Why is my Gopherhawk trap full of dirt?

[@barclaysauers255]

When dealing with gophers on your property "gruesome details" are really joyous moments worthy of a celebration!

[@lostconciousness4255]

I've actually come back twice where the trap was triggered by the dirt it filled it with. my success rate with the gopher hawk has been about 25% and I've actually caught more of them by just waiting by their hole for them to surface and skewering them directly. managed to wipe out the entire colony in my yard until recently they returned (almost a year later). I'll keep probing around to find a main run, maybe I'll get lucky, I want to catch it ASAP before it causes too much damage and breeds.

[@shastastan1935]

I agree; You have to find the main tunnel. My experience has been that I have to make the hole larger than the plastic stake. Also you have to be careful not to push the trap in too far or the ends will bend. I had to buy a replacement end. We have moles and our ground is very hard unless watered thoroughly. Careful placement is critical.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

I've recently played cat and mouse with a couple of gophers. In the end I found the main tunnel and then it's a done deal. They are creatures of habit and if you find the main tunnel you're virtually guaranteed to get them with the gopher hawk. It's the only trap I use now as you don't have to dig large holes as you do with the conventional traps

[@bobbyhunt3009]

How is the gopher escaping the trap unless it's set in its main tunnel??? Why is he not getting caught unless I put it in s main tunnel??

[@s3vR3x]

you can majorly increase your chances of catching them if you shove a baby carrot at the end on the trigger, that way even if its in a feeding run. they feed, and wham!

[@christopherniceley8848]

Cinch Traps work the best. I have killed 50 gophers with those and only 1 with the gopherhawk.

[@ronniewaters6985]

Have find the main tunnel and stay persistent. In the last year me and my partner have caught over 250 gophers. You should have the gopher within 2 to 6 hr the fastest one so far is 6 minutes 😊😊 Gophers hawk is a great tool.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

Agreed ! My shortest is under 15 minutes. 6 minutes is awesome :) I'm hoping to hear the trap go off within a couple of minutes one day

[@frankwrogg2515]

Mine are never dead (just mad as hell), usually just gets the tip of there head. I dig them out and drop in a five gallon bucket and transplant them way down the road.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

Good you're catching them. Mine are a clean kill most of the time. I usually put them under a bush and the coyotes or bobcats generally take them away overnight

[@stevengraff8687]

They are likely bleeding internally and will die a protracted death. You might want to put them out of their misery by drowning them in that bucket.

[@patriciakeys4873]

I caught one about 6 months ago. I guess I need to keep on trying. I'm sure I have more than one. And it's winter so I'm pretty sure we have had a new family of them by now. sigh. Thanks for the tip.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

keep trying... eventually you'll win !

[@JohnJohnson-ju9bj]

Thanks for the tip

[@bobbyhunt3009]

Please explain to me how the gopher is putting dirt on the gopher hawk and not triggering the trap. I dont get what you're saying and the gophers are killing my backyard!!!!!!!!!

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

@@bobbyhunt3009 Hi. Disclaimer (!) I'm not a trained wildlife expert 🙂 but as far as I can deduce it seems that in the side tunnels if they see any disturbed soil they will turn their back end towards it and then kick the soil backwards to block up the tunnel. This will fill the trap with soil and sometimes trigger it. However if you've managed to locate the main run they will usually be running along back and forth and you have a better chance of catching them. The main runs are like their highways and the side tunnels are the side streets that usually dead end wherever they were feeding. I still find it tricky to locate the main runs after 4 years and 20 or 30 gophers caught. Also I find it harder to locate the main run on a slope or hill v a flat piece of ground. I have 2 gopher hawks now and typically set both at slightly different locations. Hope this helps!? Watch as many videos as you can as everyone has their little tips. And good luck. I feel your pain - believe me I've been there. Don't give up. The one thing about those critters is that they are consistent. They're not very smart but they are sensitive to light etc so try to cover any gaps around your gopher hawk to block light from entering the tunnel

[@missiletm]

Good job!

[@quick99busa]

I had the same problem, thanks.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

You're welcome. Happy hunting ! Good luck finding those main runs

[@stevengraff8687]

Probably trapped 25 pocket gophers in the last three years. Then toward the end of last year it was as if the gophers recognized the trap. They have backfilled the tunnels for the last 8 months. I keep setting my two Gopherhawks but have only trapped two in the last 25 attempts. I am beginning to the stink of death is on the traps.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

Good luck. I've also been at it for about 3 years. Here's some pointers that helped me in case you haven't tried already...Try probing a bit further from the mounds and not in line with the direction of the tunnel that leads to the mound. I think some of my fails were that I set the trap in the tunnel leading to the mound. The main run is usually a cross street from the one to the mound if that makes sense

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

If you wash the traps I don't think they can sense it as they are too focused on digging... although I'm not an animal expert!

[@stevengraff8687]

@@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293 I'll try the wash, I was reluctant to wash with soap for fear it would repel them, but maybe the smell of another gopher is a more compelling trigger to backfill their tunnels.

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

Good luck !