Caddyshack

[LostArra]

Anyone else into gopher trapping season?
I was 2 for 2 today.

 

[johnsd16]

I’m over 20yrs in and have probably caught >3000 between MN/WI where I used to get paid for them (bounty and farmers) and now in ID where I’ve gotten over 200 off my 5 acres in the 4 summers we’ve lived on it. Pocket gophers in Idaho are WAY smaller than midwestern pocket gophers.

some little Idaho gophers


Big MN male from a hay field

 

[Hnthrdr]

Anyone ever used the exploding thingy? Pumps a bunch of propane into the holes and then ignites it.

 

[LostArra]

Anyone ever used the exploding thingy? Pumps a bunch of propane into the holes and then ignites it.

My nephew has one. I don't know if it works but it sure feels good being on the attack.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Gramps has one of the engines that pumps co back into the holes, agree about being on the offensive, but you don’t really get confirmed kills

 

[stonewall]

Wonder what Utah will charge for a gopher tag….

 

[stonewall]

 

[Elk botherer]

Anyone ever used the exploding thingy? Pumps a bunch of propane into the holes and then ignites it.

When I was in college I worked at a golf course for a summer and I used one. It was quite fun but if you let too much gas down the hole before you ignite it, you end up doing some turf repair. Probably not the best thing to turn a college age student loose with but it was fun and satisfying! The carbon monoxide engine pump works pretty well, local farmers have had significant reduction in gopher activity with it. Just takes a crap ton of time.

 

[LostArra]

I’m over 20yrs in and have probably caught >3000 between MN/WI where I used to get paid for them (bounty and farmers) and now in ID where I’ve gotten over 200 off my 5 acres in the 4 summers we’ve lived on it. Pocket gophers in Idaho are WAY smaller than midwestern pocket gophers.

some little Idaho gophers
View attachment 854627View attachment 854628

Big MN male from a hay field
View attachment 854629

3000! This is possibly the greatest "Hold my beer" comment of all time.

Great idea starting those trappers young.

 

[brca005]

When we lived in the Midwest, I always enjoyed the spring for gopher trapping season! I went to war with a couple of them in my early days of trapping, don’t worry though, I always won! Haha

Juicy fruit and wintergreen gum are also ways to kill them, they love it, but can’t digest it so it’ll eventually kill them. You also don’t get the satisfaction of knowing if it’s a confirmed kill or not. Each time I did it, the gum was gone, so they did something with it and no other mounds popped up.

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

We have moles here in western WA and I haven't kept an exact count but I've trapped hundreds of them. My kids always want to go on "mole patrol" with me and walk the trap line.

 

[Burnsie]

Cinderella story

 

[rclouse79]

Best movie ever. My last year of college my roommate had Caddyshack and Monster Bucks 1-12. Caddyshack got played daily and at one point I could quote most of it.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I too live in Western WA and keep the "mole death toll? list in my garage. I'm up to 87. I don't think we got much in the way of gophers, but occasionally a mountain beaver will show up.

 

[johnsd16]

3000! This is possibly the greatest "Hold my beer" comment of all time.

Great idea starting those trappers young.

Don’t be too impressed, it’s a couple hundred a year for a few years then smatterings of a few dozen here and there. They can be hard to trap. Much harder than muskrats IMO. Once people find out you know how to catch them you become popular quick.

Trapping is dying. My kids love to go but we don’t as much anymore.