2. Dan Curtin Agricultural Biologist/Standards Specialist Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office

3. Pocket Gopher Legal Status Legal Status Control Measures Control Measures Services and Products available through the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office and the U.C. Cooperative Extension Services and Products available through the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office and the U.C. Cooperative Extension

4. Legal Status Pocket Gophers are classified as nongame mammals by the California Fish and Game Code. Pocket Gophers are classified as nongame mammals by the California Fish and Game Code. Nongame animals which are found to be injuring growing crops or other property may be taken at any time in any legal manner by the owner or tenant of the property. Nongame animals which are found to be injuring growing crops or other property may be taken at any time in any legal manner by the owner or tenant of the property.

5. Control Measures Strychnine  Hand Bait  Burrow Builder Trapping  Wire Traps  Cinch Trap  Macabee  Box Traps  Guardian  Black Hole

6. Control Measures Continued Exclusion  Barriers Poisonous gases  Aluminum Phosphide Propane Gun

7. Trap Types  Cinch  Blackhole  Macabee

8. Capture Efficiency Information courtesy of: Michael J. Pipas, George H Matscke, and Geraldine R. McCann USDA National Wildlife Research Center. Evaluation Of The Efficiency Of Three Types Of Traps For Capturing Pocket Gophers.

9. Trapping Wire or Box Traps Wire or Box Traps  Best to place two traps in opposite directions in main runways  Or place one trap in lateral runway  Or both

10. Strychnine Hand Bait Good control for: Good control for:  Small outbreaks  Garden areas

11. Procedure for Hand Baiting Locate main runways between mounds with a rod or stick with pointed tip Locate main runways between mounds with a rod or stick with pointed tip Once runway is located, bore hole out with rod or stick Once runway is located, bore hole out with rod or stick Insert the hand probe or use a teaspoon to drop bait through a funnel into runway Insert the hand probe or use a teaspoon to drop bait through a funnel into runway Cover opening with dirt or rock to eliminate light Cover opening with dirt or rock to eliminate light Monitor area for activity (look for fresh mounds) Monitor area for activity (look for fresh mounds) Readminister bait as necessary Readminister bait as necessary

12. Burrow Builder

13. Best time to use a Burrow Builder When there is sufficient soil moisture to hold a tunnel because: When there is sufficient soil moisture to hold a tunnel because:  Too wet:  Take a chance of getting your machine stuck  Bait gets wet which makes it less effective  Mud sticks to torpedo and blocks bait  Too dry:  Difficult to get torpedo into the ground  Tunnels will collapse and bury the bait

14. Hints for a successful Burrow Builder application Set the “torpedo” the same depth as the main runways of the gophers or a little deeper Set the “torpedo” the same depth as the main runways of the gophers or a little deeper Angle of “torpedo” should be parallel with the surface of the ground Angle of “torpedo” should be parallel with the surface of the ground Raise Burrow Builder out of ground before turning corners Raise Burrow Builder out of ground before turning corners Don’t backup with Burrow Builder in ground or roll backwards downhill (will plug torpedo with soil) Don’t backup with Burrow Builder in ground or roll backwards downhill (will plug torpedo with soil)

15. More Helpful Hints If you have an overhead irrigation system you can create the soil moisture you need If you have an overhead irrigation system you can create the soil moisture you need Only treat the area where the infestation is occurring (may artificially spread gophers) Only treat the area where the infestation is occurring (may artificially spread gophers) Adjust tractor speed to apply the required label amount of bait per acre (2 pounds per acre) Adjust tractor speed to apply the required label amount of bait per acre (2 pounds per acre) Use Caution to avoid dropping bait above ground where non target species can consume it Use Caution to avoid dropping bait above ground where non target species can consume it

16. Interesting facts Gophers are herbivores Gophers are herbivores  forbs (broadleaf herbs)  grasses  shrubs  trees Voles (meadow mice) are herbivores Voles (meadow mice) are herbivores  clover  alfalfa Moles are insectivores Moles are insectivores  primarily worms *Pictures taken from the University of California Integrated Pest Management Website

17. Know your opponent Gopher mounds are generally crescent shaped and have the plug toward the flatter side of the crescent. Gopher mounds are generally crescent shaped and have the plug toward the flatter side of the crescent. Moles make a mound which is more round in shape resembling a small volcano and the plug is more in the center. Moles make a mound which is more round in shape resembling a small volcano and the plug is more in the center. Voles (meadow mice) make small holes in the ground with no mound and create runways in the vegetation. Voles (meadow mice) make small holes in the ground with no mound and create runways in the vegetation. *Gopher Mound *Mole Mound *Pictures taken from the University of California Integrated Pest Management Website *Vole Burrows

18. Wild Turkeys Meleagris gallopavo

19. Wild Turkey Legal Status Classified as an upland game bird by the California Fish and Game Code Classified as an upland game bird by the California Fish and Game Code Can be harvested during regular hunting seasons and: Can be harvested during regular hunting seasons and:  January 2005: Added to the list of animals for which one can request a depredation permit.  Depredation permits are issued through the California Department of Fish and Game.

20. Turkey Damage Suspected Turkey Damage

21. Good Sources of Information from the U.C. Cooperative Extension UCCE Sonoma County 133 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA 95403 (707) 565 - 2621 Wonderful Publications U.C. Cooperative Extension Website http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/ U.C. Integrated Pest Management Website http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/

22. Services available through the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office We carry Diphacinone Bait for vertebrate pest control. We carry Diphacinone Bait for vertebrate pest control. Our Diphacinone Baits are listed for use on rats, mice, voles (meadow mice), ground squirrels, jack rabbits, and muskrats. Our Diphacinone Baits are listed for use on rats, mice, voles (meadow mice), ground squirrels, jack rabbits, and muskrats. We sell Strychnine treated grain for gopher control. We sell Strychnine treated grain for gopher control. We also have bait stations for rats and mice and helpful brochures about different vertebrate pests and control measures. We also have bait stations for rats and mice and helpful brochures about different vertebrate pests and control measures.

23. Words of Caution Always read and follow label directions Always read and follow label directions Don’t use the product unless the pest you are attempting to control is on the label. Don’t use the product unless the pest you are attempting to control is on the label. Pick up any strychnine bait that spills on the ground where non target species can find it. Pick up any strychnine bait that spills on the ground where non target species can find it.  (Above ground use has been illegal since 1989)

24. Thank You Dan Curtin Agricultural Biologists/Standards Specialist Durned gophers anyhow!