HIM is a gopher. I've been tormented by him this summer. He first appeared, or at least evidence of him appeared, in July. It was the ever-recognizable pile of dirt in the flower bed. I thought that I could drown him, so I put the hose down his hole and let water run through his tunnels for 30 minutes and the water was bubbling up in the gutter. I thought, "That ought to do it." Ha! The next day he had a new pile a few feet out in the lawn. Another dose of water will take care of that, I thought. Another 30 minutes of water and I let it alone. He was gone for a month or so. The great white hunter moves to the top of the food chain again.
Nope, he was just sneaky and didn't push up a pile to be seen by his adversary. He got a little cocky around Labor Day weekend. He decided that the thtreat was gone and pushed up a new pile of dirt closer to the house this time. I was pretty disgusted that I'd failed, so I let him have his day and I brewed over it. I did take a look at rodent poison at WalMart and I talked to Dad about what I should do. He actually offered to send me some magic beans. Actually castor beans. They're supposed to be poisonous to gophers. Don't know the biology or chemistry of it, but Dad swears by it. Being the cheapskate that I am I again stuck the hose down the hole and flooded his tunnels. This time he'd pushed up closer to the house and the water trick was better suited because of the downhill slope from the house. My thoughts were that it would fill his tunnels and really get him this time. Don't remember how long I let the water run this time, but it was a while. I finished up and watched for gopher hills for a few days. No signs. I got him this time. The great whited hunter to the summit again!
Nope. About a week ago I was walking out the front down and looked into the flower bed and noticed a fresh pile of dirt. Could it be? Naw. I killed him last time. I took a closer look and sure enough...I'm mad now, but still not willing to give up on my water method. I put the hose down his hole and turned on the water. Two hours later the water finally bubbles up in the gutter. Two hours? That's one ambitious gopher. Sure enough all the old holes are wet or flowing with water. He's got to be dead this time. I put enough water in there to fill a couple of kiddie pools. I must have flooded every nook and cranny of his system.
Nope!!!! Just before I took off for Park City for the weekend I noticed that he'd pushed fresh dirt into the hole that I was using to flood his residence. I didn't have time to deal with him before heading out for a long weekend. I just put him out of my mind and enjoyed my weekend with the family (we'll do a seperate post for the weekend in Park City.)
Monday, October 15th, 2007. I got home from work. It's a beautiful day. Sunny and warm after a rainy cold weekend. The birds are singing and the kids are playing and laughing. All is wonderful. I get to the front porch and look to the flower bed. There it is. The fresh pile of dirt. I grabbed the hose and went to work. I pushed the hose into the hole and started the water. I went around back to do something and about five minutes later I returned to the front yard and noticed that the water was already running down the road. Darn it!!! I walked down to the hole that I was using to flood the tunnels and looked in. While I was bent over I saw something move in the corner of my eye. I looked up and...EUREKA!!!! There the little booger is. Not little really. He was about five inches long and fat from eating my tulip bulbs. I ran over to him and thought that he would run away. Nope. He started coming at me. I was ready for a chase and he wanted to take me on. I raised my boot and he bared his teeth and raised his front paws. YIKES!!! He wants to fight. So, I dispatched him. One quick stomp and he was gone. I couldn't believe how quick it was over. I was kinda disappointed. I didn't have anyone to tell. Mandy was downstairs on the computer and Sarah was over at her friends house. Janet was at work, so I called her and let her know my good news. The great white hunter IS the victor.
Nope, he was just sneaky and didn't push up a pile to be seen by his adversary. He got a little cocky around Labor Day weekend. He decided that the thtreat was gone and pushed up a new pile of dirt closer to the house this time. I was pretty disgusted that I'd failed, so I let him have his day and I brewed over it. I did take a look at rodent poison at WalMart and I talked to Dad about what I should do. He actually offered to send me some magic beans. Actually castor beans. They're supposed to be poisonous to gophers. Don't know the biology or chemistry of it, but Dad swears by it. Being the cheapskate that I am I again stuck the hose down the hole and flooded his tunnels. This time he'd pushed up closer to the house and the water trick was better suited because of the downhill slope from the house. My thoughts were that it would fill his tunnels and really get him this time. Don't remember how long I let the water run this time, but it was a while. I finished up and watched for gopher hills for a few days. No signs. I got him this time. The great whited hunter to the summit again!
Nope. About a week ago I was walking out the front down and looked into the flower bed and noticed a fresh pile of dirt. Could it be? Naw. I killed him last time. I took a closer look and sure enough...I'm mad now, but still not willing to give up on my water method. I put the hose down his hole and turned on the water. Two hours later the water finally bubbles up in the gutter. Two hours? That's one ambitious gopher. Sure enough all the old holes are wet or flowing with water. He's got to be dead this time. I put enough water in there to fill a couple of kiddie pools. I must have flooded every nook and cranny of his system.
Nope!!!! Just before I took off for Park City for the weekend I noticed that he'd pushed fresh dirt into the hole that I was using to flood his residence. I didn't have time to deal with him before heading out for a long weekend. I just put him out of my mind and enjoyed my weekend with the family (we'll do a seperate post for the weekend in Park City.)
Monday, October 15th, 2007. I got home from work. It's a beautiful day. Sunny and warm after a rainy cold weekend. The birds are singing and the kids are playing and laughing. All is wonderful. I get to the front porch and look to the flower bed. There it is. The fresh pile of dirt. I grabbed the hose and went to work. I pushed the hose into the hole and started the water. I went around back to do something and about five minutes later I returned to the front yard and noticed that the water was already running down the road. Darn it!!! I walked down to the hole that I was using to flood the tunnels and looked in. While I was bent over I saw something move in the corner of my eye. I looked up and...EUREKA!!!! There the little booger is. Not little really. He was about five inches long and fat from eating my tulip bulbs. I ran over to him and thought that he would run away. Nope. He started coming at me. I was ready for a chase and he wanted to take me on. I raised my boot and he bared his teeth and raised his front paws. YIKES!!! He wants to fight. So, I dispatched him. One quick stomp and he was gone. I couldn't believe how quick it was over. I was kinda disappointed. I didn't have anyone to tell. Mandy was downstairs on the computer and Sarah was over at her friends house. Janet was at work, so I called her and let her know my good news. The great white hunter IS the victor.
Amazing what a fuss I've made over such a small animal, isn't it?
