How Do I Know if My Gopher Problem Is Solved?

After professional gopher treatment, homeowners naturally want to know whether the problem has been resolved. The answer is not always immediately obvious — here is what to look for, what normal post-treatment activity means, and how to distinguish a solved problem from one that needs more follow-up.

The Primary Indicator: No New Mounds

The clearest sign that a gopher infestation has been resolved is the absence of new mound activity for several consecutive days. Old mounds — the ones already present before and during treatment — do not disappear; they simply dry out, flatten, and eventually blend into the lawn. What you are watching for is the absence of fresh, moist, newly pushed soil appearing in new locations.

Fresh mounds are visually distinct from old ones: the soil is loose, dark with moisture, and has not yet been rained on or dried by sun. The mound is raised and soft. Old mounds are flat, dry, and often have grass beginning to grow over them. If the mounds you are seeing all look old — dry, flat, crusted — and no new ones have appeared in several days, the gopher is likely gone.

What Counts as Post-Treatment Activity

Some activity in the days immediately following treatment is normal and does not indicate failure. A gopher that was in a section of tunnel not yet treated may continue to push mounds for a day or two while the technician's follow-up visits address remaining active areas. Mounds appearing in the same general location as previous activity shortly after treatment often represent the tail end of the same infestation resolving rather than a new animal.

What is more concerning is new mound activity appearing in a completely new area of the yard — particularly if the activity started well after the job was considered complete. New mounds in a new location several weeks after apparent resolution typically indicate reinvasion from an adjacent source rather than a treatment failure.

How Your Technician Assesses Completion

Your technician assesses job completion by checking whether traps have been disturbed, whether CO-treated tunnel sections show signs of continued activity, and whether fresh mounds have appeared between visits. When no new activity is observed for a sufficient observation period following the last treatment, the job is considered complete and your 60-day guarantee period begins. Your technician will communicate this clearly.

When to Call for a Guarantee Visit

If you see fresh mounds — new, moist, recently pushed soil — anywhere on your property within 60 days of your service being completed, call us. That is exactly what the guarantee is for. Do not wait to see if it gets worse. A guarantee return visit is included in your service at no additional cost, and earlier reporting means earlier resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days without new mounds means the gopher is gone?

Several consecutive days without fresh mound activity following the last treatment visit is a good indicator. Your technician will confirm completion based on their assessment of the full picture, not just mound count.

The old mounds are still there — does that mean the gopher is still active?

No. Old mounds remain visible for weeks or months after the gopher is gone. You are looking for new mounds — fresh, moist, recently pushed soil in new locations — not the presence of old flat mounds.

What if I'm not sure whether a mound is new or old?

Call us. We would rather do a guarantee check on an old mound than have you wait too long on a new infestation. Describe what you are seeing and we can advise whether a return visit is warranted.

Call 909-599-4711 — if you see fresh mounds within your 60-day guarantee period, call immediately for a no-charge return visit.