Gopher Control Service
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How Do You Know It Is a Gopher (Identification)
Colour
Light brown to tan or buff, often with a lighter belly.
Size
Roughly 30 cm (about 12 inches) including the tail.
Description
Slim body, short tail, small ears. Stands upright on its hind legs to look around.
Notes
Active during the day, often seen near burrow openings. Makes a sharp whistle or chirp when alarmed.
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Signs You Have a Gopher Problem
Fresh soil and newly damaged plants usually show that gophers are still active on the property. Common signs of gopher activity include:
- Round burrow holes in lawns, fields, ditches or along fences, often with a small mound of dirt.
- Fan-shaped or crescent mounds of fresh soil with a plugged hole (a pocket gopher sign).
- Patches of dead or thinning grass above tunnels.
- Chewed plants, garden vegetables or flower bulbs.
- Animals standing upright near holes, or whistling at you as you walk by.
- Soft or collapsing ground where tunnels run close to the surface.
- Damage to irrigation lines, cables or the edges of patios and walkways.
Where Do Gophers Live and Hide?
Gophers spend much of their time in underground burrows. Their tunnel systems may include entrances, nesting chambers, food-storage areas and escape routes that extend well beyond what is visible from the surface.
Richardson’s Ground Squirrels
Richardson’s ground squirrels prefer open, sunny areas with short grass. They are commonly found around:
- Lawns and parks
- Pastures and hayfields
- Roadside ditches
- Sports fields
- Acreages and rural properties
- Vacant lots
- Edges of subdivisions and construction sites
They are often easier to spot because they spend time above ground feeding, watching for predators and moving between burrows.
Northern Pocket Gophers
Northern pocket gophers prefer loose, workable soil and spend nearly all their time underground. They may be found in:
- Gardens
- Hayfields
- Lawns
- Low-lying areas
- Areas with moist, loose soil
Gopher Life Cycle and How Fast They Multiply
Here’s why one gopher can turn into a dozen. Timing varies a little by year and region, but a typical Richardson’s ground squirrel year looks like this:
- Emerging from hibernation (March to April): Males typically come out first, followed by females a bit later.
- Mating (shortly after emerging): Breeding happens fast, often within days or weeks of waking up.
- Gestation (about 3 to 4 weeks): Females give birth underground.
- Pups appear (late spring): Litters are often around 6 to 8 young, and they start showing above ground once they’re old enough.
- Feeding and growing (summer): Young gophers feed heavily and spread out, often digging new burrows.
- Hibernation (late summer into fall): Adults go underground first, and young follow once they’ve built up enough fat.
Why Do I Have Gophers?
Gophers don’t pick your yard at random. They’re looking for three things: food, cover and soft soil. Alberta’s spring thaw and wet soil can also bring gophers up and out of dormant burrows quickly, which is why activity can seem to explode in April and May.
- Food: Lawns, clover, garden plants, spilled birdseed and grain.
- Open, sunny ground: Short grass lets them see predators coming.
- Easy digging: Loose soil and areas with fewer tree roots or rocks.
- Nearby populations: Neighbouring fields, ditches or green spaces often supply a steady stream of new gophers.
- Old burrows: Empty tunnels are easy for the next gopher to move into.
How Worried Should I Be?
Gophers are less of a health concern than rodents like rats, but they can still cause real trouble.
- Property damage: Tunnels can undermine lawns, driveways, patios, fence posts and foundations over time. They can also damage irrigation lines and buried cables.
- Safety hazards: Hidden holes can cause twisted ankles and leg injuries to people, pets and livestock. If you have horses, this one matters.
- Landscape and crop loss: Gardens, lawns, hayfields and small farms can take a real hit.
- Parasites: Gophers can carry fleas and ticks, which can spread to pets or your yard.
- Fast escalation: One burrow can become several in a single season, especially if females have litters nearby.
Can You Get Rid of Gophers Yourself?
Sometimes, if you catch it early and it’s a single animal. It’s harder than it looks, though. Pocket gophers live in tunnels you can’t see, and ground squirrels have several burrow exits. Mothballs, flooding, noise devices and store-bought repellents rarely work.
Be careful with poisons. Some are restricted, and any bait or trap used in a yard can hurt pets and kids.
Call a professional if:
- New mounds keep appearing after you’ve tried traps or remedies.
- You have more than one animal.
- You’re not sure if it’s a gopher, mole or vole.
- They’re near a shed, steps, driveway, septic tank or foundation.
- You have dogs, cats or small children.
- You’re planning landscaping, sod or a garden.
- You have an acreage, field or commercial property.
- Gophers came back after a previous service.
Gopher Prevention Tips
Some steps you can safely do yourself:
- Fill in old burrows once you’re sure they’re empty. Ask us if you’re not sure.
- Keep grass trimmed and remove brush piles, rock piles and clutter that give cover.
- Pick up fallen seed, grain and pet food, and clean under bird feeders.
- Protect gardens with buried wire mesh or hardware cloth around raised beds.
- Remove nearby food sources like clover patches and weedy edges when you can.
- Check your yard in early spring, when gophers first come out.
Our Gopher Control Process
- Inspect: We walk your property, identify the species, find active burrows, and assess the scope of the problem.
- Treat: We choose the right method for your site and the Alberta rules that apply, with humane and safe handling in mind.
- Exclude and seal: We close off or fix tunnels, protect vulnerable areas, and give you practical advice to make your yard less attractive.
- Monitor: We follow up to make sure activity has stopped and nothing new has moved in.
- Report and guarantee: You’ll get a clear summary of what we found and what we did, along with details of our service guarantee.
Our Service Areas for Gopher Control
Gophers dig up your lawn and leave mounds everywhere. Wherever you are, our local team is ready to help.
Gopher Control in Edmonton
Fresh dirt mounds and torn-up grass across your Edmonton yard? Gophers are hard at work. We’ll trap them and protect your lawn.
Gopher Control in Calgary
Holes and tunnels ruining your Calgary lawn or field? Those are gophers. We’ll remove them and help stop new ones moving in.
Gopher Control in Red Deer
Gophers digging up your Red Deer yard or acreage? We’ll trap them quickly and get your property back to normal.
Related Pest Services
FAQs About Major Pest Control Services
Usually, Major Pest Control Gopher control price starts from $495. But the actual cost depends on property size, the number of active burrows and the species. We’ll give you a clear quote after assessing your property. Call us or request a free quote to get started.
The most effective approach is a professional inspection followed by targeted removal and burrow exclusion. Acting in early spring, before pups are born, makes control much easier. Home remedies rarely solve the problem for long, especially with Richardson’s ground squirrels.
Early spring, from March to May, is ideal. Gophers have just come out of hibernation, and litters haven’t yet grown large. Summer control still works, but populations are often bigger and harder to manage.
In Alberta, “gopher” usually means the Richardson’s ground squirrel. True pocket gophers are a different animal that lives mostly underground. They look different, behave differently and need different control methods.
Yes. We help homeowners, acreage owners, rural properties, businesses and landlords across Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and surrounding communities.
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