How To Get Rid Of Gophers Humanely

If you’ve noticed mysterious mounds of fresh soil and damaged plants in your garden, you might have a gopher. These industrious rodents can be frustrating, but there are ways to manage them without harm. Learning how to get rid of gophers humanely is the key to a peaceful garden for everyone. It’s about protecting your hard work while respecting the local wildlife.

This guide focuses on effective, compassionate methods. We’ll cover why gophers are there, how to deter them, and gentle ways to encourage them to leave. The goal is coexistence, not eradication.

This approach requires patience and understanding. Humane control means using methods that do not injure or kill the gopher. Instead, you make your yard less attractive or gently persuade them to relocate. It’s a strategy that often works better in the long run.

Understanding Your Underground Neighbor

Before you act, know what you’re dealing with. Gophers are solitary, territorial rodents. They eat plant roots and create extensive tunnel systems. One gopher can do significant damage, but they also aerate soil.

They are attracted to healthy, watered gardens with abundant roots and tubers. Knowing this helps you choose the right deterrents. Your goal is to make their life in your yard inconvenient, not to end it.

Prevention: The First Line of Defense

Stopping gophers before they arrive is the most humane tactic of all. A few simple changes can make your garden far less inviting.

Install Underground Barriers: When planting new beds or trees, line the hole with hardware cloth (a sturdy wire mesh). Bury it at least 18-24 inches deep and bend it outward at the bottom to form an “L” shape. This protects the roots.
Choose Less Tasty Plants: Gophers tend to avoid plants with strong smells or toxic roots. Consider incorporating more gopher-resistant plants like lavender, salvia, rosemary, or catmint around vulnerable areas.
Reduce Watering: Overwatered lawns and gardens attract gophers seeking moist, easy-to-dig soil and juicy roots. Water deeply but less frequently to encourage deeper plant roots and less appealing surface conditions.

Humane Deterrents and Repellents

If a gopher is already present, you can use deterrents to encourage it to move on. These methods rely on making the environment unpleasant for their sensitive senses.

Using Scents and Smells

Gophers have a keen sense of smell, which you can use to your advantage. Place strong-smelling substances in their tunnels. You’ll need to find an active tunnel by probing the ground near a fresh mound and open it with a trowel.

Castor Oil: This is one of the most recommended natural repellents. Mix a few tablespoons of castor oil with a gallon of water and a bit of dish soap to emulsify it. Pour this mixture into active tunnels. The taste and smell are offensive to gophers.
Other Natural Repellents: Some gardeners report success with putting used cat litter, fish scraps, or garlic cloves in the tunnels. The effectiveness varies, but they are safe to try.

Using Sound and Vibration

Gophers are sensitive to vibrations, which they interpret as danger. You can exploit this to make them feel unsafe.

Commercial Vibrating Stakes: These solar- or battery-powered stakes are placed in the ground. They emit intermittent vibrations that disturb gophers.
DIY Methods: Try placing a cheap, battery-operated radio in a waterproof container, tuned to a talk radio station, near the tunnel entrance. Or, insert vibrating wind chime stakes into the ground around the garden.

Remember, gophers may become accustomed to constant noise or vibration. Change the location and pattern of these devices regularly for best results. Its important to be persistent.

Live Trapping and Relocation

This is a hands-on but highly effective humane method. It involves capturing the gopher in a live trap and releasing it in a suitable, distant habitat. Check your local wildlife regulations first, as relocating wildlife is not legal everywhere.

Get the Right Trap: Use a live trap designed for gophers or similar-sized rodents. Common brands include the Gopher Hawk or box-style traps.
Locate the Main Tunnel: Find an active tunnel by probing 6-12 inches from the plug side of a fresh mound. When your probe drops about 2 inches, you’ve found it.
Excavate and Set the Trap: Carefully dig down to the tunnel. Place the trap according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually directly into the tunnel run. Cover the hole with a board or dark cloth to keep light out.
Check Frequently: This is crucial. You must check the trap at least every 6-8 hours. A trapped animal can quickly suffer from stress, exposure, or dehydration.
Relocate Carefully: Wear gloves. Take the gopher to a remote, approved area at least a mile from your home (farther is better). Choose a spot with plenty of cover and a food source, like a wild field or rural area. Release it gently.

Creating an Unwelcoming Environment

Sometimes, a multi-pronged approach works best. Combine methods to increase your success. For example, use castor oil repellent in some tunnels and set a live trap in another main runway. While you’re at it, consider installing root barriers around your prized rose garden.

Maintain your garden by removing weeds and excess vegetation that gophers eat. Keep your compost pile sealed. The less food and shelter you provide, the less likely they are to stay. Its a simple matter of making your property less comfortable than the neighbors.

What to Avoid: Inhumane Methods

It’s worth noting which common methods are not humane, so you can make an informed choice.

Poison Baits: These cause a slow, painful death and pose severe risks to pets, children, and wildlife like hawks or owls that might eat the poisoned gopher.
Flooding Tunnels: This can drown the gopher, which is not humane. It also risks waterlogging your garden and destabilizing soil.
Carbon Dioxide Exhaust: Pumping vehicle exhaust into tunnels is dangerous, ineffective, and harmful to soil health.

When to Call a Professional

If the infestation is severe or your efforts aren’t working, seek help. Look for a wildlife control professional who specializes in humane, live-trapping and relocation. Ask about their methods before hiring them to ensure they align with your compassionate goals.

FAQ: Humane Gopher Control

What is the most effective humane gopher repellent?
Many gardeners find castor oil-based repellents to be the most consistently effective. They need to be reapplied after watering or rain, but they are safe and non-toxic.

Do ultrasonic gopher repellents work?
The evidence is mixed. Some studies show gophers may initially avoid the area, but they often habituate to the sound. They can be part of a combined strategy but shouldn’t be relied upon alone.

How do I find the main gopher tunnel?
Look for the freshest, moist dirt mound. The main tunnel is typically located 6-12 inches away on the plug side (the side with a sealed dirt plug). Use a thin metal rod to probe gently until it suddenly drops a couple inches.

Is it legal to relocate a gopher?
Laws vary by state, county, and city. Always contact your local Department of Fish and Wildlife or animal control agency to understand the regulations in your area before relocating any wildlife.

Will gophers eventually leave on their own?
They might if their food source disappears or the tunnel system becomes inhospitable (e.g., flooded, smelly, or full of vibrations). However, they are persistent, so active humane management is usually required to speed up the process.

Managing gophers compassionately takes a bit more effort than drastic measures, but it brings peace of mind. You protect your garden while allowing nature’s engineers to play their role elsewhere. With patience and the right combination of methods, you can reclaim your green space kindly and effectively.