Complete Gopher Control Guide: Removal, Costs & Prevention

What to look for

Pocket gophers (family Geomyidae) are common across the United States, from the Great Plains to the West Coast and the Southeast. They spend almost their entire lives underground in elaborate tunnel systems that can cover hundreds of square feet. A single gopher can produce several mounds in a day, especially during spring and fall when soil moisture makes digging easier. Their burrows aerate soil but also damage root systems, disrupt irrigation, and create tripping hazards. Because gophers are solitary and territorial, each tunnel system typically houses only one gopher. However, a property can host multiple gophers if conditions are favorable—ample food, loose soil, and limited predators. Infestations often go unnoticed until significant damage appears. The rodents’ fur-lined cheek pouches allow them to carry food back to their tunnels, and their unique ability to close their lips behind their incisors lets them dig without swallowing soil.

• 1Fan-shaped mounds of loose soil (often crescent or horseshoe-shaped) — gophers plug the entrance hole from below.
• 2Wilting or dying plants, especially those with deep roots like trees, shrubs, and vegetables.
• 3Girdled roots or chewed irrigation lines discovered during gardening or landscaping.
• 4Visible tunnel ridges in lawns (less common than mounds, but may appear in loose soil).
• 5Sudden collapse of soil over tunnels when walked on.
• 6Feeding activity on underground plant parts — carrots, potatoes, and bulbs may be eaten from below.
• 7Presence of gopher droppings or nesting material near tunnel openings (rare above ground).

Treatment options and typical costs

Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.

How to Identify Active Tunnels.

Setting traps in lateral feeding tunnels is less effective because gophers may not use them frequently. Use a probe to locate it, then carefully open a small hole to place the trap. The main tunnel is typically 6–12 inches below the surface and runs parallel to the mound line. For trapping, it’s critical to find the main tunnel—the deeper, straight path connecting feeding tunnels. Active tunnels usually have moist, loose soil and no spiderwebs or debris inside. Another method: probe the soil near mounds with a metal rod until you feel a void (the tunnel). If the mound has been rebuilt, the tunnel is active. To test activity, collapse a few mounds by stomping them flat, then check the next day. Gophers seal their burrow entrances with soil plugs, creating the characteristic mounds. Before any control method, you must confirm which tunnels are active.

Gopher Behavior and Life Cycle.

Understanding these habits helps in timing control efforts—early spring before breeding, or fall when they are storing food for winter. Their tunneling aerates soil but also dries out roots, causing plant stress. They consume roots, bulbs, and stems, storing food in their cheek pouches. Gophers have a high metabolic rate and must eat constantly. During hot, dry summers or cold winters, they may dig deeper and produce fewer mounds. Gophers are active year-round but are most visible in spring and fall when they push soil to the surface. This is why infestations can expand rapidly: each new gopher creates its own tunnel system. The young leave the burrow at about 6 weeks and establish their own territories. Females give birth to 2–6 young after a 3-week gestation. Pocket gophers are solitary except during breeding season (typically late winter to early spring).

Regional Variation in Gopher Species and Control.

Always check with your local extension office or pest control professional for region-specific advice. Some states restrict certain toxic baits to protect non-target wildlife like owls or hawks. Control methods are similar, but local regulations on rodenticides vary. For example, Botta’s gopher is common in California and can be active year-round in mild climates, while the northern pocket gopher in the Rockies may hibernate briefly during deep snow. Each species has slightly different tunneling patterns and habitat preferences. The United States hosts several pocket gopher species, including the Botta’s pocket gopher (western US), the plains pocket gopher (central states), and the southeastern pocket gopher (Florida and Georgia).

How big a gopher problem really is.

In How To Get Rid Of Gophers, count the active mounds during your walk-through — that number, not a national average, is what should drive a treatment plan. In How To Get Rid Of Gophers, because each gopher is solitary, a yard with several fresh mounds usually means several animals, each with its own network. In How To Get Rid Of Gophers, tunnel systems typically run 6 to 12 inches below the surface, with deeper nesting and food-storage chambers. In How To Get Rid Of Gophers, 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.

Simple ways to keep gophers away

• Install underground barrier fencing (¼-inch mesh, 2 feet deep) around gardens and high-value plants.
• Reduce soil moisture by improving drainage and avoiding overwatering.
• Remove food sources: control grubs and other root-feeding insects; plant gopher-resistant bulbs like daffodils.
• Encourage natural predators: owls, hawks, and snakes can help keep populations in check. Install owl boxes if appropriate.
• Mow grass regularly and keep vegetation short to reduce cover for gophers.
• Use castor oil-based repellents (granules or sprays) as a deterrent, though effectiveness varies.
• Regularly inspect your property for new mounds and act immediately.

Questions people ask

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