Local gopher information

Gopher control in Washington

Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.

Gophers in Washington: what to know

Around Washington

Conditions vary across the state. Choose your city below, then describe what’s happening around your home or business.

What to note

Where you see gophers, how long it has been going on, and anything you’ve already tried are the most useful details to mention.

A useful next step

Ask about an inspection, what treatment would involve, and whether follow-up visits are included. You don’t need to identify the problem yourself before getting in touch.

Local research

Gophers in Washington: what the public record shows

Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which gophers actually live in Washington, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.

Northern pocket gopher (eastern WA) and Mazama pocket gopher (western WA)

Species

Mazama is state threatened; Thurston and Pierce County subspecies federally threatened (April 2014).

WDFW

2 to 20 per acre

Density

Nest chambers as deep as 6 feet; feeding burrows 4-12 inches down.

WDFW

One litter of 3-7 young per year; lifespan 1-2 years

Reproduction

Slower than California's irrigated populations.

WDFW

Gopher species recorded in Washington

Northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) — Smallest and most widespread western species; all of eastern Washington and Oregon east of the Cascades.
Mazama (western) pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama) — State threatened in Washington; Thurston/Pierce County subspecies federally threatened since April 2014; lethal control not permitted where listed.

South Puget Sound prairie soils are Mazama gopher habitat; check listing before any control.

Rules that apply in Washington

WDFW Living with wildlife: Pocket gophers

For context, nationally

14 species in 3 genera (Thomomys, Geomys, Pappogeomys) — Pocket gopher species in the U.S.. Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
200 to 2,000 square feet — Botta's pocket gopher burrow system. UC IPM (University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources)

Sources: Living with wildlife: Pocket gophers; Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management; UC IPM (University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources). Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources

Explore Washington cities

Auburn

Marine West Coast · suburban setting

Gopher control in Washington

Gophers in Washington: what to know

Around Washington

What to note

A useful next step

Gophers in Washington: what the public record shows

Gopher species recorded in Washington

Rules that apply in Washington

For context, nationally

Explore Washington cities

Auburn

Bellevue

Bellingham

Everett

Federal Way

Kennewick

Kent

Kirkland

Olympia

Redmond

Renton

Richland

Seattle

Spokane

Spokane Valley

Tacoma

Vancouver

Yakima

Walla Walla

Ask about gopher control in Washington