THE POCKET-GOPHER.
The pocket-gopher is found throughout the Mississippi Valley, ranging
westward into Colorado and Wyoming, southward into Mexico, and
northward into the prairie region of Canada. They are also found in
Alabama, Georgia and Florida. They appear to be most abundant in
those states bordering on the Mississippi River. There are a number
of different varieties, but as their habits are the same, a
description of the Prairie pocket-gopher, will be sufficient.
This animal measures, when full grown, about eight inches from the
end of the nose to the base of the tail. The tail is about two and a
half inches long, and thinly covered with hair. The color is a liver
brown, somewhat lighter on the under parts; the feet white. The legs
are very short; the feet armed with large claws, adapted to digging.
The head is large, no neck being visible. The eyes and ears are very
small. The incisors are large and chisel shaped, for cutting roots.
On each side of the face and neck are large pouches, having no
opening into the mouth. These pouches are not used for carrying dirt,
as is commonly supposed, but are only used for carrying food. The
animals known as the "grey-gopher" and the "striped-gopher" are no
gophers at all, but species of ground squirrels.
[Illustration: Burrow of Pocket Gopher.]
The gopher is a burrowing animal and is seldom seen above ground.
They are working almost all of the time, during the spring, summer
and fall, extending the burrows in search of food. They also work in
winter, when the ground is not frozen, and it is supposed that they
also work under the frozen ground, when it is not frozen too deep.
They are most active in the fall when they are storing up food for
winter.
The burrows will be found from six to twelve inches beneath the
surface of the ground, the usual depth being about eight inches. At
irregular distances along the burrow, the animal makes a short branch
passage leading up to the surface, where it deposits the dirt dug
from the main passage, in the form of a mound. After the dirt is all
thrown out, it closes the branch passage, packing the ground in
solidly, so that the only visible signs of the burrow are the mounds
of ground. There is a good reason why the animal should be so careful
to keep the passage closed, for they have a number of enemies besides
man. Its most dangerous enemies are, perhaps, the little spotted
skunk or civet cat and the bull snake, as both of these creatures,
once they get inside of the burrow, follow its course until they find
their victim.
The food of the gopher consists mostly of roots of plants but they
often cut the roots of fruit trees. They are particularly destructive
to alfalfa, and the loss to farmers, caused by these animals, is
considerable, not only from the plants destroyed by having the roots
cut, but also from the plants buried under the mounds, and from the
fact that the mounds interfere with the cutting of the crop. The fur
is of no value, but owing to the destructiveness of the animals, land
owners are very anxious to be rid of them. In many places a bounty
is paid on the gopher, so that they may be profitably trapped when
fur-bearing animals are of no value.
The traps recommended for the gopher are the No. 0 steel trap and
some of the various choker traps made especially for this use. In
setting steel traps, select the freshest mound, and by examining
closely, one can usually tell which way the dirt was thrown out, and
will know on which side to look for the burrow. A handy tool is a
slender, pointed iron rod to use as a probe in searching for the
burrow. Having located the passage, open it up and set the trap on
the bottom, sinking it down until level. Cover it lightly with dirt,
and close the hole by laying a small piece of board, or a shingle
over the opening, covering with ground.
The trap should be fastened with a stick, and the same stick will
serve as a marker, so that one can easily find the trap. A small
spade or a heavy garden trowel will be needed for digging and for
convenience, the traps, stakes, etc., may be carried in a large
basket. The regular gopher traps, mentioned above, are more easily
set than steel traps and printed directions for setting usually
accompany the traps. They should be set at one side of the burrow, on
a level with the bottom and with the mouth of the trap just even with
the side of the passage. Just a little light should be allowed to
penetrate from behind, and all other parts should be closed, so as to
exclude light.
The gopher, in coming along the passage, sees the light and goes to
investigate, when it will be caught in the trap. If too much light
shows up, he does not go close to look at it, but immediately brings
a load of dirt and proceeds to close the hole, thus burying the trap.
All loose dirt should be removed from the burrow before setting the
trap, as otherwise the gopher will gather up the dirt as it
approaches the light, and shove it into the trap.
[Illustration: The Cottontail Rabbit.]