OT: How to get rid of gophers?

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

You knew it was coming, right?

Beat me to it.

[Hawker]

Can you shoot a .22 in your neighborhood legally and safely? If not, and I'm serious...I've run across guys who are real experts with high power air guns who could easily take care of those safely and quietly. Of course it depends on how many you have as to how long it would take...but I took care of 13 chipmunks myself this Spring/Summer. They were digging tremendous holes an tunnels in my yard and I was afraid my wife or grandchildren would break an ankle.

[redir]

IDK if gophers are like woodchucks(groundhogs) but we simply trapped and moved them. Some argue that is a death sentance in it's own right but at least it gives them a chance. I would not want to shoot them.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by gdw

https://gizmodo.com/this-giant-vacuu...eir-1668265973

This is the best idea yet !!

Totally impractical for home use but hilarious. I’d live to see it work.

[RFC]

Originally Posted by Hawker

Can you shoot a .22 in your neighborhood legally and safely? If not, and I'm serious...I've run across guys who are real experts with high power air guns who could easily take care of those safely and quietly. Of course it depends on how many you have as to how long it would take...but I took care of 13 chipmunks myself this Spring/Summer. They were digging tremendous holes an tunnels in my yard and I was afraid my wife or grandchildren would break an ankle.

Actually I have several air guns that would do the job. I have shot a lot of Asian Roof Rats. One spring day, I murdered an entire litter as they frolicked on the lawn around the fallen oranges. It was a very Hemingway moment.

Unfortunately, gophers spend most of their time underground, unlike chipmunks.

[merlinmurph]

About 12 years ago, my wife and I were doing a road trip from San Francisco, and headed north along the coast in a Mustang convertible. We were driving thru Elk CA which consisted of a post office, restaurant, general store and a church. We went by the church, then looked at each other with that "did we really see that?" look. We stopped, turned around, and saw a grassy area next to the church full of gopher holes, and a guy with a gun pointed down one of the holes.

We went back to the store to get something to drink, and a pickup pulls up a little later with the gun guy. Man, we have to talk with this guy. Still remember his name - Eddie. Ends up he grew up there (no surprise). He told us a story where he shot a gopher there once and splattered blood all over the white church.

Sorry, no advice here. Maybe call Eddie from Elk.

Note: I just looked at Google street view and it looks like the gophers are gone.

[madsciencenow]

I have 0 advice but this thread brought a huge smile to my face. When I saw the title I instantly thought the same thing many have already expressed (i.e. Caddyshack). In addition to finding many humorous references to the aforementioned movie, the additional stories and solutions to gopher infestation made me laugh. Thanks!

[parris]

This post reminded me of a story I was told by one of our court attendants. This gentleman was an insurance adjuster and had a ton of great stories. One of the ones he told me was that they had a client that had burned down their garage, deck, and part of the neighbors house. The client thought it would be a good idea to burn some woodchucks out by pouring some gasoline down the hole and then lighting it off. It turned out the woodchuck was close enough to where it got heavily doused and when the dummy lit the fire the woodchuck took off like a shot first burning the deck, then part of the neighbors house, and finally the garage where it expired.

My adjuster friend had to work on the homeowner a good amount before it was admitted that the guy used the better part of a 5 gallon can of gas! It turned out that this clown had several holes and he planned to burn them all out.

Maybe an air rifle WOULD be a safer choice...

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by Hawker

Can you shoot a .22 in your neighborhood legally and safely? If not, and I'm serious...I've run across guys who are real experts with high power air guns who could easily take care of those safely and quietly. Of course it depends on how many you have as to how long it would take...but I took care of 13 chipmunks myself this Spring/Summer. They were digging tremendous holes an tunnels in my yard and I was afraid my wife or grandchildren would break an ankle.

.22 is great for chipmunks and squirrels.
But if you live in the country and don't have close neighbors then .243 Winchester is the ideal caliber for woodchuck clean up.
Tons of fun!

[smead]

An outdoor dog. We had a female mutt who was super gentle to everyone and everything except rodents. She'd smell them out, then wait for hours over the hole until they popped their heads out - chomp. We had to put her down several years ago and our mole problem has come back ..

[adub]

If you are in the country a .220 Swift will vaporize a gopher, no suffering!

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

.22 is great for chipmunks and squirrels.
But if you live in the country and don't have close neighbors then .243 Winchester is the ideal caliber for woodchuck clean up.
Tons of fun!

Agree. But they are a tad/lot louder than a .22...a .243 will scare the dickens out of the neighbors.

[m_sasso]

I say it is time to lock this thread and I really don't believe I need to explain why. Some really damaged souls here!

[GregL]

You need one of these. We call him “the verminator.” As cute as a teddy bear, but with the prey drive of a serial killer on amphetamines.

[RFC]

Originally Posted by GregL

You need one of these. We call him “the verminator.” As cute as a teddy bear, but with the prey drive of a serial killer on amphetamines.

I know exactly what you mean. My sister has an Australian Cattle Dog that hunts them in relatively heavy snow.