Someone or something is stealing my gopher traps. 😡😡

[TheWaterbug]

I use the Victor Black Box 0625 traps in a vain attempt to protect my garden, and several times this season I've returned to the site of a placed trap to find it missing.

The only scenario that makes sense to me is that a gopher got caught, and then a coyote came and took the whole shebang away.
I can't imagine a dog would take it without the owner taking it away from the dog and throwing it back into my garden.

Anyone else have an alternative theory of the crime?

[Gary350]

Buy a dog leash holder and swing set chair attach it to your trap so it can't leave. You can buy a short 3 ft piece of this type chain $2 at the hardware store. Dog leash holders come is several designs buy the cheapest one. Walmart camping section has these screw in the soil things to attach ropes just like dog leash holders.

[digitS']

WaterBug, a coyote did quite a number in my country garden, last year. I didn't much mind but, then again, he wasn't stealing protection. He was adding to it.

He broke 4 stakes in a little string and stake trellis. Two garden paths away, he left a dead rabbit.

I easily repaired the trellis. Carried the rabbit off to a corner and buried it. I put several big rocks, maybe about 25# each on top of the "grave." The next day, the rocks had been moved and the rabbit was missing. Clever fella to know where the meal had gotten to. Vigorous and determined predator to have around the garden.

Last week, I saw the first Mountain Cottontail and Hoary Marmot near the garden in 2020. I had seen coyote tracks earlier in the season. I hope Wile E comes a-visiting again.

Steve

[TheWaterbug]

Thanks, all! Yes, I'm going to try tying the trap to a stake and see if that helps. Then again, sometimes it's better if the coyote just takes the trap.

Because do you know what's more disgusting than removing a dead gopher from a trap? Removing half of a dead gopher from a trap. Ugh.

[digitS']

Might want to leave the job to the 4-legged patron.

Ha! This morning: coyote tracks in the garden.

I may not see Benjamin Bunny or Marty Marmot for awhile. BTW, sometimes, I don't even know about a resident vole until there is suddenly a hole. Wile E is pretty good about not damaging the tomato plants, where the voles like to claim a homestead.

Steve

[TheWaterbug]

Steve, I would like to borrow your coyote.

[applestar]

LOL (sorry nothing to contribute but I’m kinda enjoying reading this thread )

...continuing tale of TheWaterbug serving “takeout” / “curbside pickup” gophers to local patrons (are they social distancing? Wearing masks?) Should the gophers be served in re-usable packaging ...but the patrons are not returning them, cleaning has been a problem... or should the concept be changed to U-Pick (BYO -optional- container) and dine-in per digitS....

[TNCatHerder]

Threads like these make me grateful that I am doing everything in pots.

[digitS']

Okay WaterBug. This picture was taken almost 9 years ago in the big garden.

4989_dsc00335.jpg (44.76 KiB) Viewed 10946 times

I was probably about 100 feet away with just a little camera for this snapshot. I'm in the neighbor's garden, taking the picture over the top of his raspberries. Those are my squash plants and sunflowers on the other side. The other neighbor's lawn and garage are beyond Wile E.

He quickly disappeared after this. I have a feeling that this may be Senior and I now have Junior patrolling for pests.

Steve

[TheWaterbug]

Long overdue update on this, but I found my traps! I found them in late 2020, behind my shed, about 30' away from where I'd used them. During the same period of time I put up some trail cameras and got a lot of good video of our growing coyote population:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCG4YcW ... 9&index=46

Furthermore, more recently I'd caught a few more gophers in my tomato patch and buried them right back in the tunnels where I'd caught them, under the theory that the macabre scene would discourage other gophers from moving right in.

Someone smelled the carcasses and dug them right back up:




They also chewed off all 8 emitters and chewed holes in the main supply hose:





I think I can submit this to the DA and charge the coyotes.

[Taiji]

Thanks, all! Yes, I'm going to try tying the trap to a stake and see if that helps. Then again, sometimes it's better if the coyote just takes the trap.

Because do you know what's more disgusting than removing a dead gopher from a trap? Removing half of a dead gopher from a trap. Ugh.

Or...removing a still alive gopher from a trap. Yecch. I usually free them and put em back down in the hole hoping they'll make it, I'm such a softy. ha ha Lots of gophers here in central arizona.

[TheWaterbug]

Lol! Really? And then you set the trap again?

The one time I pulled a trap with a live gopher in it, I had to drown him in a bucket. That was bad.

[applestar]

I was reading your sig — do you still have peafowls laying eggs along your walk? I loved those photos you posted before

[Taiji]

Lol! Really? And then you set the trap again?

The one time I pulled a trap with a live gopher in it, I had to drown him in a bucket. That was bad.

I know, totally illogical! Actually, I think that was the last trap I set in that particular garden.