Need to get rid of a Gopher....

[Blakesdad]

I have a gopher in my back yard, living under one of my sheds. Evidence of tunnels and poop, and I finally saw the rat basterd today. By the time I got my air gun, loaded it, and snuck down for a decent shot, he heard me and took off.

No doubt I can shoot him from the house, distance wise, but I have a picket fence about thirty yards from my home stretching across my yard. Shooting between pickets, is out of the question.

I've tried to trap him before, but frankly he's too big for my trap.

Before I plant up my garden full of yummies for ME, not him, any suggestions ?

[motorace]

lol.

this remind me of my late dad. we had a chip monk who made himself at home under our front stoop. my dad thought it would basically keep diggin and cause the stoop to sink eventually. he would fill the holes, stick rocks in it, etc, but the chip monk would just dig a new tunnel 2 feet farther away from the stoop. i just think it was pissin him off bc the chip monk kept winning. well, he dug out the sides of it and poured concrete 2 freakin feet below grade(this stoop only had a footing at the front and back). the little bastage just dug right under it and just kept occupying. one day i was in the basement, and complained that i kept smelling gasoline down there. after some denial, he addmited he poured gasoline all around the stoop to get the chip monk to rethink it's residency. lol. yeah well, the chip monk didnt mind. he finally just made this elaborate trap in the garage, rigged with acorns, so he could catch it alive. i think he had other plans for his enemy, but let it go in the woods a couple miles down the road. i think he actually became attached to it for giving him an activity.

sorry for the lack of help, but just reminded me of this. good times. even though you could catch it with the trap design my dad made. i still have them in all sizes i could tke a picture of. he caught some rather large possums with them.

[crabby and son]

It's most likely is a ground hog. You need a trap that is 12" square and about 30" long called a Havahart.I have trapped many of them and use an apple for bait. I have one if you want to use it. They are not hard to trap but a pellet gun is not very effective..........................Gary

[Skip]

.762 Full metal jacket

You can make a snare from thin wire off a spring stick. Put it at hole entrance.

The trick is getting the trigger stick notch just right. A regular hand saw will cut a tighter 90* then a knife will.

[Spot77]

Originally Posted by crabby and son

It's most likely is a ground hog. You need a trap that is 12" square and about 30" long called a Havahart.I have trapped many of them and use an apple for bait. I have one if you want to use it. They are not hard to trap but a pellet gun is not very effective..........................Gary

Originally Posted by Skip

.762 Full metal jacket

You can make a snare from thin wire off a spring stick. Put it at hole entrance.

The trick is getting the trigger stick notch just right. A regular hand saw will cut a tighter 90* then a knife will.

Most airguns will just piss him off, although I've taken out a dozen or so oppossums with a very high end pellet gun in my life.

A .22lr should do it humanely enough if you live somewhere where a firearm is an acceptable form of dispensation.

Many county animal control agencies will loan out the appropriate traps for critters like this.

[garlien]

Question for Don, Marty and others that live line in the summer....

Do gophers work well for live lining ? If so, sounds like we have some easy bait.

[Spot77]

Originally Posted by garlien

Question for Don, Marty and others that live line in the summer....

Do gophers work well for live lining ? If so, sounds like we have some easy bait.

There used to be a video on youtube of a guy bass fishing with chipmunks as bait, but I suspect it's been removed as I couldn't find it.

[Blakesdad]

Gary, I HAVE that 12by 12 trap ! This thing is a monster..

I don;t know what model I have of the top of my head, but its a high powered air gun. I have a 22 also, but in my " hood" thats just gonna piss off the neighbors.

I will try the apple for bait. Right now I have some old dog food, and thats just driving my dogs ape****.

Thanks for the help

And it is a ground hog, I'm just an idiot sometimes....

[crabby and son]

I lived in Montgomery Village 20 years ago and had one under my front porch. Had holes on both sides. I put a hose in one hole and turned on the water. Took a while but water finally came out of the other hole. I saw bubbles come up and then the ground hog. I have many guns but opted for a 25 cal due to noise. I shot him in the head and he started crawling away and had to shoot again. Neighbors were used to me as I shot a deer that was hit by a car with a 357 a year earlier An apple is just as deadly in a trap but minus the drama. You think he is big now! Wait until you plant your garden..............Gary

[Barefoot]

They are tough to kill. My Grandfather used to dispatch them with a 10 gauge on his farm.