.

• Other Features: They have small eyes and a short, hairy tail used to feel around when they walk backward in tunnels.

PEST PRO EXTERMINATOR SOLUTION

It is critical to start solving a Pocket Gopher issue immediately, as females can produce up to three litters of 5–6 young per year.

At Pest Pro Exterminator, our service technicians use a combination of tools for definitive elimination:

• Preferred Method: We use the Burrow Rx (a specialized device) and live traps to eliminate the pocket gopher directly from the tunnels. This method is preferred because it is conclusive—you know the pest has been removed.

• Alternative Methods: Other methods like seed bait and smoke bombs are available but have a lower success rate (only about 30%).

Before starting a Pocket Gopher program, talk to your Pest Pro Exterminator service technician for the right advice and strategy to solve your issue the first time.

COMMON CONCERNS ADDRESSED

How many services does it take to solve my pocket gopher issue?

• Residential: We expect to solve a typical residential pocket gopher problem in two to four services. We schedule visits every two to three days until the gophers are caught.

• Acreages: Due to the larger scale and higher number of gophers, it can take seven or more services to achieve full control on an acreage.

Are the pest control tools you use dangerous for non-target animals?

Risk management is a core part of our service.

• Live Traps: The live traps we use are designed with the capture mechanism on the underside. The main risk is to a person reaching under the trap, potentially resulting in a caught finger.

• Seed Bait: If seed bait is used, family pets such as dogs and horses must be managed to ensure they do not have access to the product.

• Safety Protocol: It is always best to review the service options with your pest control service technician prior to starting a Pocket Gopher program so that a safe, effective solution can be provided that addresses all risks to children and pets.