Gopher separator

[markba633csi]

Thought my Cinch gopher traps were infallible until this year. I've got a sneaky one, probably older and huge, who is able
to avoid the trap and fill the tunnel without tripping the trap- sneaky critter throws dirt without touching the trigger.
I'm thinking of a guillotine type trap triggered by either a sensitive switch or a light beam... of course after I get it built he'll probably
just move over into the neighbor's yard...


I wasn't sure if this should be under "Weapons" LOL

 

[Nutfarmer]

In the orchard we inject a mixture of oxygen and propane in the tunnel system and ignite it. The tunnel system is destroyed along with the gopher. It does make a mess where the tunnels were , but the gopher is gone. Think of the movie Caddy Shack. Works on ground squirrels too , but leaves tunnels intact. Down side if things are dry it can start fires. The gophers don’t like the areas we flood irrigate so that limits them to the edge of the orchard.

 

[brino]

at one time I was considering a high-voltage mouse trap.
I was thinking about an infrared beam trigger, but don't know what spectrum the meeses can see.....
Brian

 

[Chip Hacket]

at one time I was considering a high-voltage mouse trap.
I was thinking about an infrared beam trigger, but don't know what spectrum the meeses can see.....
Brian

Once long ago we had a mouse problem on the job. For fun we attached a neutral wire to a 3" steel conduit cover, then attached some peanut butter to the hot wire and dangled it over the plate. We got a few.

 

[ChazzC]

In the orchard we inject a mixture of oxygen and propane in the tunnel system and ignite it. The tunnel system is destroyed along with the gopher. It does make a mess where the tunnels were , but the gopher is gone. Think of the movie Caddy Shack. Works on ground squirrels too , but leaves tunnels intact. Down side if things are dry it can start fires. The gophers don’t like the areas we flood irrigate so that limits them to the edge of the orchard.

Coleman fuel and a match; just check for holes located below flammables first.

 

[markba633csi]

Had various ideas of cannon and shrapnel, but tending toward silent but deadly-- better in my neighborhood
What commercial traps are best for wary rodents? Macabee? Victor? What about the zinc phosphide poisons?
I didn't have any luck with the strychnine baits in the past

I thought about modifying one of the Cinch traps to make the trigger less conspicuous- not sure how
Once they escape the jaws, they avoid it from then on

 

[brino]

I have had success on smaller rodents (mice and rats) with TomCat snap traps (like below).

Likely the most important step was eliminating all food source except the peanut butter used in the traps.
Also for a bad infestation, checking and emptying the traps every few hours night and day.
Otherwise you may find only half bodies left, indicating that some others are still being fed.

 

[pontiac428]

How about a catapult that flings the rodent into the next county? No mess to clean up. I have a friend who is big into falconry, he raises a hawk each year. He doesn't have rodent problems... Or stray pet problems either. I kinda dig the Rube Goldberg guillotine plan, but you have to locate the tunnel and hope the varmint uses it. For the trouble, you might as well wait for him to show himself and whack 'im with your whacking stick. Or just zing him with a lead pellet.

 

[markba633csi]

Twin spring-loaded meat cleavers with hair trigger
Or just a very patient cat

OH, I got it... a gallon of epoxy poured down the burrow- stick the little pest in place LOL like concrete galoshes

 

[pontiac428]

Have you ever used mouse glue? It's totally Tom & Jerry, but also pangs of cruelty once the reality sets in. Back when we were living under sandbags in Iraq, that's what the local economy provided us for controlling the little pests that could chew through a pallet of MREs overnight. Came in a big cartoony looking tube like toothpaste with picture instructions on it.