Best Gopher Traps
DID YOU KNOW?
Gophers carry diseases like rabies and the plague and their dirt mounds can create walking hazards all over your property.
To keep your yard safe and beautiful, take preventive steps to keep gophers away.
The Best Gopher Traps
Protecting your garden and landscaping is a top priority, but gophers can quickly spoil your efforts. And once they’ve settled in, it’s hard to convince them to leave. Trapping them and removing them from your property can help you to preserve your property’s aesthetic.
Due to the wealth of options, it can be overwhelming to narrow down your trap choices. However, we took the time to do this work for you. Here are four of the best gopher traps.
How We Found the Exploring the Best Gopher Traps
8 Reviewers
30 Products Considered
4 Products Reviewed
3 Top Picks
Gopher Problem?
Professional Humane Live Animal Trap
Pros
- This trap can trap more than one gopher at once
- The trigger is very sensitive
- Even with intense struggle, gophers cannot escape
- The position of the handles prevents animals inside from scratching or biting you
- You can make minor modifications if necessary
Cons
- A clever gopher may get the bait without going into the trap
- May be more expensive than other options
OUR VERDICT
The Professional Humane Live Animal Trap is a large trap that prevents escapes, is ideal for most environments, is easy to assemble, durable, no kill and simple to use.
Our Review
The Professional Humane Live Animal Trap is large enough to trap more than one gopher at a time, and it prevents escapes once a gopher is inside. The material is a wire mesh that resists rust so that you can keep it outside in the elements without issue.
The trigger rod is outside the trap, so the gopher cannot damage it when they are inside. When you are moving the trap or releasing the animal, the position of the components keeps you safe. The bait hook can hold any bait you prefer, and it is easy to attach bait. This element ensures that you can quickly set up the trap when you need it.
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Trapro Humane Rat Trap Cage
Pros
- This trap sets up in minutes
- This trap will work for gophers of all sizes
- You can place these directly in your garden
- The handle placement allows for safe carrying when a gopher is inside
- The safety latch prevents injury to your fingers when setting the trap
Cons
- The wire mesh may bend if you drop or crush the trap
- Look for sharp edges inside so the animal doesn’t harm themselves once caught
OUR VERDICT
The Trapro Humane Rat Trap Cage is easy to use, shuts and locks quickly, and prevents gophers from escaping.
Our Review
The Trapro Humane Rat Trap Cage is a way to trap gophers on your property without killing them. Once you get them in the trap, take them away from your property and release them into the wild.
The pedal that triggers the trap is ultra-sensitive. This feature ensures that as soon as the gopher touches this, the trap door will close sealing the gopher inside. Once the door on this trap closes, it locks. This feature combined with the small mesh openings ensure that the gopher is not able to escape once the animal is in the trap. Gophers can thrash and move without being able to compromise the lock and escape.
Havahart Live Animal Cage Trap
Pros
- You can safely release the animal from the trap easily
- This trap is large enough to catch two small gophers at once
- You can put bait in multiple areas to attract gophers
- The springs are very sturdy
- This trap is strong enough for large gophers
Cons
- Very lightweight gophers may not trigger the trap
- A gopher might be able to push their way out of the trap
OUR VERDICT
The Havahart Live Animal Cage Trap has two doors and a sensitive trigger mechanism for efficient capturing of gophers.
Our Review
The Havahart Live Animal Cage Trap features two doors for easy baiting, setting, and releasing of the gophers that you trap. This trap has two spring-loaded doors, an external trigger rod, and a big protective handle guard. The material of the trap is a wire mesh. This material will not rust, so you can put this trap outside frequently in the rain without it degrading. This trap also has steel reinforcements for additional strength.
The small mesh openings reduce the risk of gophers stealing the bait without getting into the trap. The handle guard protects you when you are transporting the gopher. The animal will not be able to reach out to bite or scratch your hands when they are in the trap.
Victor Easy Set Gopher Trap
Pros
- You can set these with one arm or limited hand strength
- You can place these traps in your garden
- This trap appears to hug gophers firmly after trapping them
- Gophers cannot escape once the device traps them
- This trap works for gophers of all sizes
Cons
- Must check frequently so animal doesn’t expire in trap
- This trap might not fit into small gopher tunnels
- Must wear heavy gloves when removing a live gopher
OUR VERDICT
The Victor Easy Set Gopher Trap has a narrow design, is ideal for gopher tunnels, and works in all types of soil.
Our Review
The Victor Easy Set Gopher Trap involves two devices that you place at either end of a gopher tunnel. This ability makes it possible to catch a gopher no matter which entrance they use. The moving parts of the traps are all below the ground, so there is no danger to people or pets. Once a gopher triggers the trap, it quickly hugs them so that they are unable to escape.
You do not have to assemble these traps, so once you get them, you can immediately start using them. Simply follow the illustrated operating instructions to ensure that you are setting the traps safely and properly.
Facts About Gophers
You will find this animal throughout the United States. Gophers are solitary creatures that tend to live alone in their tunnels. They build their tunnels about 18 inches below the surface. Their nesting chamber is typically much deeper. This is generally an average of six feet below the surface. Overall, their territories measure approximately 700 yards once they finish tunneling. They are active night and day to build their tunnels and look for food.
Gophers have a voracious appetite. Occasionally, they will seek out grubs, insects, and earthworms as a food source. During the winter, they do not hibernate, but they do try to stay in their tunnels as much as possible. Throughout the warm months they work to store food in their tunnels for this purpose.
Choosing and Using Gopher Traps
There are different gopher traps you will come across while looking for the best one for your space. Metal and wood are common materials. Wire mesh is typically superior since it is resistant to rust and strong enough to prevent the gopher from escaping once in the trap.
Look for one with a sensitive spring to ensure efficient trapping once the gopher triggers it. This feature will help to reduce the risk of gophers getting away before the doors on the trap close.
Gophers are relatively small, so your trap does not have to be too big. Most standard gopher traps provide enough space for two adult gophers should two interact with the cage at the same time. Ideally, you want to look for a trap with the following dimensions: 32 inches long by 10 inches wide by 12 inches high. Look for a trap with these minimum dimensions. If the trap is a bit larger, this is typically fine.
A live trap will usually have one or two doors. When you choose a trap with one door, you will do all of the setting, baiting and releasing of the gopher through the single door. With a two-door trap, there is a door at the back and one at the front of the trap. With this type, you will release the gopher and bait the trap using the sliding back door. Typically, you will set the trap via the front door.
Both of these traps are viable options for gophers. The single-door option tends to be easier to operate and safe. However, the double-door option usually allows for easier baiting and releasing of the gopher. Always check your local trapping laws before you place your trap. You should also explore the potential risks so that you can take the proper safety precautions.
Before placing the trap, wash the device with hot water and soap. This process eliminates the human scent getting on the trap. The human scent may prevent gophers from going into it. Then, place the trap where gophers are on your property.
The bait that you use should be something that gophers desire. Most traps have a bait tray or arm inside. Place the bait on this. However, you should also place some of the bait right outside the door to attract the gopher to the trap. Look for a bait that is specific to gophers. It is important that the animal wants the bait to help lure them into the cage.
Once you have a gopher in your trap, you have to release the animal safely. Take the animal very far away from your property and put on thick gloves and protective clothing. Open the trap door according to the release instructions.
Summary
Use this information to your advantage when you are shopping for the best gopher traps. Before buying and using your trap, consult the laws regarding wildlife in your area to make sure you are using the trap properly. To ensure the best results and safety, always follow the product’s usage instructions exactly.