What are the options for controlling burrowing animals?
Control options are heavily influenced by the unique life cycle and behavior of ground squirrels. Baiting — using treated grain to poison squirrels — is most effective in summer and fall when squirrels primarily feed on seeds. Fumigation — using a gas pumped into burrows to kill squirrels — is most effective in spring when soil is moist and the squirrels have not yet begun to reproduce. Trapping is only practical when dealing with very small squirrel populations. Predators — hawks, eagles, rattlesnakes and coyotes — eat ground squirrels, but are not able to keep squirrel populations low enough to prevent damage.
