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Here’s a clear and professional description of how The Pest Dude would use a probe to locate and trap gophers—ideal for use in a blog, video script, or training guide:


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How The Pest Dude Locates and Traps Gophers Using a Probe

To successfully trap a gopher, The Pest Dude starts with one essential tool: a sharp soil probe. Here's the step-by-step process:

1. Survey the Area:
First, he identifies fresh gopher activity—typically visible mounds with a crescent shape and a plugged hole. Fresh soil, moisture, and mound pattern give clues to where the gopher is currently active.


2. Use the Probe to Find the Tunnel:
He presses the sharp probe into the ground 6 to 12 inches from the plugged mound. A steady, firm pressure is used while feeling for a sudden drop or “give”—this tells him he’s located a tunnel. Gopher tunnels have a noticeable hollow feeling compared to the denser surrounding soil.


3. Open the Tunnel:
Once the tunnel is found, he carefully digs it open using a small shovel or trowel. The goal is to expose a clean cross-section of the tunnel without collapsing it. A good tunnel will be well-packed, clean, and run in both directions—a clear sign it's active.


4. Verify Tunnel Activity:
Before placing traps, he may check for airflow or recent gopher activity (fresh soil, moisture, or scent). This confirms it’s a live tunnel and not an abandoned one.


5. Set Traps in Both Directions:
Using a pair of traps, he places one in each direction of the tunnel. This increases the chance of intercepting the gopher regardless of which way it's coming from.


6. Leave the Hole Open, or Close It Up:
The Pest Dude often leaves the tunnel entrance open. Gophers hate airflow and exposed tunnels—they’ll rush to plug the hole, and that’s when they trigger the trap.
Or you can close the hole and come back a couple days later to see if you caught the gopher.

7. Wait and Check Back:
Most catches occur within a few hours, though traps are usually left overnight. The hole is checked the next day for signs of a sprung trap, new soil disturbance, or a caught gopher.