I own 25 acres of quality wine grapes. Does erecting a Barn Owl box really help to rid an area of GOPHERS?
Yes and maybe. People may hope that natural predators will help, but trapping is the only effective method of mole and gopher control. We definitely encourage customers to attract Barn owls, but if they spot fresh gopher activity and dont take action with traps immediately, you are asking for trouble. A single GOPHER is capable of causing a lot of damage quickly. You cannot afford to wait for an owl to arrive. Effective action must be taken immediately. Set traps! The process of coaxing a Barn owl to your box has several stages and requires attention and commitment. The most important factors installing these boxes are heat barriers and placement. On an overage only about fifty percent of the nesting boxes you place will be inhabited by owls so it is important to place them properly, protect the boxes from extreme heat, and erect more than you think you will need. Here are some tips for placing successful nesting boxes for Barn Owls.
