Pocket gophers
Best gopher traps
The best gopher trap is a tunnel trap set in a fresh pocket-gopher run, then covered so the burrow goes dark again. A mouse snap on the lawn does not touch Pocket gopher. These are lethal tools. Keep children and pets off the set, and confirm you are not trapping a protected animal under a local rule.
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Best classic: Macabee-style gopher trap. A Macabee-style trap sits in the run the gopher reopens. Find a fresh mound, open the tunnel, set two traps facing opposite directions when the tunnel allows, and exclude light.
Compare the picks
| Role | Tool | Best for | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best classic | Macabee-style gopher trap | An open main tunnel | Hardware |
| Best two-pin set | Cinch-style gopher trap | A wider or firmer tunnel | Hardware |
Which one to buy
Hardware
Macabee-style gopher trap
Best classic — A Macabee-style trap sits in the run the gopher reopens. Find a fresh mound, open the tunnel, set two traps facing opposite directions when the tunnel allows, and exclude light.
Hardware
Cinch-style gopher trap
Best two-pin set — A cinch trap is easier for some people to place in a clean tunnel. It still has to be in the active run. A trap in an old, collapsed mound catches nothing.
How to tell the tunnel is active
Knock down fresh mounds in the morning and see which ones return. That is the runway worth opening. Probes and shovels both work. If you leave the trap in daylight, the gopher plugs the hole and buries the set. Cover the opening with sod or a board and soil.
Poison baits for gophers are a separate, labeled product with pet and non-target risk. This page is the trap. Do not pour gasoline, exhaust, or unlabelled fumigant into a burrow.
Common questions
Will a mouse trap catch a gopher?
Not as a plan. The gopher is underground. Use a trap made for the tunnel.
What is the best bait for a gopher trap?
Many tunnel traps do not need bait. Placement in the open run matters more. If you bait, use a small piece of the plant they are already eating, and still cover the light.
How many traps do I need?
Two per active system is a practical start, checked daily. A lawn with a dozen fresh mounds needs you to find which tunnels are live before you buy a bucket of traps.