[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

When we first moved to the country more than a decade ago, we were enjoying the countrified ambience, including a Richardson Ground Squirrel, the common gopher, moving in. Cute guy!!!

Then he started to dig and dig in very inconvenient places. This wouldn't do. He was disturbing our wah and our yard.

I phoned the Humane Society and asked if there was a way to humanely trap the cheeky fellow and move him somewhere.

The person on the other end of the line seemed to misunderstand the question because they launched into talking about concussion bombs to blow their brains out, pouring kerosene down the hole to burn them out . . . . . and various other methods of mass destruction.

I finally got it through to the Humane Society person I wanted to trap it and move it somewhere. "Oh . . . . I guess you could do that. Where are you going to move it? Farmers don't want him. They'll just kill him too."

So . . . . . I killed him. This was a disturbing event and I actually felt pretty bad disposing of the corpse, bidding him farewell, digging him a little grave, etc, etc.

Then more came.

Soon it was just "plop" over the other side of the fence with the bodies. No ceremony. Eventually the dogs just took care of them, including one mortifying scene where they played tug of war with one and ripped his squealing ass in half right in front of me before I could stop it. (Cue nightmares).

But the Northern Pocket Gophers, said subterranean gophers, were the worst. They are beneath the dogs attention, rarely surfacing like Richardson Ground Squirrels.

I had the traps but I couldn't figure out the bait until a little old lady told me the bait should be light. Then the slaughter started. About 22 late one Fall. Then over 70 each of the following two summers as I finally cleared out my field, then about 20 a year for several more years and now . . . . . . about five to ten a year.

I still toss them over the fence. Someone drags them off and eats them. Hello food chain!!!

But I still remember that first guy and my call to The Humane Society.

It shows you the priority placed on the gopher population when the Humane Society is suggesting concussion bombs and kerosene.

Cowperson