Walla Walla firm’s gopher-eradication setup breaks new ground in pest control – Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

That name might conjure an image of a bucktooth rodent zooming in a bubble-topped flying saucer to save the world in a kids movie.

The real Gopher X, however, is not the least bit gopher friendly.

Gopher X is also the reason that on a rainy morning in June, Paul Zimmerman of Z Pest Control unloaded his gopher-eradication machine into a vineyard just off Braden Road.

Zimmerman explained that he cant do much pest spraying on rainy days. But the precipitation didnt keep him from cranking on the 6.5-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine used to eradicate burrowing pests.

It works very well on gophers and voles but not so much on moles, Zimmerman said, noting that fortunately moles dont cause as many problems in gardens. But gophers and voles do. And the latter seem to be on the upswing.

The voles, they seem to follow peaks in cycles for their populations. Zimmerman said. And right now they seem to be nearing high numbers in their cycles.

In the old days, Zimmerman would have set grip traps to catch the varmints. But in 2000, use of most grip traps which clamp onto an animals body became illegal for certain uses in Washington. And, Zimmerman noted, various poisons have also been eliminated over the years because of the threat they pose to humans.

But there is one odorless and colorless gas that is quite deadly, and as common as a combustion engine.

It turns out carbon monoxide, or common engine exhaust, is just as deadly to rodents as it is to humans. And the Gopher X engine is designed to pump the carbon monoxide it produces into a gopher hole via a tube attached to the exhaust pipe.

Paul Zimmerman of Z Pest Control operates his Gopher X machine in a vineyard off Braden Road.

Once Zimmerman finds the gopher tunnel, he inserts the tube and cranks on the engine. After three to six minutes of exhaust, he is finished, as are the gophers.

Zimmerman adds color to the exhaust so he can spot it if it vents out through a tunnel opening.

It should be noted that gophers arent always considered pests.

According to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, gopher tunnels can keep the ground from getting compacted. And in the mountains, their tunnels help to collect rain and snow melt, thus reducing runoff and erosion.

In addition, some animals rely on gopher tunnels for shelter, while others rely on the gophers for food.

Some species, like the Mazama pocket gopher on the West Side, are endangered and protected, which means no Gopher X for them.

But the common pocket gopher predominates the East Side of the state. Problems they cause include the destruction of plant roots, damage to underground irrigation lines and unwanted holes in pastures.

Grip traps are still allowed to reduce their numbers. But land owners wanting to use a grip trap must first get a waiver from Fish and Wildlife officials.

Gopher X, however, is legal, and lethal.

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Walla Walla firm's gopher-eradication setup breaks new ground in pest control - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin