Gopher Trapping

[tomcat3006]

Can anyone tell me how to trap Gophers in my hay field? What kind of traps to use or any other info. Thanks Tomcat

[Steve Gappa]

heres how I do it-

Trapping Pocket gophers

any questions, just ask.

[Iowa Badger]

Do you use the poking stick only to scare off any gophers? It seems you have the hole and trap location located already.

[Steve Gappa]

the poking stick is a very needed item in locating the tunnell. Without the stick to determine where the hole is, you would spend a lot of time messing around trying to find them. The holes can be at many different angles from the surface indentation. I'm so used to the feel of the probe I use, that if I don't have it, my set up time is increased substantially. Even using one that is "identical" is like using a new pool cue.

some use wood, but wood to me doesn't have the right feel to it. When you push through the packed dirt to an open tunnell, you can feel the "pop" on the other end.

Sometimes in dry weather, gophers will have their tunnels 2-3 deep.

[tomcat3006]

Set out a few gopher sets today, caught one and got out smarted by another. He burried the trap and filled the hole clear up with dirt. I just used some #0 foot hold traps for now. Could get addictive..
tomcat.

[trappnman]

zeros do get more plugs than #1- smaller jaw spread, easier to plug.

and- and I don't know why tihs is, but it is- coil springs get more plugs than longsprings- don't know why, but have seen the pattern for years.

If you get plugged or not, depends on luck and the amount and type of dirt a gopher is moving per night. More plugs in sandy soil, more plugs in tilled soil.

they are addicting though....

[tomcat3006]

KEEP GETTING PLUGGED! Am I doing something wrong or is this normal? If you clean it out and reset will they come back, none of mine have. Their starting to get me fluffed up. Any advise?? Thanks Tomcat.

[trappnman]

to sure where you are from- please add your state on location- go to profile and its easy.

plugging is part of the game.

some days few plugs, some days lots of plugs. It is odd, once the pattern starts, it seems to continue.

tips-

clean out loose dirt in tunnell as far back as you can reach, both sides.

dig out slight depression for traps

zero trap tension with weak springs- gophers only weigh a few ounces- strong springs =
plugs

take grass plug, insert 1/2 way down entrance tunnell hole- cover with dirt.

now- old farmers myth that DOES seem to work to reduce plugs- soak traps periodically in WD-40 or oil.

[trappnman]

I find they almost always return next night.

if not returning, perhaps you don't have tunnells completely unplugged

[trapperjoemo]

Have you tried the Cinch gopher trap yet? I don`t think I would like getting plugged traps either... It`s been awhile since I trapped, but I don`t remember getting enough plugged traps to even worry about.

[trappnman]

plugged trap frequency depends on the time of year, age of the gophers and weather.

only killer type trap I like is the Easy Set.

don't like the cinch, never use the ones I have anymore- good friend does very well with them. its all personal choice.

[Steve B]

I had a lot of plugged trap problems when I used footholds, switched to the Johnson Quick Set Trap and no more plugged traps only dead gophers...

[trappnman]

I agree- those quick sets are nice. I use them a lot and are my preferred killer type trap..

don't know what it is on the cinch type- I get nothing but plugs- bearcat gets nothing but gophers

death clutches good early spring, but for some reason not (for me) a summer trap.

Lanesboro traps are good, but too much work digigng hole.

those victor ones too small

but I don't find the easy set to give me less plugs, I found after keeping records that for me about the same.

So-I use longsprings at Y holes, and Quick sets on open holes.