Site Specific Pocket Gopher Management Matthew Edmonds

Why the need for gopher management?

Gopher Biology Mounds 1 Gopher + 1 Year = 200 Mounds One per tunnel generally Up to three litters per year Feed on: Roots, Seeds, Stems, Tubers, Leaves, and Bulbs Alfalfa, clover, garden crops, Fruit trees, etc.

Benefits Contribute to the formation and conditioning of soil Increase soil fertility Increase water infiltration Increase soil aeration Decrease soil compaction

Negatives Forage At density of 32 per acre 20%-50% reduction Alfalfa Native grass

Negatives Dulled or plugged mowing machinery Mechanical breakdowns Damages to buried cable, irrigation pipe, and trees

When to manage Gophers? Identification of Problem Pose economic significance? Eating crops or interfering with farming activities? To what degree? Density When is there too many?

Control Methods Depend on $$$$ Time Determination

Control Methods Traps Toxicants Repellants Machinery

Traps Effective with continuous effort Labor intensive over large areas Gophinator 6 pack @ $42

Bait Use applicator to put pellets into tunnels Poison - Strychnine 1 to 2 lbs. per acre 10lbs. @ $50

Burrow Builder Makes artificial burrows Drops bait in formed tunnel Recommended for large areas 10 acres per hour using 2-3 lbs. of bait $1200-$3000

Repellants Granular form Spread over area One pound per 1000 square feet Makes area unpleasant for gopher 6 lbs. @ $26

Electronics Uses sound, vibration, or signals Batteries or Solar 1 @ $20-$40 Effectiveness?

Plowing Disturbs soil – prevents major infestation Negatives No-till farming Perennial crops

Fumigation and Explosives Smoke or gas usually not effective Gophers seal off tunnel Varmint Getter 95%Oxygen and 5%Propane 1 @ $1295-$1495

Damage Prevention Exclusion Typically used in yards and gardens ¼ to ½ inch hardware clothe Buried 2 feet into the ground Expensive and labor intensive

Damage Prevention Cultural methods and Habitat Modification Crop Varieties Crop Rotation Grain Buffer Strips Flood Irrigation

Early Detection Control is: Easier Less expensive Less time consuming

Site Specific Management? How is this related? Goal Increase return on investment by minimizing risk What is the risk of too many gophers? Nebraska- $10 million in damage per year

Questions?