Moles & Gophers: and the problems YOU have with them.

Written by Reginald Murray

Co-owner of the Oklahoma Wildlife Control® Limited Liability Company, with offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. May 31, 2009

Some Consumer Questions:

1. I have found tunnels and mounds in my yard and flower beds what in the world do I need to do now?
2. I think it may be Moles or Gophers, but what exactly is causing the problems?
3. How do I get rid of them and return my property to the beauty it once held?
4. Do I need to hire a professional service company such as Oklahoma Wildlife Control®, L.L.C. … or try to remedy the problem myself?

Reoccurring Consumer Scenario:

My neighbor told me to go to the hardware store and get a trap for Moles and Gophers, because it had to be one of these two animals causing my heartache. However, when I got there I found that the hardware store offered several traps for Moles and several for Gophers … but not a single trap for both … why not? There were so many different styles, I was confused and didn’t purchase anything. Or … there was a lot to choose from, so I bought one of each to make sure I got the correct one, but none have been successful for me.

These are some of the questions we receive in our industry, and especially here at the Oklahoma Wildlife Control®, LLC. We have offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma … and provide services to all of Oklahoma and to eight counties in Texas. Now we will address several issues that the consumers have, and clear up the questions.

The Consumers Education:

The consumer must first understand that Moles and Gophers are two completely different animals, which share some similar characteristics. Both tunnel, and on occasion both will “mound” the dirt as they push it out of a tunnel. However; Moles are insectivores and Gophers are herbivores. Generally speaking, Gophers are also larger than most moles. This is the reason for the differences in traps for both species. It should also be understood that the “traps” that are available on the public market, are very “basic” in mechanical ability and effectiveness, and in every case, Oklahoma Wildlife Control® Limited Liability Company will alter and modify these traps to be more effective in capturing Moles and Gophers. Years of “trial and error” lessons have taught us to “set” and “place” traps in a particular manner, without regard to the instructions that come in the boxes from the manufacturers. Unfortunately, consumers are led to believe by manufacturers that their products are simple to use, and that anyone can be successful with them. Here at the Oklahoma Wildlife Control® Limited Liability Company, we have more than 35 years of combined wildlife experience, and we continue to learn something new every day. The consumer will not be successful in their attempts at Moles and Gophers, nor any other wildlife species without experience and understanding. At best, the consumer will just be “lucky”. Luck will get a few, whereas experience brings success and this will achieve control.

Moles:

Yates and Pedersen (1982) list seven North American species of moles. They are the eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus), hairy-tailed mole (Parascalops breweri), star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata), broad-footed mole (Scapanus latimanus), Townsend’s mole (Scapanus townsendii), coast mole (Scapanus orarius), and shrew mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii).

The mole discussed here is usually referred to as the eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus). It is an insectivore, not a rodent, and is related to shrews and bats.

True moles may be distinguished from meadow mice (voles), shrews, or pocket gophers—with which they are often confused—by noting certain characteristics. They have a hairless, pointed snout extending nearly 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) in front of the mouth opening. The small eyes and the opening of the ear canal are concealed in the fur; there are no external ears. The forefeet are very large and broad, with palms wider than they are long. The toes are webbed to the base of the claws, which are broad and depressed. The hind feet are small and narrow, with slender, sharp claws.

Gophers:

Pocket gophers are fossorial (burrowing) rodents, so named because they have fur-lined pouches outside of the mouth, one on each side of the face. These pockets, which are capable of being turned inside out, are used for carrying food. Pocket gophers are powerfully built in the forequarters and have a short neck; the head is fairly small and flattened. The forepaws are large-clawed and the lips close behind their large incisors, all marvelous adaptations to their underground existence.

Gophers have small external ears and small eyes. As sight and sound are severely limited, gophers are highly dependent on the sense of touch. The vibrissae (whiskers) on their face are very sensitive to touch and assist pocket gophers while traveling about in their dark tunnels. The tail is sparsely haired and also serves as a sensory mechanism guiding gophers’ backward movements. The tail is also important in thermo-regulation, acting as a radiator.

Pocket gophers are medium-sized rodents ranging from about 5 to nearly 14 inches (13 to 36 cm) long (head and body). Adult males are larger than adult females. Their fur is very fine, soft, and highly variable in color. A pocket gophers coloring ranges from nearly black, to pale brown to almost white. The great variability in size and color of pocket gophers is attributed to their low dispersal rate and thus limited gene flow, resulting in adaptation to local conditions.

Thirty-four species of pocket gophers, represented by five genera, occupy the western hemisphere. In the United States there are 13 species and three genera. The major features differentiating these genera are the size of their forefeet, claws, and front surfaces of their chisel-like incisors.

The Home Remedies:

There are a lot of “home remedies” on the market, and on the internet as well. These do not work. Moth balls for instance, are for moths, hence the name. They are not for outdoor use, nor authorized for use on any other species than moths. Filling a tunnel with water is another home remedy for Moles and Gophers that does not work. It will however, greatly increase your water bill in attempting to use the water hose to drown of flush the Moles and Gophers from your yard. Castor granules are becoming more and more popular, but there is no scientific evidence that they truly work. However, there is plenty of scientific evidence that castor is very poisonous to both humans and pets. Therefore, Oklahoma Wildlife Control®, LLC will not promote, use nor endorse castor or any other contaminate on a property. Mechanical devices are the best way to go. They are the most effective, environmentally safe and “Green” methods available.

The Professionals:

The Oklahoma Wildlife Control® Limited Liability Company and the Wildlife Pro Network, will at all times encourage the consumer to seek professional assistance and guidance in matters concerning wildlife. We are professionals, and we know the most efficient and effective methods of control for both the consumer and the environment in which they reside.

So why should the consumer go with a professional servicer? It is our business. If you need an operation will you perform it yourself, or seek medical assistance? The same goes with wildlife. Wildlife of all species can be carriers of several different diseases, different even between species, for which most of the consumers are not aware of … or do not know how to recognize the symptoms of a contraction. A lot of these diseases can be fatal if medical treatment is not immediately sought. That’s why a professional service company.

Give the Oklahoma Wildlife Control® Limited Liability a call today at (918) 694-8190, or visit us on the web at http://oktrapsupply.com or http://oklahomawildlifecontrol.com for more information about wildlife problems, and options. If we are not in your service area, contact us anyway and we will find someone who is that can provide a professional service to you.

**This article was brought to you by the Wildlife Pro Network in conjunction with the Oklahoma Wildlife Control® Limited Liability Company of Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copy right 2009.