Setting a Victor gopher trap comes down to three things: finding the right tunnel, positioning the trap correctly inside it, and blocking light from the opening. The Victor Black Box Gopher Trap (Model M0626) uses a spring-triggered choker loop made of galvanized steel inside a weather-resistant plastic housing. When a gopher passes through, the loop cinches and kills it quickly. Getting a catch, though, depends more on where and how you place the trap than on the trap itself.
Find the Main Tunnel, Not a Side Push
Gophers create two kinds of tunnels. The fan-shaped mounds of dirt you see on the surface sit at the end of short lateral tunnels, which the gopher may only use once. The main runway runs deeper, usually 6 to 12 inches below the surface, connecting those laterals in a roughly straight line. You want to trap in the main tunnel because the gopher travels through it repeatedly.
To find it, use a gopher probe (a long metal rod or even a sturdy dowel). Push the probe into the ground about 8 to 12 inches away from a fresh mound, on the side where the crescent-shaped plug of soil is visible. When the probe suddenly drops about 2 inches with little resistance, you’ve hit a tunnel. Probe in a few spots to confirm the direction the tunnel runs, then dig down to open it up. You need a hole wide enough to slide the trap in and see which way the tunnel extends in both directions.
Set the Trap Before Placing It
The Victor Black Box has a one-click set mechanism. Hold the trap with the opening facing away from you and press or step down on the set lever until you hear a distinct click. That click means the internal kill bar is locked and active. Keep your fingers away from the loop opening once you hear it. The spring tension is strong enough to cause a painful pinch or bruise if it snaps on your hand.
A note on the trap’s construction: the M0626 uses a plastic trigger mechanism that some users find less sensitive than the older wire-hook design of the discontinued M0625. If you notice the trigger feels stiff, make sure the set lever clicks fully into place. A partially engaged lever can result in the gopher pushing past the trap without triggering it.
Place Two Traps Facing Opposite Directions
A single trap only catches a gopher coming from one direction. Since you can’t predict which way the animal will approach, you need two traps in every tunnel opening, one facing each way. This is the standard method recommended by university extension programs across the western U.S.
Slide each trap into the tunnel so the loop opening faces the direction a gopher would travel from. Push it in far enough that the trap sits about half an inch past the edge of the hole you dug. If you leave it too close to the opening, the gopher will sense the breach and start plugging it with soil before it ever reaches the trigger. The jaws of the set trap should touch or nearly touch the tunnel walls. For most pocket gopher species, the tunnel is roughly 2.5 to 3 inches wide, which matches the jaw width of standard traps. If the tunnel is significantly wider than the trap, the gopher can squeeze around it.
Once the trap is in position, press it down gently so it sits flat against the tunnel floor. This is called “bedding” the trap. A trap that wobbles or sits at an angle is less likely to trigger properly when the gopher crosses it.
Cover the Hole to Block Light
Gophers are extremely sensitive to light and airflow entering their tunnels. Their instinct when they detect an opening is to rush toward it and pack it shut with soil, which can bury your trap without triggering it. After placing both traps, cover the excavated hole with a clod of dirt, a flat board, or a thick handful of grass. The goal is to block most of the light while still allowing you to uncover and check the traps later. A piece of cardboard weighed down with a rock works well.
Skip the Bait
You don’t need to bait a gopher trap. Researchers at UC Davis tested whether placing food bait behind the trap improves capture rates and found no benefit. Gophers aren’t drawn to traps by smell. They encounter them because they’re traveling through their own tunnel and physically run into the trigger. The trap’s placement in the active runway is what determines success, not an attractant.
Check Traps Daily and Relocate if Needed
Check your traps at least once a day. Gophers are active at all hours, so a catch can happen at any time. If you haven’t caught anything after one or two days, the tunnel you chose is likely inactive. Pull the traps and move them to a new location near a fresher mound. Fresh mounds have dark, moist soil. Older, inactive mounds look dry and weathered.
Keep in mind that gophers don’t always push up new mounds every day, so give a set at least a full 24 hours before deciding it’s in the wrong spot. If you notice the hole has been plugged with fresh soil but the trap hasn’t fired, the trap was probably too close to the opening or wasn’t bedded flat enough. Reset and push it a bit deeper into the tunnel.
Handling a Caught Gopher
When you pull a trap with a gopher in it, always wear gloves. Wildlife carcasses can carry fleas, ticks, and bacteria you don’t want on your skin. To dispose of the gopher, you have two options: place it back in the tunnel and cover the hole with soil, or double-bag it and put it in the trash. Reset the trap and place it in the same tunnel if you suspect more than one gopher is active in your yard. A single gopher can create dozens of mounds, but if new mounds keep appearing in different areas after a successful catch, you’re likely dealing with multiple animals.
Quick Setup Summary
- Probe 8 to 12 inches from a fresh mound to locate the main tunnel
- Dig down to expose the tunnel and identify both directions
- Set the trap by pressing the lever until it clicks
- Place two traps facing opposite directions, each about half an inch past the tunnel opening
- Bed each trap flat against the tunnel floor, snug against the walls
- Cover the hole to block light and airflow
- Check daily and relocate after 1 to 2 days with no catch