The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-11-25
TO TRAP GOPHERS !;
NEXT SATURDAY
Leo. X. Couch of u. S. Geological
Survey Will Give DemOnstra-
ton on Caha Place

County Agent v. L. Georgeson has
been spending several days in com.
pany with Leo w. Couch, of the U. S
Bureau of Biological Survey in work.
ing out control methods for rodents
in Benton county. As part of the
program in this county rabbit drave
in the Fruitvale district Saturday, De-
cember 4. This will be a shotgun
drive in order that more excitement
and sport for those who participate.
Mr.. Couch, at o'clock Saturday af-
ternoon of this week, November q,
will demonstrate the trapping of poe
ket gophers. The demonstration will
be held on the Gaia place on the Riv-
er Road at the foot of Columbia ave-
nue., just at the northwest edege Of
town. This will be an interesting
demonstration to anyone who is both
cred with gophers.
Regarding the trapping of this 'ro-
dent Mr.. Couch says:
"The enormous amount of damage
done by the pocket gopher in the
State of Washington would be hard to
estimate but it reaches many thous-
ands of dollars. This little animal
is not to be confused with the word
gopher as applied to the small ground
squirrel of the middle west. The true
gopher is small rodent possessing
external, fur-lined cheek pouches, has
large fore-feet with long powerful
claws. He differs from the ground
squirrel in that he is seldom seen,
living in underground tunnels from
three to ten inches below the surface
where he feeds upon the roots of near
ly all kinds of crops: They are par
ticularly fond of carrots, parsnips,
sweet potatoes, potatoes alfalfa and
dandelion roots and roots of young
trees.
"Pocket gophers are controlled by
poisoning and trapping. Poisoning is
the more effective and practical meth
cd for Kidding large areas, but the
trapping can be done successfully on a
small scale or on a large area where
the infestation is light. Trapping can
also be resorted to as supplement to
the poison. In this article the trap
ping will be discussed.
"1n trapping gophers, a little con-
corning the habits of the animals must
be noted before success can be as
sured. AS has been stated before,
the pocket gopher lives in subterran-
can tunnels. Openings from the tun-
nels to the surface are made at inter-
walls Of a few feet, through which
the loose earth, dug from the burrows
is pushed out in little heaps, varying
from few quarts to a bushel. The
opening is then closed by packing it
full of earth. It is this last act that |
is taken advantage of in trapping.
The gopher closes the burrow to keep
Wv chy AOoeA "a CIlCAulSS, SuCu rs L
snakes, weasels, etc., and will climb |
over any obstruction to see that this
is done. The Macabee trap has been
constructed on that principal and is
BY far the most effective of all spec
ial traps.
"In setting Macabee trap, open
up a fresh mound the opening of
which is located under the last plug.
The trap is set we'll within opening
and left uncovered. The light and air
causes the gopher to return in very
short time to re-plug the opening,
springing the trap. A little spoon or
trowel twelve inches long made to
tit the burrow is very instrumental
in opening the burrow and setting the
trap.
"On small scale the Macabee trap
# set properly, can be effective on
4 small acreage. Demonstration of