Ground squirrels have eaten EVERYTHING

[Carri]

Long time no post... I'm usually on BYC!

Anyway, DH and I live on a half acre with our dogs, horses and chickens. We had a gorgeous back lawn and just as I was planting a veggie garden and starting to dig into other areas, the gophers came. We battled with them and won but still managed to save the grass (the veggie garden, not so much).
Now we are infested with ground squirrels. My neighborhood is sort of track house-ish but all of the lots are half acres of horse property. The squirrels have come over from a neighbor's yard and set up camp in a rail road tie retaining wall, eating chicken food and my lawn in the process.
We now have NO lawn. It's all dirt. We've moved the chicken coops and are in the process of tearing out the retaining wall where these things are living. They have moved back to the neighbor's yard and still come over for a chicken food and horse hay feast, despite our best efforts.
How can I get rid of these? I'd prefer not to live trap and relocate. These things are such a problem that I don't want to give the problem to someone else.

 

[digitS']

Hi Carri, I think the title of your post is accurate and it is a little confusing to call these pests from H E double hockey stick - "gophers" .

They aren't pocket gophers who spend 99.99% of their time underground but squirrels that live in burrows. They race across open ground to find new locations to eat . . . well, EVERYTHING (as your title so well puts it ).

One family of ground squirrels will turn several thousand square feet of the most beautiful green landscape into barren moonscape. Just one of these creatures in the veggie garden will eliminate all your peas and beans overnight! And then, move on to EVERYTHING else.

I've been very successful with using a piece of wood, a heavy hammer, and assorted burrow-sized rocks. I've had people point out to me that in my neck of the woods, ground squirrels live one-half the year underground so I may not be killing them by driving rocks into their burrows . . . I don't know. They aren't the bravest critters out there - maybe the harassment causes them to move. I don't really care, they stop eating my gardens.

Steve

 

[Carri]

I want these things dead. I also need to know how to get rid of them quickly if they come back. We are putting new grass in but can't until this problem is taken care of. This is the first year they have shown up.
Any more ideas?

 

[4grandbabies]

I dont know a thing about getting rid of them, other than my cats are great little hunters and dont give them a minute for any thing. I do know those little guys will also wreck havoc on any vehicle that sits a while, they will get in under the hood and try to make nests, chew up wiring, and anything else chewable. awww and they really are so cute.

 

[vfem]

I am not really sure what you speak of?! As for gophers... I REALLY have those, and bad. I occasionally catch my neighbor's cat trying to kill one... but I am yet to catch and kill one though I have tried!!!

I am all about throwing fire crackers into holes of animals I don't want around. I also have a BB gun just in case!!! (I've hit a few cats and dogs when needed to save my little chickens.)

 

[Carri]

My husband has shot several with a pellet rifle and we're not below stuffing bottle rockets down their holes. BUT... we're out of bottle rockets and they are illegal in my county and just about every county around me. I'll have to see if I can pick some up when we're in Vegas next weekend.....

 

[vfem]

My husband has shot several with a pellet rifle and we're not below stuffing bottle rockets down their holes. BUT... we're out of bottle rockets and they are illegal in my county and just about every county around me. I'll have to see if I can pick some up when we're in Vegas next weekend.....

Don't feel so bad... they are illegal here too... we just drive to South Carolina and get them a few times a year!

 

[Carri]

Steve- I got your PM. Very interesting!! My husband wants to give it a shot.

For everyone else... http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/ evice.html

 

[Beekissed]

A couple of good barn cats should help! Mine keep my area completely devoid of squirrels of any kind, as well as mice, rats, moles or voles and rabbits. If they miss one, my dog nails them.

 

[Carri]

I'm not a cat person, and my dogs aren't fond, either. I only have a half acre otherwise I'd think about getting a couple of cats!