Sunday Search of the Week 2-06-2010

Must be spring in some places as this week’s search and a few variations appears over 30 times.  “gopher box traps”

When these critters arise from hibernation, gardeners need to be ready.  One day last fall I arrived home from work to find our side field and vegetable garden laced with gopher tracks, hills, tunnels, and holes.  It was the worst damage I had ever seen in my garden. I thought a huge family of them had moved in so I immediately set out several traps. The next morning one trap was sprung with the result pictured here.  Thinking this was just the start of what I had to capture to save the garden, I continued to set out and monitor the traps for several days.  I never caught another and never saw any further evidence or destruction.  I think this fat fellow was the only one there.  Amazing what one little rodent can do! I am just so glad we have gophers here, not their larger cousin, the Woodchuck. My sister in NH has one living at the end of her driveway that is estimated at 25 pounds. Yikes!