Gophers

[coxhw]

Was just wondering if anyone has tried Chase Granular Mole and Gopher Repellent? Just heard about it on HGTV. Some say it works others say no. All I know is that it takes too much time to use a shotgun and dynamite tears up the garden. Thanks

[egon]

>22 short works wonders at low cost. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

If that dose not work get a vacuum truck involved! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] It will work! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

There are systems where you put propane gas into the gopher hole and ignite it getting a small fuel air bomb explosion. It does not crater the yard but the overpressure does the critters in.

I assume you don't want to poison them because of possible collateral damage.

You can just flood the hole with propane gas from a propane bottle (20 lb is a good size bottle, torch size bottles are too small)

Sniff around and cover any holes you find where gas is escaping. You can "look" for these leaking locations with a burning torch but it is possible to set off a small explosion in the ground. Not likely to hurt you but can scare you enough to make you hurt yourself. The critters will drown/suffocate. They build "traps" in their passages to keep rainwater from drowning them but propane under pressure will go where gravity will not take water.

You can buy gopher sticks (potassium nitrate AKA salt peter and sulfur for active ingredients) You light it, stick it in the hole and cover the hole over. Wherever fumes come out of the ground you cover that too. The KnO3 (salt peter) is an oxidizer and will let the sulfur burn in an enclosed area with no draft. The fumes are sulfur dioxide and are quite deadly to gophers in high concentrations. They will dissipate harmlessly with no concerns for residuals or collateral damage.

The fumes stink. You will not breathe in enough to hurt you because it smells so bad.

Pat