Pocket gophers are burrowing rodents, which live almost entirely underground. They are well adapted to their underground existence, with stout forelegs and strong, curved claws for digging.

NAMPA — The Canyon County pest control district has declared one rodent a pest worth trapping: the pocket gopher.

It's important to work on blocking, trapping or poisoning gophers quickly to minimize further damage. Some other widely advertised gopher control methods are largely ineffective.

What makes this misidentification an issue is that there are species-specific control methods for both pocket gophers and ground squirrels, one of which is the use of strychnine.

I have found that the best method of gopher control is simply asking them to move. You can do this by pouring a foul-smelling liquid into their tunnel system.

Its ease and efficiency make nontoxic gopher control viable even for farmers with large acreages and for homeowner associations with extensive landscaping.

I may have offended a few people last month when I suggested only lethal forms of gopher control rather than subtler, more tolerant methods.

OVERTON -- Gophers can be a nuisance to hay and livestock producers, and springtime is a good time to address them, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.