Re: RC: gophers

[Lynn Kinsky <lkinsky@silcom.com>]

>In a message dated 03/15/2001 8:59:59 PM Pacific Standard Time,
>scottj@cyberlynk.com writes:
>Hi, Dede.
>
>Depends on how big your pasture is.  I've got ground squirrels here and my
>method worked on my 5 acres, and now the cats keep them from coming back.
>Try shoving regular road flares down the tunnels, or use the hose.  You have
>to do it several times before they get discouraged and move on to greener
>pastures.  I don't like poisons or traps either, but the cats catching them
>just seem to be more "natural".  Less guilt for me, I guess.  I'm actually
>more concerned about myself than the horses.  Broke my ankle by running full
>tilt and stepping in a gopher hole.  : (  Good luck.
>
>Abigail Madden

If you are going to use road flares, make sure you know what else is in
those tunnels.  Where I lived previously my neighbor and I shared a hill
that was riddled with gophers.  Water didn't work -- to much natural
drainage.  So the neighbor's kids got the bright idea of stuffing
firecrackers down a hole and lighting the fuse.  They didn't even think
about the possibility of methane from our septic tank drainages or that
there were natural gas lines going to the houses through that area.  The
gas lines were apparently tight because our houses stayed standing, but
when their little bomb went off some flames and lots of organic debris came
shooting out holes all over that hill!  Their dad, who was a fireman, was
not amused -- but the local gopher population experienced a major set back.


Lynn Kinsky (Santa Ynez, CA)
http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky