Mole and gopher control: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering mole and gopher control

Mole and gopher control is a trapping and tunnel-finding job where the right identification and placement decide the results. Your value is in reading the damage correctly, finding the active tunnels and setting traps that work without harming pets or nearby plants.

What customers ask

  • Is it a mole or a gopher?
  • How long will it take to catch them?
  • Are the traps safe around my dog?
  • Will the lawn heal after the damage?
  • Do you use gas or poison?
  • What do I do about the mounds in the meantime?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask where the mounds and tunnels are, what plants have been damaged and whether pets or children use the yard.
  • Walk the affected area, identify the animal from the mound shape and the tunnel layout, and show the customer what you see.
  • Put the animal, the trapping plan, the number of traps, the approved methods used, the checks and the repairs in the written quote.
  • Explain the trap placement and how you keep it away from pets and children, and show the customer where each trap sits.
  • Repair the lawn and mounds you can reach, and show the customer the recovery steps for the turf and beds.
  • Schedule the check visits before you leave, and tell the customer what the activity should look like after each one.

What to put on your profile

  • Your license information shown where your area requires it, with the methods you are licensed to use
  • Photos of the tunnel damage and the lawn recovery, shown without identifying customers
  • The trap types you use and the placement method for each animal
  • Your approach for pets, gardens and nearby plants, described in plain terms

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Send a reminder for the next check visit with what the customer should watch for
  • Offer a lawn repair visit once the activity has stopped, with overseeding or topdressing
  • Give the customer a list of steps that keep the tunneling down, such as keeping the soil moist and the lawn dense

Licenses and permits

Mole and gopher control with pesticides or fumigants for pay is commonly licensed in many areas, and some products are restricted; trapping may have separate rules. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you take the job, and confirm the license that covers each method you use.

Questions

Do I need a license to trap gophers for customers?

Trapping may have its own rules in some areas, and products used for pay are commonly licensed in many places. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you take the work.

How do I keep traps safe around pets?

Place traps in the tunnels, away from paths and play areas, and check them on schedule. Tell the customer where the traps are and what to keep the pets away from until the work is done.

What do I tell a customer about the damage to the lawn?

Explain that the tunneling leaves the turf loose and the roots exposed, and that the lawn can recover with repair work. Show the customer the steps and the timing, so the expectation is clear.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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