Olympic mouse trapping :-)

[SonicVenum]

GOPHER WATCH: 2018

So, Pat was right, kind of, as usual. The little bastards keep mobile. As I said before, the founding gopher spent very little time in our new front lawn before moving to the back yard. Our dog would have fun digging at their mounds. Our back yard is a mess, thanks to said dog, so we didn't care too much. Earlier this year, we were watching our dog's grandpa, who seems to have a better hunting instinct, and were greeted by the corpse of a dead gopher on our back patio. ONE

With their first casualty, it seems the brood started working their way across the back yard. The first mound in the front yard is on the opposite side of the house from our garage. Next to our garage, there is a strip of dirt that runs between a concrete walkway and the garage. The pests made a couple mounds along that strip on their way back to the front yard. When I saw new mounds in our beautiful, now mature, new lawn near the driveway, I recognized my folly in not taking the threat more seriously. I grabbed the house with a spray nozzle fitted, and started shooting water into every hole I could find (around 15 total in two groups). I figured this pursuit would prove futile, but persisted. While flooding the second section of holes, I was surprised by a new hole springing up. The gopher gasped for air with his face covered in mud. He couldn't see. I had no tools handy, and was wearing flip flops (poor mission planning). Luckily, I had just received an Amazon package. Turns out an Amazon box is a perfectly suitable instrument of death. With the water continuing to run, he finally crawled completely out of the ground only to meet a crushing death via cardboard. TWO

I kept an eye on the front lawn, and a couple days after the flooding, I noticed new dirt mounds on the first section of holes. I tried flooding again, even adding dish soap. A trick I saw on YT. Another technique, called jugging, required a 5-gal water bottle. I don't have one of those. This gopher was smarter. I made a trip to Lowe's and picked up a pair of gopher traps, some thin rope, and some gopher gas bombs. I tried the traps first, but I didn't put the trap in deep enough, so the gopher simply covered it with dirt. Time for the gas. Opened the same hole back up, going a little deeper this time. I covered the other connecting holes, dropped in a lit gas bomb, and sealed the hole with dirt. No activity for the last week. THREE

So, I think that should be all of them, but I'll keep an eye on everything, even the back, for new activity. I now have the tools. The gas bombs were a 6 pack, and I only used one.

[jhwalker]

yu da maan...

[SonicVenum]

Thanks, we'll see if it holds.

[SonicVenum]

Welp, just got #4 in the back yard. My observant wife noticed our dog wasn't inside shadowing her, as he usually does in the mornings until she leaves for work. So, she looked outside to see what he was up to. Turns out, this dummy was following a gopher around the yard, trying to play with it. It's more obvious now that granpa killed #1. I went out there, picked up one of the bricks we had lying around, and ended the life of another cute little burrower.

[jhwalker]

Welp, just got #4 in the back yard. My observant wife noticed our dog wasn't inside shadowing her, as he usually does in the mornings until she leaves for work. So, she looked outside to see what he was up to. Turns out, this dummy was following a gopher around the yard, trying to play with it. It's more obvious now that granpa killed #1. I went out there, picked up one of the bricks we had lying around, and ended the life of another cute little burrower.

a new, improved, Juan.

[SonicVenum]

#5 may or may not have fallen to a gas bomb a couple weeks ago. A possible #6 met its end today. Wifey noticed our, typically quiet, dog was barking at something . Upon closer inspection, she realized he had cornered a gopher up against our patio. I went out there, and saw the biggest gopher yet hissing back between attempts to dig his way out of this miss. I picked up a cinder block, and smashed down, but the little divot he had dug himself provided enough cover to avoid being crushed. On the next blow I angled the block so the corner would get into the divot. It worked, for the most part. He was still twitching. A few more smashes, and our long lost little varmint is taking up temporary residence in the purgatory of our yard waste can.

[jhwalker]

#5 may or may not have fallen to a gas bomb a couple weeks ago. A possible #6 met its end today. Wifey noticed our, typically quiet, dog was barking at something . Upon closer inspection, she realized he had cornered a gopher up against our patio. I went out there, and saw the biggest gopher yet hissing back between attempts to dig his way out of this miss. I picked up a cinder block, and smashed down, but the little divot he had dug himself provided enough cover to avoid being crushed. On the next blow I angled the block so the corner would get into the divot. It worked, for the most part. He was still twitching. A few more smashes, and our long lost little varmint is taking up temporary residence in the purgatory of our yard waste can.

How big is big? pics?

Now that you have posted I can, later today, update on the latest escapades here.


How's the truck project?

[SonicVenum]

I didn't snap a pic of it, but it was about 5-6 inches long or so, and had the typical big 2 front teeth. It wasn't as big as some of the ones I've see on YT, but these are pocket gophers, so I don't think they get too big. At least I've learned to pay closer attention when the dog is barking, since he rarely does it. I also rewarded him with praise, head pats, and a treat for his hunting prowess. Hopefully, that encourages him to hunt the little bastards.

The truck is sitting in the driveway, and on the to-do list. We've taken it out the family events a couple times now. It's in good shape, mechanically, but will definitely need some refinement. The lack of a/c makes for loud freeway rides with the vent windows cracked open. My brother-in-law got to see it yesterday, and excitedly offered to help with it. The plan is to finally finish the GPz, sell it off, and put that money into the truck, which needs some rust repair, a new interior, and an a/c system.