Sask. Hunting organization offers to target gophers for farmers

Their chubby cheeks, inquisitive nature and playful behavior are endearing to many, but to farmers they are destructive pests.

Gophers, also known as Richardson’s ground squirrels, cause thousands of dollars in damage to farmers by destroying crops and creating burrows that damage machinery and endanger livestock.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency banned the use of strychnine to control their numbers in 2024 because it poses a risk to other wildlife, including endangered species, through secondary poisoning and is considered inhumane.

Last year, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) began offering a free gopher control program in an effort to fill the gap.

“It grew out of requests for gopher control over the course of a few years,” said Executive Director Todd Smith.

If farmers want to take advantage of the offer then they can contact the organization.

“We’ll take their name and contact information, and then what we’ll do is we’ll send that information to the branch that’s closest to their location within the province. That branch will have designated members who have agreed to participate,” said Smith.

The hunters are all volunteers, some of whom are able to suggest names of farmers who may need assistance, he said, adding that SWF members are covered by $5 million in liability insurance. He said, they will act in a responsible and ethical manner.

James Husband, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Hazelwood, said the program is a good thing, but it doesn’t combat the larger issue.

“The population of gophers grows faster than you can control them. Plus, if you’re hunting gophers, you’re getting the gophers that are on the surface, and come April 10, the ones that are breeding and causing them to multiply never come up above ground.”

He said strychnine is effective because it will penetrate the gophers’ burrows, and the best time to prevent population growth is when the rodents come out of hibernation.

Edmund Sanganyado, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan, said he considers shooting gophers a more humane solution to the problem than poisoning.

He said, “If it’s a professional who is actually doing the shooting. That means the animal actually died between a few seconds to minutes after the shooting.”

Strychnine causes rapid onset of muscle spasms and seizures. Death may occur within minutes to hours.

Adult male gophers emerge from mid-February to early March; Females follow in mid-March. Now is the time to hunt them down, Smith said.

“If you can get the gophers before the kits are born, you are minimizing the potential impact on the farmer’s crop and livelihood.”

Some farmers have found methods that don’t involve guns.

“Lately we’ve been using zinc phosphide because strychnine hasn’t been available for the last several years and that’s fine,” said farmer Don Connick.

“But it’s not as effective as strychnine, plus it takes a lot more labor and is more expensive.”