To poison gophers, the bait must be placed in their tunnel systems by hand or by a special machine known as a burrow builder. Strychnine acts rapidly and gophers sometimes die within an hour after consuming a lethal dose. If the label has directions for use with a burrow builder machine then it is a restricted-use pesticide. Underground baiting for pocket gopher control with strychnine presents minimal hazards to nontarget wildlife, either by direct consumption of bait or by eating poisoned gophers. Poison bait spilled on the ground surface may be hazardous to ground-feeding birds such as mourning doves.
Anticoagulants are now available for pocket gopher control.
Follow label instructions when using. Chlorophacinone is only registered for hand baiting and it is not a restricted-use pesticide. Bait can be placed in a burrow system by hand by using a special hand-operated bait dispenser probe, or by making an opening to the burrow system with a probe. With a commercially made reservoir-type bait probe dispenser, a button is pushed when the probe is in a burrow, and a metered dose of bait drops into the burrow. Care should be taken to avoid pushing the probe down into the floor of the tunnel which would greatly reduce the possibility of the gopher finding it.