Revised May 2008 Agdex 684-1 Control of Pocket Gophers and Ground Squirrels Pocket gophers Pocket gophers (Figure 1), commonly called moles, are a problem in pastures and hayland throughout much of Alberta. They also eat garden crops and kill woody plants and shrubs by feeding on the roots. Pocket gophers tend to feed above ground in late spring and early summer, when stems and leaves are most nutritious. As the nutritional quality of stems and leaves declines, pocket gophers turn to feeding below ground on roots and other plant parts. These gophers create extensive burrow systems in search of food. Soil from the burrows is deposited in mounds above ground. Increased mounding by gophers coincides with the haying season. One animal may make up to 50 mounds per year through its burrowing activity. The mounds cause wear on farm machinery and necessitate slower operating speeds. Mounds also smother desirable vegetation, provide a seedbed for annual weeds and reduce stand density, particularly in legumes. Biology Unlike ground squirrels that hibernate, pocket gophers are active throughout the winter, feeding and burrowing beneath the snow. Females have one litter of four to six young during late May or June. The young mature quickly and move out into surrounding areas during late summer and fall. They tend to be solitary with one occupant per burrow system, exc
