Gophers

[jack.diamond]

Since we got some well needed rain in Central Texas seems the pocket gophers have packed it back in and are chowing down on my pastures (again). For the past five or six months, I had not seen any new signs and now the mounds are popping up faster than mushrooms. Does anyone have a recipe for getting rid of these pests???

Jack

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

When we first got our place here in 2002 there were many pocket gophers & mounds around...probably several dozen. Since then we have acquired several barn cats (they adopted us...). Now our gopher population has significantly diminished. The cats are fed some dog food in the evening (enough to keep them in condition) but not as much as they want...thus, they hunt gophers to supplement diet. Haven't seen any mice or rats either!

We tried commercial bait at first with no success.

Cats are the answer, IMO.
;-)

 

[jack.diamond]

When we first got our place here in 2002 there were many pocket gophers & mounds around...probably several dozen. Since then we have acquired several barn cats (they adopted us...). Now our gopher population has significantly diminished. The cats are fed some dog food in the evening (enough to keep them in condition) but not as much as they want...thus, they hunt gophers to supplement diet. Haven't seen any mice or rats either!

We tried commercial bait at first with no success.

Cats are the answer, IMO.
;-)

RAB,

Thanks for the input. The wife might like this idea she is fond of cats. We were adopted by a calico cat several weeks ago. From the looks of him, he had been caught in someone's snare trap. His right front leg had been cut off just above the paw. He was living under my shredder. She takes him to the vet to be checked out, he's doing okay now. Named him "Tripod". All he does is his business in the gopher mounds and that don't phase them. She also feeds him alot. Will have to check around for some more abler bodied cats.

Jack

 

[dun]

Will have to check around for some more abler bodied cats.

Jack

If it wants to hunt gophers, a little thing like a missing paw won;t stop it.

dun

 

[jack.diamond]

Will have to check around for some more abler bodied cats.

Jack

If it wants to hunt gophers, a little thing like a missing paw won;t stop it.

dun

dun,

Maybe I need to get the wife to cut back on the chow so we have a hungry cat. Definitely wouldn't have to go far to find them.

JD

 

[cfpinz]

What's a pocket gopher? How big are they?

cfpinz

 

[Beefy]

have you tried TNT?

 

[cowtrek]

Will have to check around for some more abler bodied cats.

Jack

If it wants to hunt gophers, a little thing like a missing paw won;t stop it.

dun

dun,

Maybe I need to get the wife to cut back on the chow so we have a hungry cat. Definitely wouldn't have to go far to find them.

JD

same problem here with the cats. Wife gives them too darn much chow! We have cats out the gazoo around here and still see a lot of mice and rats in the yard from the pasture. Cats are supposed to keep the snakes run off too but not these lazy things. I've told the wife to cut back on the chow but she won't. If there is cat food left after five minutes of eating there is just too much being fed. She can't seem to grasp the concept. The stupid cats have the life of Riley... all they do is eat and reproduce. ARRRR!!!!

 

[jack.diamond]

Will have to check around for some more abler bodied cats.

Jack

If it wants to hunt gophers, a little thing like a missing paw won;t stop it.

dun

dun,

Maybe I need to get the wife to cut back on the chow so we have a hungry cat. Definitely wouldn't have to go far to find them.

JD

same problem here with the cats. Wife gives them too darn much chow! We have cats out the gazoo around here and still see a lot of mice and rats in the yard from the pasture. Cats are supposed to keep the snakes run off too but not these lazy things. I've told the wife to cut back on the chow but she won't. If there is cat food left after five minutes of eating there is just too much being fed. She can't seem to grasp the concept. The stupid cats have the life of Riley... all they do is eat and reproduce. ARRRR!!!!

Cowtrek,

My brother has a place in Junction. I think at last count they had 40 something cats around. He feeds these cats by the bag full. Wants to get rid of some, but won't stop feeding them. Finally quit spending money on trying to spay and neuter them. Plan on going over there in Novemberto visit, wonder what the count will be then.

JD

 

[Gale Seddon]

Near the Washington DC area, there are organizations that give away "feral" barn cats, already vaccinated AND neutered. If you're near a metropolitan area, you might check with some local animal shelters and see if they've got a program like this. Sure better than bringing more unwanted litters into this world.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Our 4 barn cats probably get about 1 cup of dry dog food each a day. Body condition scores about 4. Enough feed to keep them slightly hungry and alert, not enough to let them gain weight. Hungry enough that they also hunt gophers & mice.

Our pocket gophers are about side of a Brown or Norway Rat.

The cats have a lot of patience stalking out one of the gopher holes...

 

[Gale Seddon]

Check out "Useless Cats" post (mid-september?)...talks about cats' need for 'taurine' (something they don't get from dog food).

 

[jack.diamond]

have you tried TNT?

Beefy,

I don't need any more holes in the pastures. These stinking gophers and their burrows make a big enough mess. I can drive the tractor through the pastures and every once in awhile it's like the bottom falls out. The ground gives way due to the weight of the tractor on one of their "rooms". Some of them are 3-4 feet in diameter. Seat belts ain't only for trucks and cars anymore.

JD

 

[Rocket1121]

Our county Ag. office has several poison peanut planters that puts poison peanuts laced with stricnine in the ground about a foot or so. Those gophers dig around and hit the soft soil the planter made and follow it eating peanuts and die by the groves. Be careful with the peanuts don't let them set around there has been cases of children eating them and dieing.

 

[msscamp]

Does anyone have a recipe for getting rid of these pests???

Jack

Get a gopher machine - it deposits poisoned grain underground and helps to eliminate them.

 

[cfpinz]

Would someone please tell me what a pocket gopher is??? I'm dying to know! :lol:

Is it just another word for groundhog or what?

cfpinz

Edit: Sorry, RAB, just noticed your post. How long are they, I'm not exactly a Norway rat expert.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Would someone please tell me what a pocket gopher is??? I'm dying to know! :lol:

Is it just another word for groundhog or what?

cfpinz

Edit: Sorry, RAB, just noticed your post. How long are they, I'm not exactly a Norway rat expert.

Much smaller than a groundhog. The gophers are about 5-6" long and about 2" in diameter. Have excellent claws on all 4 feet. Live in ground in tunnels they excavate and carry the soil on top of ground making a mound, usually up to 2 feet in dia., and 9-12" high. Newly excavated sites show a hole about 2-2.5" in dia. Are very reclusive animals and you could spend hours from a distance waiting for one to come to surface so you could shoot it.

Cats have a lot of patience and can probably hear them moving around underground...

 

[milesvb]

have you tried TNT?

You been watchin' Caddyshack again :?:

 

[cfpinz]

Thanks Bill.

I kept imagining one of my cats trying to kill a groundhog. :lol:

cfpinz