Q: Do poisons get rid moles and gophers?
As a rule, no. Let's start with the mole ... Since the mole eats primarily worms and grubs, they will not normally ingest bait that contains poison. There are some poisons available that contain ground up earthworms that make the claim of being palatable to moles, but many feel they do not work because the mole will refuse the bait when living worms and grubs are available. In addition, since worms provide the Mole's water needs, he will rarely go for anything dry. In the case of the gopher, he's a herbivore, so he's more susceptible to poisoned bait, but since he likes his veggies fresh, he avoids the normally dry tainted bait.

Q: Do "sonic" repellents work?
We really don't know, but logic would say that they would be limited in the area that they can protect even if they do perform as advertised. The theory behind these units is that they make a repetitive sound that is aggravating to the mole and or gopher, causing them to move away from the source of the sound. The question is ... how far?

Q: Do smoke bombs work?
Probably not. The smoke may well invade the tunnel in which it's set off, but unless the smoke suffocates the mole or gopher, it will do little good. And since they range over a pretty large area, the chance of this approach working is limited. In truth, smoke may only serve to herd the moles so that as one is trying to escape, it might be dug up with a shovel and "dispatched."

Q: Does grub treatment eliminate mole and Gopher infestation?
Some "experts" suggest that if you eliminate all the worms and grubs, the moles will depart. To a degree that is so, but a university study found that if insecticides (at great expense and environmental impact) are used for that purpose, the moles will increase foraging activity for several weeks in a frantic effort to find food where it once exited. This tends to create a scorched earth result. There are no moles, but little lawn either. In other research, another study found that moles can be drawn to a well-watered lawn in dry spells just for hydration alone. Therefore, you can attract this pest just by watering your lawn!

Q: Should I make trapping part of my mole control plan?
Trapping is a messy business - as well as inhumane. If you have it done, it's very expensive. If you do it, it's very frustrating. In some areas, it is also illegal, so you might check before deciding to use this approach. All that having been said, the problem with traps is that the tunnel that was made last night isn't likely a nesting tunnel and won't be reused again by the mole. The result is a maddening game of mole trap chess with you moving the trap from yesterday's tunnels to today's and then doing it all over again tomorrow. That's why applying Chase Mole and Gopher Repellent TM is the better way to go. It covers the entire yard, eliminating the "hit or miss" problem of trapping.

Yes, there seem to be a lot of them actually. As a rule of thumb, any plant that produces a strong scent will be less attractive to these pests. Interestingly, that includes pleasant and distasteful odors. For example lilacs are rarely damaged. The same is true of garlic. Others that seem to be "immune" include: Boxwood, Cedar, Cypress, Juniper, Lemon Balm, Black Eyed Susan, Oregano, Phlox, Creosote Bush, Prairie Clover and Eastern Red Cedar.

Deer can be fenced out, but you've got to remember that Bambi is an Olympic-caliber jumper. Clearing fences at six feet is no big deal to the deer. More importantly, to keep deer out, the fence needs to block the view. If Bambi can see your garden, the fence better be very tall. For rabbits, the other problem exists. They are tunneling machines! If they can see the food, they'll try going under your fence!

They seem to work, but only if they make enough noise to also aggravate you (and your neighbors). Some folks have created ingenious "teeter totter" devices that fill slowly with water and then drop with a bang to scare deer and rabbits. The latest devices use ultrasound and are supposed to frighten the deer while not upsetting your neighbor. They are reported to be effective, but have a very limited range.

Some folks have tried sprinklers that go off randomly and report some success—at least temporarily. Another water based idea is a device that uses a photo electric eye to trigger a burst of water whenever an animal comes near. Not a very good idea if you have a doggie to put out at eleven for his evening potty break! The problem with all these approaches is that rabbits and deer are pretty well used to rain.

Yeah, you're right. A loud dog (who hates) rabbits and or deer is a great defense. In the wild, the natural enemy of both deer and rabbits are coyotes and wolves. Fortunately, Fido comes close enough (genetically speaking) to get the attention of both deer and rabbits.