Gophers (also referred to as pocket gophers) spend most of their lives underground, digging complex tunnel systems to protect themselves from predators like snakes and birds of prey. Gophers play a beneficial role in nature, as their constant tunneling increases soil fertility. However, when a significant population of gophers grows near man-made buildings, they can cause considerable damage to trees, gardens, and yards, as well as underground utility lines and irrigation systems.
Ehrlich Pest Control technicians are wildlife management experts that offer both residential and commercial customers gopher control solutions. Schedule an inspection with a gopher removal technicians today to receive expert advice and a full explanation of your treatment options.
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Gophers are attracted to areas that provide abundant food sources and loose, moist soil that makes tunneling easier. Properties with lush gardens, vegetable patches, or well-maintained lawns are especially appealing. These rodents prefer to feed on roots, tubers, and bulbs—so if you’re growing carrots, potatoes, or ornamental plants, your yard may be at risk.
Distinguished by their big front teeth, gophers can become a nuisance to property owners, as they can cause damage to landscaping and gardens. Adult gophers can grow up to 14 inches tall and they will use their four large front teeth and enormous claws to dig mounds and tunnels throughout your yard.
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One of the clearest signs of gophers on your property is the mounds of fresh soil. These mounds are often shaped like crescents or horseshoes, whereas mole mounds are more circular. Gophers also do not create long surface runs, unlike moles.
Gophers are also master tunnel builders. Their tunnel systems are very complex, consisting of multiple tunnels and chambers, often hundreds of feet long. Gophers have a high reproductive rate and like to live alone in their tunnel systems.
Besides creating unsightly mounds in your lawn, gophers will damage plants and slice underground roots. These rodents feed on roots, bulbs, and plants, often pulling vegetation underground and leaving bare patches behind. They are especially destructive in vegetable gardens and can harm young trees by chewing on roots or bark. Gophers can also damage rubber, plastic piping, and garden hoses.
One of the main signs of a gopher infestation is crescent or fan-shaped mounds of soil. These mounds lack visible tunnel openings. Gophers plug their entry holes to block predators and keep humidity in their burrows. This behavior helps to separate gopher activity from that of other burrowing animals, such as moles or ground squirrels.
In addition to mounds, gophers often create raised ridges or surface tunnels. These raised areas indicate where the gopher has tunneled just below the surface while foraging for roots. These trails can disrupt your lawn’s appearance and create soft, unstable ground.
Removing gophers from your property is a task that requires professional expertise and tools. Depending on the population size, your Ehrlich specialist will either use traps or burrow fumigation treatments to control them.
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Trapping is effective in small populations. However, it is not recommended for reducing or eliminating a large population of gophers because of their complex burrow and tunnel systems. If traps are set, they are underground traps that eliminate the gopher humanely.
Larger colonies may require burrow fumigation. Burrow fumigation treatments remove the gophers underground by filling the area with a lethal gas and then closing off all tunnels and exits.
Ehrlich pest control technicians receive the highest levels of wildlife management training in the industry. Our technicians follow all federal and state wildlife management laws and regulations.
While repellents may not offer a permanent solution, they can help deter gophers in the early stages of an infestation. Both commercial and natural repellents are available, with ingredients like castor oil that irritate gophers’ senses and encourage them to move elsewhere. Repellents should be used strategically, especially when signs of activity first appear, and can be part of a broader gopher control strategy.
Preventing gophers from entering your yard requires a combination of habitat modification and long-term deterrents. Start by removing food sources such as fallen fruit, root vegetables, or dense vegetation that gophers may find appealing. Maintaining a clean, dry yard with minimal ground cover also reduces shelter opportunities for these rodents.
Here are some natural prevention tips, deterrents, and repellents that may help to keep gophers away from your yard. Note that these remedies are not a sure fix to a gopher problem. If you have a serious infestation, contact us immediately.
Physical barriers are a proactive solution for protecting specific areas of your property against gopher problems.
While some plants and natural repellents can deter gophers, they are not a guaranteed solution. That said, you could try the following tips to help repel the rodents.
Our gopher control services include inspection, treatment, and prevention tailored to your property’s needs. Our highly trained team uses proven methods to get the job done safely and effectively.
With decades of experience in rodent management, Ehrlich is your trusted gopher exterminator. Contact us today at 800-837-5520 or schedule a free inspection.
Schedule an inspectionThe most obvious signs of a gopher problem are fresh, crescent-shaped mounds of soil that appear overnight, often with no visible tunnel opening. These mounds typically have a plugged entry point where the gopher has sealed the hole. Other signs include raised soil ridges, disrupted plant roots, and damaged landscaping or irrigation lines. If you notice these issues, it’s time to contact a professional gopher exterminator like Ehrlich.
While both gophers and moles are burrowing rodents, their damage looks different. Gopher mounds are crescent or fan-shaped and often contain a soil plug, while mole mounds are more circular or volcano-like without a plug.
Gophers are primarily diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. However, they can dig and forage at any time.
Unfortunately, yes—gophers can return if the conditions that attracted them in the first place remain. Nearby gophers may move into abandoned tunnels, or new ones may enter from adjacent properties. That’s why ongoing monitoring and preventive strategies, like physical barriers or removing food sources, are essential.
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