7 Quick and Effective Ways to Get Rid of Gophers on Your Property

Gophers might be cute animals to look at, but they can cause severe damage to your yard and property. This common outdoor rodent creates mounds and tunnels in yards, which can destroy well-manicured lawns and gardens. However, most people don’t want to poison this adorable creature; rather they just want to repel them from their yard.

Thankfully, many nontoxic control methods won’t harm gophers or any other wildlife — but they will deter them. Here are seven quick and effective ways to get rid of gophers on your property.

1. Tuck Dryer Sheets in Gopher Holes

Believe it or not, while humans enjoy the smell of dryer sheets the strong scent will actually deter gophers. That being said, you can repel gophers from your yard by tucking a few dryer sheets into their holes or placing them around any area you see them frequenting. The dryer sheet brand doesn’t matter as long as it has a strong scent. This is a popular option because it provides a more pleasant smell than some of the other items on this list.

2. Sprinkle Coffee Grounds Around Gopher Holes

Many people use coffee grounds as fertilizer in their gardens, but did you know that coffee grounds also act as a convenient gopher repellent? All you need to do is pour some used coffee grounds into any gopher holes or tunnels or bury them in your garden’s soil to keep this outdoor rodent away. The strong scent will likely deter gophers from digging and creating mounds in your yard.

3. Use Castor Oil

One of the best gopher repellents is castor oil. To create a simple homemade solution, you can mix castor oil with dish soap and water. Then, soak the entrances of your gopher tunnels with the castor oil solution. This will surely dissuade any gophers from entering the area (without harming them!)

4. Plant Gopher Spurge

Gopher Spurge (Euphorbia Lathyris) is a plant that is commonly used to repel gophers and other outdoor pests like moles. You can purchase this plant in a variety of locations like local nurseries. While it’s actually an invasive weed, it’s also quite beautiful and can add a unique touch to your garden. Gophers typically find the scent of Gopher Spurge to be unappealing, so planting them in your yard might deter the small rodent. 

5. Create Noise In Your Yard

A noisy environment is not attractive to gophers, as they tend to be timid and sensitive. Whether it’s loud wind chimes or a portable radio shoved deep into a gopher hole, anything that creates noise should help drive gophers away from your yard. 

6. Use Vibrating Stakes

Just as they are sensitive to sound, gophers are also sensitive to vibrations. Their poor eyesight only makes it more difficult for them to navigate their surroundings. That being said, if you were to set up vibrating stakes throughout your yard or lawn, you would easily discourage gophers from seeking refuge on your property. 

7. Set Up Gopher Traps

You can use a safe gopher trap to capture a gopher from its holes or around its mounds throughout your yard. Simply purchase and set up a trap in your gopher holes and place some peanut butter or other attractive substance in the trap. Then, wait for the gopher to enter and trap itself. Once you catch a gopher, you can safely release it far from your home.

Important Note: Do Not Use Mothballs As Gopher Repellents

Mothballs are commonly used for rodent problems, as they contain the chemical naphthalene, which is toxic to small rodents. Many believe the amount of naphthalene in a mothball isn’t enough to cause severe damage or death to gophers, but it is enough to drive them away. The strong odor of mothballs (caused by naphthalene) is disturbing to rodents like gophers, so placing them in their holes will likely cause them to flee. However, there are many reasons to never use mothballs to repel pests. In fact, this practice is actually illegal.  

The photo featured at the top of this post is © paha1205/Shutterstock.com