The short version
Gopher control means locating active tunnel systems, then trapping or baiting them and checking back until activity stops; pocket gophers are solitary, so each mound system is handled separately. Professional gopher trapping typically runs $150 to $700 depending on the size of the lot. Ask how many return visits a price includes, since traps must be checked and reset.
- Gophers are solitary and territorial; each tunnel system typically harbors one gopher.
- Peak activity is in spring and fall when soil moisture makes digging easier.
- Trapping by a professional is the most reliable removal method, with costs ranging from $150 to $700.
- DIY methods like flooding or fumigation are often ineffective and can worsen the problem.
- Prevention focuses on reducing food sources, installing underground barriers, and maintaining healthy turf.
For homeowners, property managers, and land stewards who are seeing fresh gopher mounds, experiencing plant damage, or noticing undermined soil in lawns, gardens, pastures, or golf courses. If you value a safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space and want reliable, cost-effective solutions, this information is for you.
What to look for
Gophers feed on roots, bulbs, and vegetation, which can kill trees, shrubs, and turf. They also gnaw on plastic irrigation lines and underground cables, causing costly repairs. Because each gopher operates independently, a few mounds can indicate one animal, but widespread damage suggests multiple individuals. Gophers are most active in spring and fall when soil moisture makes tunneling easier, but they can be active year-round in milder climates. Gophers (Thomomys species) are fossorial rodents that spend nearly their entire lives underground. They dig extensive tunnel systems for foraging, nesting, and food storage. Their mounds are fan-shaped and plug the tunnel entrance from below, distinguishing them from molehills.
- 1Fan-shaped mounds of loose soil (usually 12–20 inches wide) with a plugged hole off-center.
- 2Unexplained wilting or death of plants, shrubs, or trees (roots have been eaten).
- 3Visible ridges or raised soil above tunnel runs, especially in lawns.
- 4Damaged irrigation drip lines or sprinkler heads (gnaw marks).
- 5Soft, spongy areas in the lawn where tunnels have collapsed.
- 6Gopher feeding on underground utility cables (rare but costly).
- 7Multiple mounds appearing overnight, often in a line or cluster.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Tunnel systems expand rapidly, covering hundreds of square feet and damaging more vegetation.
- Root damage can kill mature trees and shrubs, requiring expensive removal.
- Irrigation system damage leads to water waste and higher utility bills.
- Collapsed tunnels create tripping hazards and uneven ground.
- Gophers attract predators like snakes, coyotes, and hawks, which may become nuisance animals themselves.
Treatment options and typical costs
Professional Trapping Program
$150–$700
pest control pros set traps (e.g., Macabee, Victor, or Gophinator) in active tunnels. Traps are checked regularly and removed once the gopher is caught. Includes monitoring and follow-up.
- Time
- 1–3 weeks per gopher
- Best for
- Most effective for solitary gophers; ideal for homeowners and property managers with moderate to heavy damage.
Burrow Fumigation
$200–$500 per treatment
Gas cartridges or aluminum phosphide tablets are placed in tunnels to produce toxic gas. Must be done by a licensed professional due to safety risks.
- Time
- 1–2 hours per burrow system
- Best for
- Large properties with multiple active tunnels; less effective in moist soil.
Exclusion (Underground Barriers)
$300–$1,000+ depending on area
Installation of wire mesh or hardware cloth (1/2-inch or smaller) around garden beds, tree roots, or foundation perimeters. Buried at least 18 inches deep with a horizontal apron.
- Time
- Permanent if properly installed
- Best for
- Prevention in high-value areas like vegetable gardens, flower beds, and around trees.
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
Hardware cloth under raised beds keeps gophers away from the plants you care about.Understanding Gopher Behavior for Better Control.
Understanding this solitary nature is key: control efforts must target each individual gopher's system, not treat the area as a single population. However, a single gopher can produce several mounds per day, so a few mounds do not necessarily indicate a large infestation. Because each tunnel system supports only one gopher, the number of active mounds roughly equals the number of gophers. They also have fur-lined external cheek pouches used to carry food back to their caches. Their lips close behind their teeth, allowing them to dig with their incisors without ingesting soil. They are herbivores, feeding on roots, tubers, bulbs, and occasionally above-ground vegetation that they pull into their tunnels from below. Gophers are most active in spring and fall when soil moisture makes digging easier, but they can be active year-round in mild climates. The main burrow contains a nest chamber and food caches. Each system consists of a main burrow (usually 6–12 inches below ground) and numerous lateral feeding tunnels that radiate outward. Pocket gophers are solitary, territorial rodents that live alone in their own tunnel system.
How Professionals Trap Gophers Effectively.
This systematic approach is far more effective than haphazard DIY attempts. After the gopher is caught, the tunnel is collapsed and the area is restored. Professionals may set multiple traps in a single system to ensure success. Because gophers are wary, traps must be set correctly — often with bait like apple slices or peanut butter, though bait is not always necessary if the trap is placed in an active runway. Traps are checked every 24–48 hours. They then open a small section of the tunnel, place the trap inside, and cover the opening to exclude light. Technicians locate active tunnels by probing with a metal rod to find the soft, loose soil of the main burrow. The most common traps are the Macabee trap (a box-style trap placed in the tunnel), the Victor gopher trap (a pincer-style trap), and the Gophinator (a two-way trap that catches gophers from either direction). Professional gopher control relies primarily on trapping.
Gopher mounds are fan-shaped, with a plugged hole off to one side.Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Long-Term Gopher Control.
A professional IPM plan tailored to your property is the most sustainable approach. By combining these methods, property managers can keep gopher numbers low without resorting to toxic poisons that harm non-target wildlife. IPM emphasizes prevention — maintaining healthy turf, reducing soil moisture, and sealing gaps. Chemical controls (fumigants) should be used only as a last resort by pest control pros. Biological controls involve encouraging natural predators like barn owls (install owl boxes) and snakes, but these alone rarely eliminate an infestation. Physical controls include trapping (the most effective) and exclusion barriers. Next, cultural controls: remove food sources by controlling weeds, avoiding root vegetables, and planting gopher-resistant plants like daffodils, lavender, or rosemary. The first step is monitoring: regularly inspect for fresh mounds and map active tunnel systems. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines multiple strategies to reduce gopher populations with minimal environmental impact.
How big a gopher problem really is.
In Gopher Control, count the active mounds during your walk-through — that number, not a national average, is what should drive a treatment plan. In Gopher Control, because each gopher is solitary, a yard with several fresh mounds usually means several animals, each with its own network. In Gopher Control, tunnel systems typically run 6 to 12 inches below the surface, with deeper nesting and food-storage chambers. In Gopher Control, state wildlife agencies put a single pocket gopher at roughly a ton of soil moved per year, and mounds are the first thing most people notice.
What affects the price
- Number of gophers (each tunnel system usually has one).
- Property size and acreage.
- Accessibility of tunnels (hard-to-reach areas increase labor).
- Type of treatment (trapping vs. fumigation vs. exclusion).
- Regional labor rates (e.g., higher in the Northeast and West Coast).
- Severity of infestation (more mounds require more visits).
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What is your biggest challenge with gopher control?
When to call for help
If you see more than a few mounds per week, if damage is occurring to valuable plants or irrigation, or if you have tried DIY methods without success, it's time to call a professional. Gophers are solitary and territorial, so a handful of mounds likely means one gopher, but multiple active systems require systematic trapping.
What you can do yourself
Trapping is the most reliable DIY method, but it requires knowledge of tunnel layout, proper trap placement, and patience. For most people, the cost of a professional program ($150–$700) is worth the time saved and the certainty of results. If you have a single gopher in a small yard and are willing to learn, DIY trapping can work; otherwise, call a pro. DIY gopher control is often frustrating and ineffective. Common home remedies like flooding with a hose, using smoke bombs, or inserting chewing gum rarely work because gophers quickly seal off tunnel sections. Poison baits can harm pets, wildlife, and children, and are not recommended.
Where you live matters
Gopher Control serves all regions and can advise on local best practices. Always check with your state's Department of Agriculture or a licensed professional. However, local regulations on fumigants and traps vary — some states require a pesticide license for fumigation. Regardless of region, the control principles remain the same: identify active tunnels, trap individually, and exclude. In the Southeast, gophers are more common in sandy soils. In the West, activity can be year-round in milder coastal areas. In the Midwest, gopher activity often peaks during spring planting and fall harvest. Each species has slightly different burrowing habits, but all create similar mounds and damage. The most widespread is the Plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) in the Midwest and Great Plains, while the Botta's pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae) dominates the West, and the Southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis) is found in the Southeast. Gopher species vary across the US.
Gopher tips from the experts
Fresh mounds tell the story
Around your home, fresh, dark soil means a gopher is active now. Look at the mound shape, the plugged hole and any wilting plants before deciding what you have.
Gopher, mole or ground squirrel?
Gopher mounds are crescent or horseshoe shaped, with a plugged hole off to one side. Mole mounds are rounder, often with raised ridges nearby. Ground squirrel holes stay open, with no mound.
UC IPM: pocket gophersWhat they damage
Gophers chew roots, irrigation lines and sometimes buried cables. Fresh, moist soil means they’re active now. Keep watching after treatment, since a quiet yard doesn’t always mean they’re gone.
Utah State University Extension: pocket gophersBased on guidance from university extension services.
How we check our sourcesSimple ways to keep gophers away
- Remove food sources: control weeds, reduce root vegetables, and avoid planting bulbs gophers like (e.g., tulips, crocuses).
- Install underground barriers: bury 1/2-inch hardware cloth at least 18 inches deep with a 6-inch horizontal lip at the bottom.
- Maintain healthy turf: thick grass discourages gophers from tunneling near the surface.
- Use natural predators: encourage owls, hawks, or snakes by installing owl boxes (but don't rely solely on them).
- Avoid overwatering: moist soil attracts gophers; use drip irrigation instead of sprinklers.
- Trap early: at the first sign of a mound, set a trap to catch the gopher before it expands its system.
- Seal gaps: fill holes around foundations, sheds, and fences with gravel or concrete to prevent entry.
Mark fresh mounds on a sketch. New ones show where the gopher is working now.Did you know?
Gophers have fur-lined external cheek pouches that they use to carry food back to their caches — they can hold up to a handful of roots in each pouch.
Their lips close behind their teeth, allowing them to dig with their incisors without getting dirt in their mouths.
Gophers are solitary and territorial; if two gophers meet, they will fight to the death.
Questions people ask
What is the fastest way to get rid of gophers?
Professional trapping is the fastest method. A licensed technician can set traps in active tunnels and often catch the gopher within 1–3 days. Fumigation is faster (hours) but less reliable and may require multiple applications.
Do gophers carry diseases?
Gophers can carry fleas that transmit plague and other diseases, but direct transmission to humans is rare. However, their burrowing can create hazards and damage property. Always wear gloves when handling traps or carcasses.
Will gophers eventually leave on their own?
No. Gophers are territorial and will remain as long as food and shelter are available. They do not migrate or leave voluntarily. Without intervention, the tunnel system will expand and cause more damage.
Can flooding gopher tunnels work?
Flooding is rarely effective. Gophers quickly seal off tunnel sections with soil, and they can swim. The water may simply flush them to another part of the system. Professional methods are far more reliable.
Are there plants that repel gophers?
Some plants like daffodils, lavender, rosemary, and marigolds are believed to deter gophers due to their strong smell or toxicity. However, these are not foolproof. Exclusion barriers are a more reliable preventive measure.
How do I know if a gopher mound is active?
Fresh mounds have loose, moist soil and no vegetation growing through them. If you push the soil aside, the plug (the soil plugging the tunnel entrance) will be soft. Active mounds often appear overnight. Inactive mounds become hard and may have grass regrowing.
Is it safe to use poison baits for gophers?
Poison baits (e.g., a toxic baits) pose risks to pets, wildlife, and children. They also cause secondary poisoning if a predator eats a poisoned gopher. Most experts recommend trapping as a safer, more effective alternative.
How many gophers are typically in a yard?
Because gophers are solitary and territorial, each active tunnel system usually has one gopher. The number of gophers equals the number of separate active systems. A yard with several mounds may have 1–3 gophers, not a large colony.
How much does it cost to trap gophers?
In Gopher Control, professional gopher trapping typically runs $150 to $700 depending on the size of the lot, while DIY traps run $20 to $50 each. In Gopher Control, ask for a written quote that spells out the number of visits and what the follow-up covers, rather than relying on a national average.
Sources (5)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Gopher Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides