Gopher Trapping

Last night I set my first set of 10 gopher traps all by myself out in the pasture and hayfield where their dirt mounds are starting to show up. (Pictures today are all internet images.)

Pocket gopher mounds

The aim is to catch the menacing pocket gopher.

Pocket gopher

The fun part about trapping the pocket gophers is that, in addition to decreasing their population and hopefully reducing damage from their tunnels and mounds, our local township pays out a bounty of $2.50/head because they are such a nuisance. 

When I checked the traps for the first time this afternoon, quite a few had been tripped, but I only had one catch.  To my disappointment, it wasn't a pocket gopher, but a striped gopher.  I was glad to be rid of the striped gopher, but I'll keep trying for the pocket gophers and hopefully earn myself some bounty cash.

Striped gopher

I will try my luck with the traps in the same spots for a few days, but move them after a few if I don't get any pocket gopher action.  Wish me luck!  But don't be surprised or disappointed if I don't do well - last year I gave up after two and a half weeks when I had only caught three pocket gophers.