# Gopher Traps



## J_nick

Gophers have always been a problem in the town I live in. We have a sandy loam soil and it's easy digging for them. Over the last couple years I've been fighting a losing battle with them. I had tried poison pellets/grains, the big smoke bombs and a couple different traps with mixed results.

That all changed with the help of the people on here. I now have 2 different kinds of traps and they flat out work! I've successfully cleared 2+ acres of gophers. Once I see a new mound I can set a trap and it's game over or to quote Carl Spackler "Au revior, gopher"

If you're having gopher problems I would highly recommend these traps.

http://www.victorpest.com/victor-the-blackbox-gopher-trap-0625

http://www.traplineproducts.com


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## Ware

I'm a big fan of the Victor Black Box that you linked.


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## J_nick

Thanks for telling me about them. They are a very well made product. Normally I would shy away from plastic but not with these. I stood on mine (225lbs) just to see how sturdy the plastic would be and it felt like I was standing on a brick, I have no doubts that it will last many many years.


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## J_nick

Our heifers started calving yesterday so I ventured farther out in the pasture. Set the traps on 2 fresh holes and an hour later caught number 4 & 5 for the year.


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## Ware

J_nick,

Which size Trapline are you using? It looks like they make (3) sizes - Standard Mole, Large Mole and "Gophinator". Whatever you're doing is obviously working well, but the graphic below gives some manufacturer recommendations on which trap to purchase.

Also, is there any type of indicator to let you know you've caught one, or do you have to dig up the trap to check it?


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## J_nick

I have the Gophinator. I have different style of traps for moles. My soil is really sandy and it's hard to keep a mole tunnel intact to use the ones from trapline. I have a scissor style I use for moles.

I tie my traps with around 2 feet of heavy string. They give you a spot on the back to tie it off. I make a loop on the other side of the string and carry an old screw driver to anchor the trap. You definitely need to anchor your traps. I leave just a little slack in the line. Once a gopher triggers the trap it's reaction is to back up and will pull the string tight. Don't leave too much slack though because they will pull it in the hole farther than you'd think.

Next time I set one I'll post a picture.


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## Ware

Awesome. Makes perfect sense.

Do you set them right in the end of the tunnel where the mound is or do you locate the tunnel by probing around the mound?


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## J_nick

Ware said:


> Awesome. Makes perfect sense.
> 
> Do you set them right in the end of the tunnel where the mound is or do you locate the tunnel by probing around the mound?


I set them right at the end of the tunnel. I find where he has been pushing the dirt out and use my hands to clear the tunnel. I then place the trap in the tunnel as far as I can, normally it's less than a foot in the tunnel but I have set them deeper with success.

I've tried probing and I'm not the best at it. For me it's easier to do as mentioned above. In my soil I can easily dig up to armpit depth using just my hand in a few minutes.

I've been using a spray deer hunters use call Elimiscent to spray my hands and traps before I start. I read somewhere gophers have a good sense of smell and might be shy if they smell you. Not completely sold on it as I've caught them with and without it, but my thoughts are it can't hurt my chances.


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## J_nick

I had to dig down quite a ways to get to his tunnel on this one. On a tunnel like this the Black Box would be hard to use and I would need to move a lot more dirt. This is how I set my Trapline's. String is tied off to the screwdriver (anchor) with a small loop before going down to the Gophinator. To check it just go see if the loop is still there. After a few hours if it is still there I will pull the trap and see if he blocked off his tunnel right before the trap. It happens but stay persistent eventually he will be caught.


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## J_nick

String pulled tight

Another on bites the dust


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## Ware

Very nice.

I also get an occasional false trigger from a gopher packing a Black Box full of dirt. As you mentioned, persistence is key.


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## Ware

So I have to ask, what's the year-to-date death toll, J_nick?


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## J_nick

Ware said:


> So I have to ask, what's the year-to-date death toll, J_nick?


10 Gophers and 2 moles YTD as of today


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## Ware

If anyone is looking for advice on trapping moles, be sure to check out the Mole Traps thread.


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## wardconnor

Although I don't struggle with this issue as of now,
(fingers crossed) I find this thread fascinating and comical.

I love the kill counter

I want to know if this is an unending battle. Will you ever gain the upper hand?


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## J_nick

wardconnor said:


> Although I don't struggle with this issue as of now,
> (fingers crossed) I find this thread fascinating and comical.
> 
> I love the kill counter
> 
> I want to know if this is an unending battle. Will you ever gain the upper hand?


It will most likely be an ongoing battle. I live on the very east edge of town, we have 9.5 acres. I have a neighbor who is also an avid gopher hunter 100 yards to the south of me and the nearest neighbor to the north is over 1/4 mile away. Everything to the east is farm ground. Eveything close to the house is for the most part gopher free but eventually one makes it close or in the yard. With so much open ground near by I don't see it ending anytime soon.


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## ABC123

Took me a year and a half to kill 36 gophers with 4 cinch traps on 3.5 acres. All the neighbors gophers kept coming over after a while.


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## Ware

I've been thinking of ways to control gophers while on vacation, at work, or hanging out at the gun range or cigar shop, and I really think a few of these may be the answer. :bandit:


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## MasterMech

Ware said:


> I've been thinking of ways to control gophers while on vacation, at work, or hanging out at the gun range or cigar shop, and I really think a few of these may be the answer. :bandit:


Would likely keep a lot of traffic off the lawn altogether! :lol: :nod:


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## w0lfe

:twisted: I've got at least one gopher wrecking my back yard. What are the best options?


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## Ware

w0lfe said:


> :twisted: I've got at least one gopher wrecking my back yard. What are the best options?


I move this over to the gopher thread. I have really good luck with the Victor Black Boxes. I know @J_nick uses the Traplines. Either should work great with a good set. :thumbup:


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## w0lfe

Thank you very much sir. Didn't know to post here!


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## Ware

w0lfe said:


> Thank you very much sir. Didn't know to post here!


No worries. The thread had fallen down several pages. :thumbup:


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## SCGrassMan

w0lfe said:


> :twisted: I've got at least one gopher wrecking my back yard. What are the best options?


.17 Caliber WSM


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## Ware

SCGrassMan said:


> w0lfe said:
> 
> 
> 
> :twisted: I've got at least one gopher wrecking my back yard. What are the best options?
> 
> 
> 
> .17 Caliber WSM
Click to expand...

I've popped a couple moles with this. Here is a crosspost to the mole trap, by the way.


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## SCGrassMan

https://youtu.be/5UbX6iZsP58


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## J_nick

w0lfe said:


> Thank you very much sir. Didn't know to post here!


I've had a really good success rate with the Traplines linked one the first page. I'd say over 90% of the time I catch them within a few hours. I've caught a few with the Black Box Ware linked but I find they normally pack the box full of dirt without setting the trap off more often than I catch one. Maybe I'm setting it up wrong. The Traplines I just clear the tunnel and set the trap in the hole, make sure you anchor the trap with some string and a screwdriver or something. Once the trap goes off
their first instinct is to go backwards so make sure there isn't too much slack in the string.

I deleted my Kill count for my signature a while back but I caught around 25 last year and I'd say at least 20 of them were with the Trapline.


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## gmorf33

So how do you know if you have a gopher or a mole? I've got a little bastard tearing up one side of my lawn, the small strip between my house and the neighbors.. it only seems to stay on my side, making dirt mounds all along my basement foundation and a few feet out, ignoring the neighbors side. Trying to decide which thread & traps i should be pursuing for this problem.


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## Mpow

gmorf33 said:


> So how do you know if you have a gopher or a mole? I've got a little bastard tearing up one side of my lawn, the small strip between my house and the neighbors.. it only seems to stay on my side, making dirt mounds all along my basement foundation and a few feet out, ignoring the neighbors side. Trying to decide which thread & traps i should be pursuing for this problem.


Haven't seen it mentioned but I would give a huge recommendation for GopherHawk. After trapping 8 gophers in one month they haven't returned and I was finally able to rebuild the lawn. Easy to use.


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## gmorf33

Mpow said:


> gmorf33 said:
> 
> 
> 
> So how do you know if you have a gopher or a mole? I've got a little bastard tearing up one side of my lawn, the small strip between my house and the neighbors.. it only seems to stay on my side, making dirt mounds all along my basement foundation and a few feet out, ignoring the neighbors side. Trying to decide which thread & traps i should be pursuing for this problem.
> 
> 
> 
> Haven't seen it mentioned but I would give a huge recommendation for GopherHawk. After trapping 8 gophers in one month they haven't returned and I was finally able to rebuild the lawn. Easy to use.
Click to expand...

Oh nice! This looks a lot simpler for my dumbass  I'm going to get one of these!


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## Mpow

"Oh nice! This looks a lot simpler for my dumbass  I'm going to get one of these!"
[/quote]

Just don't forget to buy the set that includes the wedge and probe. Plenty of how to vids or can ask me.


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## TulsaFan

Huge fan of the Victor Black Box 0625. I have used these to catch gophers at three of my neighbors lawns. Love them.

However, I found some GopherHawk traps on clearance from Lowe's last year. Never got around to using them until yesterday. I set one in the neighbors front lawn along with a Victor Black Box. This morning I found the Gopherhawk trap triggered and claimed my first kill. It was very simple to use and non-invasive to set the trap. I didn't have to dig up a plug and find the tunnels. The Gopherhawk comes with a probbing tool which helps to find the tunnels. The Gopherhawk works for moles as well which is why I bought it.


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