Trapping is the most effective way to get rid of both moles and gophers, but the techniques differ because these animals live and tunnel differently. Moles create shallow surface runs just below your lawn, while gophers dig deeper main burrows 4 to 12 inches underground. Knowing which pest you have determines which approach will actually work.
Identify Which Pest You Have
The mounds tell the story. Mole mounds are volcano-shaped with a roughly circular margin, and you’ll often see raised ridges snaking across your lawn where shallow tunnels push the soil up. Gopher mounds are crescent-shaped with a plugged opening on one side, and the tunnels themselves aren’t visible from the surface because they run deeper.
Both animals damage plant roots by dislodging and drying them out, and both create mounds that are tripping hazards in turf. But gophers are the bigger threat to gardens because they actively chew on roots, bulbs, and stems. Moles eat mostly insects and grubs, so the damage they cause is mainly from tunneling rather than feeding on your plants. If your vegetables or ornamentals are being eaten from below, you’re dealing with gophers.
How to Trap Moles
The three most common mole traps are scissor-style, harpoon-style, and in-line traps. All three work well when placed correctly. The critical step is finding an active tunnel first. Poke a small hole in the top of a raised run so you can see the open space below. If a mole is actively using that tunnel, it will re-plug the hole within 24 hours. That’s where you set your trap.
For scissor and harpoon traps, push down on the top of the run with your thumb to create a small obstruction in the mole’s path. This obstruction is what triggers the trap when the mole pushes through it. While holding up on the back of the trigger, press the trap down into the soil so the trigger sits firmly on the obstruction and the jaws straddle the run on both sides.
If the tunnel sits more than an inch below the surface, you’ll need a deep set. Remove a segment of soil as wide as the trap and deep enough for the jaws to fully straddle the run. Create your obstruction, set the trap, then backfill with soil so no light gets in. Moles avoid lit sections of their tunnels, so sealing the trap site completely is essential. Check traps daily and move them to a different active run if you haven’t caught anything within two or three days.
How to Trap Gophers
Gopher traps go underground inside the burrow itself, which means you need to locate the main tunnel first. A gopher probe, essentially a sturdy rod you push into the soil near fresh mounds, lets you feel when you’ve broken through into the tunnel. You may need to probe through 4 to 12 inches of hard-packed soil, so a probe with an enlarged tip makes it easier to detect that sudden drop when you hit the burrow.
The two most common gopher traps are pincer traps and box traps. Set them in pairs facing opposite directions inside the tunnel so you catch the gopher regardless of which way it approaches. Cover the opening completely to block light. Gopher traps don’t need food bait. Check them frequently, reset as needed, and keep trapping until no new mounds appear. Only set traps near fresh mounds, since those indicate active burrows.
Using Toxic Baits Safely
Many gopher baits contain zinc phosphide, which is highly effective but genuinely dangerous. When an animal swallows it, stomach acid converts the chemical into phosphine gas, which is toxic to rodents, dogs, cats, livestock, and people. Dogs find the bait smell appealing and will dig it up if it’s accessible. Even if a dog vomits after eating bait, the vomit itself can release phosphine gas that sickens anyone nearby.
Bait placement is everything. Always place gopher bait in the main underground tunnel, not the shorter lateral tunnels that branch off toward the surface. After locating the main tunnel with a probe, enlarge the opening by rotating the probe or inserting a larger stick. Use a spoon or funnel to drop bait into the hole following label directions, and clean up any bait that spills onto the surface. Spilled bait is a direct risk to pets, children, and wildlife.
For moles specifically, fewer bait products are available, and trapping remains the more reliable option.
Castor Oil Repellents
Castor oil products marketed as mole repellents show minor effectiveness. One university study found that a castor oil treatment reduced mole activity in a treated area for over 30 days, but results are inconsistent. For the best chance of working, you need to thoroughly water the product into the soil: irrigate with half an inch of water before applying the repellent, then follow up with at least one inch of water afterward. Without that level of saturation, the product won’t penetrate deep enough to reach the tunnels. Castor oil is best thought of as a temporary measure that might push moles to a different part of your yard rather than eliminate them.
Wire Mesh Barriers for Gophers
If you’re protecting raised beds, individual trees, or a specific garden area, underground wire mesh barriers are one of the most reliable long-term solutions. The mesh needs to be small enough that even young gophers can’t squeeze through. Hexagonal woven mesh with openings measuring 3/4 inch across is the standard, sized to block a gopher’s shoulder girth at weaning age (about 8 weeks). Use 20-gauge wire, which is thick enough to resist chewing.
For a perimeter fence around a garden bed, dig a trench 24 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Insert the wire vertically, then bend a 6-inch horizontal flap outward at the bottom of the trench. This L-shaped footer prevents gophers from digging straight down past the barrier. Leave 6 inches of mesh extending above ground level as well. Most gopher activity happens near the surface, so this depth handles the majority of tunneling. For individual planting holes, you can buy or make wire baskets that surround the root zone entirely.
What Professional Removal Costs
Professional mole and gopher removal typically runs between $100 and $550, with an average around $400. Gopher extermination specifically tends to fall in the $300 to $500 range. If you hire a trapper, expect a setup fee of about $75 to $150 for the initial visit, plus $50 to $80 per mole or gopher removed. Trap-and-release services cost more, generally $200 to $500.
Some properties attract repeat visitors, especially yards with moist, grub-rich soil (for moles) or sandy loam near irrigated gardens (for gophers). In those cases, recurring monthly service runs about $120 per visit. Professional help makes the most sense when you’ve tried trapping yourself without success, when the infestation covers a large area, or when you’re uncomfortable handling toxic baits around pets and children.
Why Some Popular Methods Don’t Work
Vibrating stakes, ultrasonic devices, chewing gum, flooding tunnels with a hose, and dropping mothballs into burrows are widely recommended online but have little to no scientific backing. Flooding can temporarily drive an animal out of a section of tunnel, but both moles and gophers simply seal off the flooded area and keep digging. Ultrasonic spikes have not been shown to repel either species in controlled studies. Your time and money are better spent on trapping, exclusion barriers, or professional help.