EDUCATION

The core of the Gopher Blasters program is the education to the landowner regarding safe and effective “control” of rodents. Gopher Blasters recognizes and supports a clean environment and utilizes methods of low impact management practices to ensure we are not contributing to diminishing water quality or increasing erosion in and around the MCZ.

Gopher Blasters employs the use of subterranean blasting to ensure complete efficacy of rodent populations. The blast effect is immediate and does not cause protracted suffering to the rodents.

All rodent carcasses remain underground with no residual harmful effect to the ground water supply or the spread of disease. Unlike inorganic pesticides and rodenticides, the methods employed by Gopher Blasters will not have residual kill to non-targeted animals as well as humans.

Treatment cost using subterranean blasting can be compared with Phostoxin Rodenticide and trapping. Initial costs can be generally higher for subterranean blasting than the other conventional methods. However, the results show a nearly 100% effect over a greater treatment area which is significantly higher than results shown with the use of Phostoxin and trapping. The treated blast areas should only require periodic follow up treatments if new populations move into the area.

It is important to note that controlling rodents requires a long term management plan to ensure the effectiveness of treating an area. Controlling rodents via mechanical or chemical treatments is considered a management tool for curtailing rodent populations in a specific area. The expectations are to control the population of rodents, not eradicate.

It is impossible to totally eradicate the rodent population. This is due to the inherent characteristic of the territorial habits of the gophers and moles. They migrate and travel and breed profusely.

This is why it’s imperative to properly control the population by monthly extermination.

The migration of rodents from outside a treated area will make timely follow up treatments necessary and consistent with an overall management plan.

In working with landowners, it is necessary to convey the following information to ensure that the proposal for control is accurate and complete:

1. All livestock and pets need to be removed from the site due to blast charges. Livestock should be corralled to minimize damage.

2. Any and all buried water or other utility lines need to be identified in or adjacent to the blasting sites.
3. Local police or Sheriff Departments need to be notified that blasting will be occurring.
4. Landowners will be responsible for the additional treatment expenses as necessary for follow up blasting in the Managed Control Zones.