Quick Answer
Exclusion fencing is the most labor-intensive method on this site — but on large properties, orchards, or yards that border open land with persistent gopher pressure, it’s often the only approach that actually holds long-term. Done right, it stops migration at the boundary so you’re not in a constant reactive trap cycle.
The Gear
- 1/2-inch galvanized hardware cloth, 24–36 inches wide
- Sturdy fence posts (wood or metal T-posts)
- Heavy-duty wire staples or hog rings
- Trenching shovel or mechanical trencher (rent one for long runs)
- Work gloves and eye protection
- Wire cutters
Recommended Gear
1/2-Inch Galvanized Hardware Cloth (24–36" Wide)
Heavy-gauge galvanized mesh in wider rolls sized for perimeter fencing. The 1/2-inch grid stops gophers; the 24–36 inch width gives you 18+ inches of burial depth plus surface coverage in one unroll.
Best for: Underground perimeter barriers on large properties, orchards, and yards that border open land with ongoing gopher migration pressure.
Shop Hardware Cloth on Amazon →The Process
- Mark your perimeter line. For most residential properties this follows the property edge. For orchards or garden areas, fence just the zone you’re protecting.
- Dig a trench 18–24 inches deep along the entire perimeter. Gophers rarely tunnel deeper than 12 inches but go to 18+ in soft soil — don’t cut corners here.
- Install fence posts every 6–8 feet along the trench line.
- Unroll hardware cloth and attach it to the posts so it extends from the surface down to the bottom of the trench. The bottom 6 inches should be bent outward at a 90-degree angle (like an L) away from the protected area — this stops gophers from tunneling under the barrier.
- Backfill the trench and tamp firmly. Check for gaps at corners and overlap sections by at least 6 inches.
- Inspect the fence line annually for corrosion, settlement, or breaches.
Bagger Pro-Tip
Rent a mechanical trencher for anything over 50 feet. Hand-digging a 200-foot perimeter trench in Redlands clay is a full day’s work. A trencher rental runs about $80 and saves your back. Call 811 first — always.
Safety Warning
Call 811 before any digging. Underground utility lines, irrigation mains, and electrical conduits all run in the same zones gophers love. One call is free; hitting a gas line is not.
Get the Gear
Fence material is the same hardware cloth covered in the mesh section of the gear guide. Shop Gopher Mesh & Hardware Cloth on Amazon →