Doggone critters!!!

[ShortShadows]

This means WAR! I came home one day last week to find my Honeybells missing, yes MISSING. There were 3 leaves left from the thriving plant laying in the soil. Two days later .....Black Hills....GONE! roots, leaves...gone!
This is the work of a pocket gopher. Earlier this month my pom pom pine tree up and died, all the roots GONE!
Off to the store to find a solution to this problem. I bought some strychnine laced grain that will hopefully do the trick. If it does not work I am in for a LONG summer.
Short Shadows

[John Polka]

here's a link.... pretty thorough...
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7433.html

[morgansrgr8]

Sorry to hear of your losses. I'm still fighting the chipmunks. Went out and half of one of my minis was laying on the ground. So far have caught 8 chipmunks 3 voles 4 mice. The groundhog hasnt bothered anything YET. But he is on my list and will be gone before the years end I hope. Last year the groundhog ate every squash and watermellon that was almost ready to pick. Smart critter not eating the whole plant. My daughter came over yesterday for some squash. Her garden is eaten to the ground by her groundhog. And what it doesnt eat the neighbors chickens do. I wish you luck. Let ua know if the poison works. I might give it a try. The groundhog is to big for my traps.

[Chris_W]

Yikes! A few years back I had huge clumps of plants come up missing and thought that people were digging them up and stealing them. Whole clumps had been dug up, leaving just a crater in the ground where they used to be. One day I looked out at the garden to see a hosta moving across the yard, then disappear in the side of the hill! It was a groundhog, and it was taking whole clumps into the ground with it! We set a live trap baited with apples and caught it that way.

We don't have pocket gophers so can't help you there, but good luck getting it!

[John Polka]

My ruger 10-22 and my savage .270 win have been my weapons against our groundhogs here... but we live in kentucky with fellow rednecks who encourage firearms lol...... but inside city limits we trap with canteloupe.... you can bust a canteloupe open and rub a scent trail from the nearest hole to the trap with the canteloupe and then place canteloupe pieces inside the trap... works everytime....
John

[rockNhostas]

I have this great image in my mind of Chris watching his hosta moving across the yard....

[Chris_W]

I have this great image in my mind of Chris watching his hosta moving across the yard....

Yes, you can see me with that "No freaking way!" look on my face?

[jerryshenk]

As far as groundhogs go, we've been very sucessfull with a simple foot trap in their entrance borrow with a few leaves laid over it. They don't seem to be the brightest or most careful animals around.

[ViolaAnn]

but you've gotta find that hole. we've got a neighbourhood groundhog - I saw it this morning for the first time this year though I've seen its work in the garden, but so far just on my beans, nasturtiums, lettuce, etc. If he moves on to hostas, it's time for war.

[kaylyred]

Gaaaah! I've HAD it with CHIPMUNKS!

Right by my back courtyard door I have a collection of hostas in pots, including all my new Hallson purchases for this year. The chipmunks have been digging in them, and literally DIGGING THEM UP. Today I found 'Ice Follies' dug up. Yesterday it was 'Purple Haze.' They've been making a few digging holes in the potted hostas (as well as the beds) but now they're actually digging up hostas, which is a first. (Oh, and as I've pointed out before, and as Chris noted, they'll nibble leaves, too, the little &*$^#%s!)

You'd think that the fact my dogs go out the back door and through the courtyard into the yard on a daily basis would deter the chipmunks, but it doesn't faze them at all. You'd think THIS would be a grim reminder of what their fate could potentially be...



But no.

If anyone has success with repellants for these adorably annoying beasts please do let me know. Obviously, I need something dog safe, so poisons won't do. I've thought of doing the water trap thing, but...the idea disturbs me too much. My live trap just isn't doing the trick, though--too many damn chipmunks.

[John Polka]

The crittergetter... always wanted to do this...

[kaylyred]

My dad used to do that to gopher and woodchuck holes when he owned a sod farm back in the 70s and early 80s. It did work! You just have to find the opposite end of the hole and plug it up with a rock or something.

[boops]

One day I looked out at the garden to see a hosta moving across the yard, then disappear in the side of the hill!

Sorry I couldn't help it, but I could picture it now. I could imagine the look on your face. Glad you took care of your problem. Luckily I don't get them here, I think the neighbors 3 dogs keep the area clear of most varmints.

[guardbear]

Such inflamed hatred of critters that you'all share the planet with -- and this the second thread in 2-3 months on the same topic. A small voice in the wilderness here perhaps, but maybe a viable alternative would be to choose to live somewhere where you won't be so bothered by them - perhaps a more urban setting, rather in the country, open landscapes that are their natural habitats. I understand the economic and emotional loss of plants -- especially after all the care that goes into their cultivation. But, really #$%! - such thrills over the concepts of gassings, poisonings, and guns. A lot of the US is under EXTREME drought conditions, as it was last year at this time as well. The critters are having an extremely difficult time for survival as ditches, rivulets etc. for water, and for their vegetative food (which includes the roots) dries up. It's likely they are seeking easier 'pickins' which you have provided.

Here's a consideration - offer them some water and other type of food away from areas you'd like to protect. Now I know you'll think I'm crazy for suggesting this, but their are naturalists on the planet who take an opposing view to this concept of all-out war on wildlife. I'm one of them. Folks around here routinely do this for deer predation by putting out corn at times. I encourage chipmunks in my yard - have for years by putting out nuts and keeping birthbaths filled and i've never had a hosta touched. I'm not saying it is because I feed, but I am suggesting that the severe environmental conditions that wildlife are facing throughout most of the country right are likely affecting their survival behavior. I realize to that in normal years, folks will have wildlife troubles from time to time and that they are free to choose to do whatever is legal to protect their property. What I find distressing is the glee expressed at the thought of killing them -- and by means which are particularly cruel. Simply my opinion and reaction.

A word about Strychnine. One of the most horrible, long-lasting, environmentally transferrable poisons ever invented. So much so, that it is ILLEGAL to use it in the US (regulated by USEPA) unless you are a Certified Pesticide Applicator with a license issued by your State to specifically use it. And even then, it can only be used UNDERGROUND, with specific applicator equipment, and never on the ground surface. Here's a portion of the product label - LEGAL for use on gophers only -- NOT for any other critter.
RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDE
Due to Hazards to Non-Target Organisms
For retail sale to, and use only by, certified Applicators or persons under their direct supervision and only for those uses covered by the Certified Applicators certification.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Sale, distribution and use of this product must be in accordance with the provisions of the final order on Strychnine by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
USE RESTRICTIONS
This product may be only be used in below-ground applications to artificial burrows in rangelands, pastures, croplands, forests, and non-agricultural areas to control plains pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius), yellow-faced pocket gophers (Pappogeomys castanops), northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides), southern pocket gophers (Thomomys umbrinus), Mazama pocket gophers (Thomomys mazama), mountain pocket gophers (Thomomys monticola), Townsend’s pocket gophers (Thomomys townsendii), valley pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae), and/or Camas pocket gophers (Thomomys bulbivorus). All applications of this product must be made directly into subterranean artificial burrow systems by use of machine-drawn mechanical burrow builders. Do not apply this product above ground level, to the ground surface, or on any food or feed crop.
Do not apply this product in a way that will contact workers, other persons, or domestic animals. Keep pets and other people out of the area during application.

In other words, the registered pesticide applicator has to KNOW what species they are going after to make the use legal and make sure that NO OTHER SPECIES is affected.

The assumption is that the critters will die underground - it's not a guarentee however which is why the TRAINING expertise and methods of certified applicators are requried. Why do we care? Because any other critter that nibbles on the bait or on the dead gopher will also be killed - cats, dogs, birds, mice, coyotes -- and if the gopher happens to dies near water, then fish also.

---Ten to twenty minutes after exposure, the muscles begin to spasm, starting with the head and neck in the form of trismus and risus sardonicus. The spasms then spread to every muscle in the body, with nearly continuous convulsions, and get worse at the slightest stimulus. The convulsions progress, increasing in intensity and frequency until the backbone arches continually. Convulsions lead to lactic acidosis, hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis. These are followed by postictal depression. Death comes from asphyxiation caused by paralysis of the neural pathways that control breathing, or by exhaustion from the convulsions. The subject dies within 2–3 hours after exposure.--

The use of strychnine has been a controversial subject for over 40 years with the majority of people clamoring for it's removal from use -- it's what wiped out populations of wolves and coyotes and prairie dogs and predator birds for decades - by both intentional and non-intentional poisonings. It still gets a lot of dogs now. It's extremely limited use was allowed to continue based on commercial agricultural needs - primarily rangelands needs. I know that the regulator's and the court's strugglges to balance the needs of keeping the environment safe from this hideous poison and protecting the economic needs of ranchers were long and complicated. I'd venture to say that none of those involved pictured a scenario of a pocket gopher in a private garden as justifying it's use.

Linda

[boops]

Here is a friendlier way to deter some critters"

Narcissus bulbs are such a wonderful green solution to deterring gophers for many reasons. Once you plant your bulbs, depth and spacing depends on variety, they bloom year and year. They are simply beautiful to look at, and often very fragrant. Bulbs planted in the ground send out a year round message to critters by actually “advertising” a toxicity odor or fragrance. Yes, that’s right. Even before a bulb is bitten into, it is sending a warning, that it has a natural toxicity ability to irritate (burn) the soft tissues of their mouth and cheeks. Gophers find it uncomfortable and stay clear of the bulbs, “taking a hike” out of the vicinity. To some extent by limiting their food source, you are limiting their population, and they have to go elsewhere. Once your bulbs are planted and in the ground, give it some time, and you will notice gophers staying clear of the area near your bulbs.

[isadora]

I have daffs all through the woods, but none in the new hosta beds yet. Wonder if it would work with voles? I think I'll dig up some of my big old overgrown clumps and spread them around some more. Can't hurt.

Sandy

[boops]

My thoughts exactly! they're pretty and serve a purpose. I have them bordering nearly every garden in my yard and so far so good, only lost one plant to voles-my tradescantia. also ammonia into holes makes them run away and is okay for the plants. I don't know if that works on gophers and groundhogs, but it does for moles and voles.

[Chris_W]

Yes, I knew that our disdain for critters destroying our gardens would upset some people, and I apologize for that guardbear. We do try to use deterrents first, such as hot pepper for the groundhogs and bloodmeal for other critters, and when it works that is great. But when we start to get overrun with them, such as one season when we had close to a dozen ground hogs tearing this place apart, we had to take some tougher measures. I really do care for the animals around here, but sometimes I'm not left any real choice when their population has exploded. Sorry

[morgansrgr8]

We've never bothered the critters before either but this year I can look out the door and see over a dozen groundhogs. They are destroying the foundation of the barn. The chipmunks are chomping off the leaves of my mini's. Such a population explosion around here. We dont usually see most of the critters here. This week I was almost nose to nose with a mink. I was sitting on a log and he walked up onto it and didnt look up to see me until I could have touched him. In the same spot yesterday my Grandson and I saw a muskrat. I really do enjoy seeing all the wildlife but in to many numbers they get distructive. I still cant believe my eyes when I see so many groundhogs.

[boops]

Probably the mild winter. Nothing died off and they were very prolific in their reproduction. Same things with the over abundance of bugs this year. Everyone was quite busy.