Remember a few years ago when it seemed like the field mice had taken over the world? Well, this year seems to be the year of the gopher. In field after field you can see the little mounds that make a beautiful hay field look like it’s been infested with warts.
So, before I went out to do battle with the little rodents, I decided to research them – sort of like doing reconnaissance before attacking an enemy – and I found out some very interesting things.
1. The kind of gophers we have around here are plains pocket gophers, but there are about 35 different kinds of gophers who wreak havoc all over the nation.

2. Pocket gophers are named because their cheeks have expandable pockets used to carry food around, and can be turned inside out, just like you turn your jeans pockets inside out.
3. Gophers get enough water from their food (your hay or lawn) so that they don’t need a source of water.
4. Those cursed mounds are made when the gopher tunnels down and then needs a place to put the dirt. (Just like in the movie “The Great Escape”). The gopher digs tunnels with his sharp little paws and sharp little teeth, and then flips around and pushes it all to the surface like a tiny bulldozer.  So, if you thought, like I did, that driving over a gopher mound does any good, you were wrong.
5. If you plan to bury wires or cables and you want them to be gopher proof, make them at least 3” wide. A gopher can chew through plastic, wire, or pretty much anything, but only if he can get his little teeth around it.
6. Two of the gopher’s favorite foods are dandelions and alfalfa. So, if we could ever find a way to make them stick to dandelions and leave the alfalfa alone, everybody including the gophers would be happy.
So, there you go, a fascinating little crash course on gophers. Now you will be much better informed when you go out to do battle with them. You have scouted out the enemy, now go to it.