Gophers, bloody gophers!!!

[VWEvo]

I need help. Part of my acreage is overrun by these little pieces of crap. They create mounds that become unsightly and are a pain for myself and my sons to constantly go rake. They make my lawn look like crap. How do I get rid of these. Ive tried poison, a couple of trap, they all kinda help but nothing really gets rid of these.

[spikerS]

it is a never ending battle to be honest unless all your neighbours get in on it too. They are not really territorial and just spread pretty much anywhere they can dig with short grass so your lawn is the perfect target.

I would buy a higher FPS air gun (over 500 fps and you need a licence) and plink em as you see them. spend a few hours a day on your decks for the first week to get the majority of them, and then a few hours a week after keeps them thinned out enough to be somewhat manageable.

[Asian_defender]

Myself and some friends can assist you with that.
PM me and we can drop by sometime to help you

[GTR_Auto]

Get your sons a few air rifles and have at it! :P

[ercchry]

Dogs are pretty good at gopher control... one good shake and it’s lights out

[Asian_defender]

I'm going to disagree with the air rifles. If he's going to go through the hassle of getting his PAL why not get a .22

Buying a condor, outfitting it not to mention scuba tanks
Cheaper to go .22

[VWEvo]

it is a never ending battle to be honest unless all your neighbours get in on it too. They are not really territorial and just spread pretty much anywhere they can dig with short grass so your lawn is the perfect target.

I would buy a higher FPS air gun (over 500 fps and you need a licence) and plink em as you see them. spend a few hours a day on your decks for the first week to get the majority of them, and then a few hours a week after keeps them thinned out enough to be somewhat manageable.

Yes, the pellet guns we have now have limited effectiveness. I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but whats involved with me getting a gun license? I am interested in buying a powerful pellet gun. Does it take very long?

[FraserB]

Should take you about 3 months from the day you take the course to license in hand. It's a one day course, then a 28 day wait period and then they'll process your application. $60 fee if you only go for your non-restricted license, $80 and a second day course if you get your restricted. I have the book still if you wanted to get a jump on it, but the course is still mandatory.

In the meantime, if you want, I can drop by and you can take crack at them with a .22

[Tarrantula]

I have this same problem. Lots of them (50+) behind our house in an open field. They are super annoying (noise) and they are already under my neighbours GARAGE PAD IN THE FRONT. I picked up a sniper style pellet gun and ive probably killed over 25 since the start of the year. Unfortunately they breed like fire and since last year the population has at least tripled. I would recommend poison but it has to be done quite early in the season (before they awake from hibernation). Its quite satisfying to watch them drop after a hollow tip pellet gets them though.

[Asian_defender]

Yes, the pellet guns we have now have limited effectiveness. I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but whats involved with me getting a gun license? I am interested in buying a powerful pellet gun. Does it take very long?

At minimum you'll want a condor but keep in mind you still have to equip it (scope, bipod, air tanks etc) the air tanks are a bitch
https://www.airgunsource.ca/en/airforce-airforce-condor-22-cal-w-spin-loc-tank.html

for a cheaper price I would suggest a ruger SR10/22
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/67104/ruger-sr-22-semi-auto-rimfire-rifle-w-muzzle-brake
those go for about 830ish, you'll still need a scope etc

Then get a bucket of .22 for $40 bucks. That'll give you 500 rounds and you'll be able to shoot gophers all season long. No need to worry about air tanks or anything, just clean the gun regularly

I can bring the Ruger for you to try out first if you want

[muse017]

I probably had about 10+ gophers in my property and I can't never get rid them completely because of my neighboring properties doesn't care. It does the job and it gives me about a month of piece lol. Until others migrate from adjacent properties.

https://www.amazon.com/Sweeneys-S6006-4-Gopher-Poison-Peanuts/dp/B01JS1MKJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532021940&sr=8-1&keywords=Sweeney%27s+S6006&dpID=41jX-iboF-L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

[mr2mike]

FYI, I don't recommend poison.
Had my dog die from a gopher that was poisoned.
Gets into the food chain and you have no idea what it'll kill after the gopher.

If you can't kill them with pellet guns, you are doing it wrong. Used to be able to get them with slingshots when I was a kid.

[J-hop]

We use giant destroyer in their holes, supposed to be completely harmless after.

How big are your pellet guns? We have a 495fps .22 pellet gun, has no problem and no licence needed obviously

[spikerS]

My $0.02, don't use anything more than a pellet gun. Where you are in springbank, if you start cracking off .22 bullets, you are gonna have the cops on you pretty quick as your neighbours are not that far away.

[HHURICANE1]

Got a shitty old vehicle around? Attach a hose to the tail pipe and gas the little fucks in their holes. Works well. We've gassed hundreds of them like that. Unfortunately our neighbors don't give a fuck and no matter how many we kill they just get replaced from next door.

[dubhead]

My $0.02, don't use anything more than a pellet gun. Where you are in springbank, if you start cracking off .22 bullets, you are gonna have the cops on you pretty quick as your neighbours are not that far away.


.22 don't carry far noise wise or the actual rounds. If it's actually an issue,which I doubt, you can always get short rounds.

Edit: added quote

[dubhead]

I know the best thing that worked for us, even though it's very specific to the situation, was to bring our donkeys into our small pasture for a couple months. This would allow the badgers back into our big field, The badgers would then make quick work of the gophers. Rinse and repeat as needed.

[spikerS]

.22 don't carry far noise wise or the actual rounds. If it's actually an issue,which I doubt, you can always get short rounds.

Edit: added quote

a couple of his neighbors are >/= 100 meters away. Shooting off live rounds like that with people in that kind of proximity is never a good idea. even .22 rounds.

[VWEvo]

a couple of his neighbors are >/= 100 meters away. Shooting off live rounds like that with people in that kind of proximity is never a good idea. even .22 rounds.

I agree with you. I think given my proximity to neighbors and a major roadway it probably would end with a visit by the cops. Will likely stick to pellet guns

[Pacman]

I recently purchased a 495 FPS .22 pellet gun (that shoots 565fps out of the box for some reason). Let's have a Beyond meet at your place and we can all plink gophers.

[spike98]

At minimum you'll want a condor but keep in mind you still have to equip it (scope, bipod, air tanks etc) the air tanks are a bitch
https://www.airgunsource.ca/en/airforce-airforce-condor-22-cal-w-spin-loc-tank.html

for a cheaper price I would suggest a ruger SR10/22
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/67104/ruger-sr-22-semi-auto-rimfire-rifle-w-muzzle-brake
those go for about 830ish, you'll still need a scope etc

Then get a bucket of .22 for $40 bucks. That'll give you 500 rounds and you'll be able to shoot gophers all season long. No need to worry about air tanks or anything, just clean the gun regularly

I can bring the Ruger for you to try out first if you want

You want him to spend $1000 on a ruger setup for gophers? lol

You are better of with a sub 500fps pellet gun as its not a fire arm and has less restrictions on where you can discharge them. The issue is effectiveness of the low velocity projectile. It should be ok but don't be surprised if you need to upsize.

Should you need more power, the pellet gun above 500fps would still be advisable. Its still technically a firearm and illegal to discharge within city limits but you wouldn't get nearly the amount of attention as a .22lr.

[Asian_defender]

You want him to spend $1000 on a ruger setup for gophers? lol

You are better of with a sub 500fps pellet gun as its not a fire arm and has less restrictions on where you can discharge them. The issue is effectiveness of the low velocity projectile. It should be ok but don't be surprised if you need to upsize.

Should you need more power, the pellet gun above 500fps would still be advisable. Its still technically a firearm and illegal to discharge within city limits but you wouldn't get nearly the amount of attention as a .22lr.

The sub 500fps pellet gun is not going to be able to kill gophers that well, especially after 50 yards. If he goes with a condor its still going to be around 1300 equipped. If he doesn't have an air compressor that just adds onto the cost. Restrictions between a 500fps pellet gun and a .22 are the same and both require him to get his PAL
If noise is a factor then yes go with the condor, but if it isnt a factor then 9/10 people are going to say .22
If the Ruger is too much money then get a cheap bolt action
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/39821/savage-mark-ii-fxp-bolt-action-rifle-w-scope

[civic_stylez]

Ive spent WAY too much money building a few different "gopher getter" .22's. If OP is allowed to discharge firearms on his property, I will bring you beer to shoot there!

[SJW]

You can't fire projectile weapons within city limits. Pellets and bow n arrows fall within this catagory. Just sayin.

[J-hop]

The sub 500fps pellet gun is not going to be able to kill gophers that well, especially after 50 yards. If he goes with a condor its still going to be around 1300 equipped. If he doesn't have an air compressor that just adds onto the cost. Restrictions between a 500fps pellet gun and a .22 are the same and both require him to get his PAL
If noise is a factor then yes go with the condor, but if it isnt a factor then 9/10 people are going to say .22
If the Ruger is too much money then get a cheap bolt action
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/39821/savage-mark-ii-fxp-bolt-action-rifle-w-scope

You’re right about over 50 yards for sure but as I mentioned earlier my 495fps .22 pellet gun takes out gophers easily. But I’m also shooting from 20yards at most.


What about giant destroyer as I mentioned, this has been effective for us and isn’t toxic to dogs after.

[Tarrantula]

You can't fire projectile weapons within city limits. Pellets and bow n arrows fall within this catagory. Just sayin.

You cant get caught firing projectile weapons in the city limits. FTFY

[spikerS]

You can't fire projectile weapons within city limits. Pellets and bow n arrows fall within this catagory. Just sayin.

VWevo is not within city limits so that doesn't technically apply to him.

Having said that, RCMP would not be pleasant to deal with in this instance. I don't think you can make the case for discharging a firearm safely with how close his neighbors are.

[spikerS]

The sub 500fps pellet gun is not going to be able to kill gophers that well, especially after 50 yards. [/url]


every point in the OP's property is within 50 yards of his house. If he is plinking from his back deck gophers are killable with good aim and head shots, and while not immediate, if he does shoot them and they don't die right away, they will die eventually from the lead poisoning from the pellets.

[dubhead]

every point in the OP's property is within 50 yards of his house. If he is plinking from his back deck gophers are killable with good aim and head shots, and while not immediate, if he does shoot them and they don't die right away, they will die eventually from the lead poisoning from the pellets.

Just gotta get quick with the follow up mercy shot. If not its little cannibal buddies will have made quick work of it long before lead poising becomes a problem.

[AndyL]

.177 co2 plinker.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/24062/gamo-177c-red-fire-pellets
Not that I would know that these work very nicely.