To maximize pocket gopher bait effectiveness, where should baits be applied?

• A. In surface runways
• B. In tunnels near new mounds
• C. At trees near the field
• D. Along fence lines

Answer: (B)

Target the gopher’s active burrow system, placing bait where the animal actually travels. Pocket gophers stay largely underground and move through interconnected tunnels; bait placed inside these tunnels is far more likely to be encountered and ingested than bait left on surface features. Fresh mounds indicate recent tunnel activity, so locating bait near these new openings puts it directly in the path the gopher uses for feeding and moving through the burrow system, maximizing uptake and effectiveness. Surface runways can be exposed to weather, trampling, and non-targets, making them less reliable, while baits placed along trees or fence lines don’t align with the main travel routes the gopher uses.