Extension circular 1544 discusses Pocket gopher control

Bare, O. S.

Sooter, C. A.

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnHistorical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension9-1946EC1544 Pocket Gopher ControlO. S. BareC. A. SooterFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhistThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted forinclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University ofNebraska - Lincoln.Bare, O. S. and Sooter, C. A., "EC1544 Pocket Gopher Control" (1946). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-LincolnExtension. 2657.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/2657Sept. 1946 s <;!5 ~~ ~I?# -e.l Pocket Gopher Control THE PRAIRIE POCKET GOPHER( After Lantz.) E. c. 1544 Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics University of Nebraska College of Agriculture, · and the United States Department. of Agriculture cooperating, POCKET GOPHER CONTROL 0. S. Bare, and C. A. Sooter, Extens i on Entomologists Poison Them The poison may be siftertop boxes or your you. It is composed of: purchased ready-mixed in druggist can put it up for 1/8 ounce sodium bicarbonate 1/8 ounce powd . strychnine, alkaloi d 1/80 ounce saccharine This i s enough f or a gallon of bait. It is dusted on pieces of potatoes or carrots t.hat have been cut i nto pieces 1/3 inch square and a"b£>ut 1-! i nches l ong. (Don't use too much poison on the bai t s-- each piece should be well covered lightly). Poisoned oats or wheat such as used for prairie dogs and fi eld mice also is good pocket gopher bait. Leave bol e open unless ordi nary st eel trap used / ' / ' / ' / ' ' ' ,,', '" Trap jaw end "' away from opening Manner of setting when only 1 trap used - 2-U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepared rodent grain baits are very good. Information on costs and where to order this can be obtai ned from your county agent. Locate the Runways Locate the main runway with a probe , such as a sharpened endgate rod, sharpened broom stick, one made of sharpened ~ inch smooth iron rod about }! feet long with T handle for forcing into ground, or corn planter anchor stake. The runway is from 6 to 12 inches away from the flat side of the mound nearest to lihe 11 plug11 • It may be from 6 to 12 inches below the surface. When the runway is found, the probe will drop suddenly about 2 inches and it can be ro-tated easily. Applying the Bait As soon as the runway is located, rotate probe to enlarge the opening enough to insert two or three pieces of the poison vegetable or a tablespoonful of ,,,/ Probe constructed of pipe . 11 Dr op bait thru opening , made by pro be & t hen pl114l: hole - 3-poison grain. Then stuff grass in the opening and cover with dirt. The last thing is to level the mounds so that fresh work by gophers missed in poison-ing can be located and runways treated. While poisoning pocket gophers is preferred be-cause of its economy and ease, it may be difficult to kill all of them in this manner. Then the best way is to trap the few that remain. Special gopher traps (Maccabee, Cinch, Death Clutch, etc.) are much more efficient than ordinary steel traps. Setting the Traps First dig out the 11 plug" to the main runway and insert the set trap, jaw end first. If these traps are used place one in the main runway on each side of the opening just out of sight. Tie a wire on each and fasten to a stake pushed in the ground. If one trap is used place it in the lateral just outside of the main runway. In all cases, leave the burrow open. Time to Control Pocket gophers may be poisoned or trapped when-ever they are active. Best results usually are ob-tained in April, May and October. 

EC1544  Pocket Gopher Control

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-
Lincoln Extension Extension
9-1946
EC1544 Pocket Gopher Control
O. S. Bare
C. A. Sooter
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for
inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of
Nebraska - Lincoln.
Bare, O. S. and Sooter, C. A., "EC1544 Pocket Gopher Control" (1946). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Extension. 2657.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/2657
Sept. 
1946 
s 
<;!5 
~~ 
~I?# 
-e.l 
Pocket Gopher Control 
THE PRAIRIE POCKET GOPHER( After Lantz.) 
E. c. 
1544 
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics 
University of Nebraska College of Agriculture, · and the United States 
Department. of Agriculture cooperating, 
POCKET GOPHER CONTROL 
0. S. Bare, and C. A. Sooter, Extens i on Entomologists 
Poison Them 
The poison may be 
siftertop boxes or your 
you. It is composed of: 
purchased ready-mixed in 
druggist can put it up for 
1/8 ounce sodium bicarbonate 
1/8 ounce powd . strychnine, alkaloi d 
1/80 ounce saccharine 
This i s enough f or a gallon of bait. It is 
dusted on pieces of potatoes or carrots t.hat have 
been cut i nto pieces 1/3 inch square and a"b£>ut 1-! 
i nches l ong. (Don't use too much poison on the 
bai t s-- each piece should be well covered lightly). 
Poisoned oats or wheat such as used for prairie 
dogs and fi eld mice also is good pocket gopher bait. 
Leave bol e open unless 
ordi nary st eel trap used / ' 
/ ' 
/ ' / ' 
' 
' 
,,', '" 
Trap jaw end 
"' away from 
opening 
Manner of setting when only 1 trap used 
- 2-
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepared rodent grain 
baits are very good. Information on costs and where 
to order this can be obtai ned from your county agent. 
Locate the Runways 
Locate the main runway with a probe , such as a 
sharpened endgate rod, sharpened broom stick, one 
made of sharpened ~ inch smooth iron rod about }! 
feet long with T handle for forcing into ground, or 
corn planter anchor stake. The runway is from 6 to 12 
inches away from the flat side of the mound nearest 
to lihe 11 plug11 • It may be from 6 to 12 inches below 
the surface. When the runway is found, the probe 
will drop suddenly about 2 inches and it can be ro-
tated easily. 
Applying the Bait 
As soon as the runway is located, rotate probe 
to enlarge the opening enough to insert two or three 
pieces of the poison vegetable or a tablespoonful of 
,,,/ 
Probe constructed of pipe . 
1
1 Dr op bait thru opening 
, made by pro be & t hen 
pl114l: hole 
- 3-
poison grain. Then stuff grass in the opening and 
cover with dirt. The last thing is to level the 
mounds so that fresh work by gophers missed in poison-
ing can be located and runways treated. 
While poisoning pocket gophers is preferred be-
cause of its economy and ease, it may be difficult to 
kill all of them in this manner. Then the best way 
is to trap the few that remain. Special gopher traps 
(Maccabee, Cinch, Death Clutch, etc.) are much more 
efficient than ordinary steel traps. 
Setting the Traps 
First dig out the 11 plug" to the main runway and 
insert the set trap, jaw end first. If these traps 
are used place one in the main runway on each side of 
the opening just out of sight. Tie a wire on each 
and fasten to a stake pushed in the ground. If one 
trap is used place it in the lateral just outside of 
the main runway. In all cases, leave the burrow open. 
Time to Control 
Pocket gophers may be poisoned or trapped when-
ever they are active. Best results usually are ob-
tained in April, May and October. 


https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3665&amp;context=extensionhist

EC1544 Pocket Gopher Control

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

UNL | Libraries