Outsmart Ground Squirrels Before They Destroy Your Lawn & Sanity

At first glance, we might think the Richardson's ground squirrels are cute, cuddly, and harmless.

That is, until they start tearing the heck out of your yard and rearranging your landscaping!

Not to mention taking over the entire town of Great Falls!

Richardson’s Ground Squirrels

These little rodents are a familiar site around Central Montana.

Generally, adult squirrels grow 7 to 9 inches long, not counting the length of their tail, and weigh 11 to 18 ounces.

We'll start to see these furry little creatures emerge from their winter dens between February and March.

And if you see one, there's probably going to be more to follow.

On average, females have 6 to 7 babies each year.

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Controlling Richardson’s Ground Squirrels

Now, obviously these animals do have a role in our local ecosystems, but needless to say they are a complete nuisance!

Up until late last year, we never had Richardson's ground squirrels at our house, but late last fall, they decided to show up.

They can cause tremendous damage and have tunnel systems that can stretch up to 49 feet long.

Thankfully, we do have quite a few natural predators where we live, so I'm hoping that will keep the populations down.

If not, there are numerous methods to control Richardson's ground squirrels.

• Shooting
• Trapping
• Poisoning
  • Regulations govern the use of chemicals like zinc phosphide and aluminum phosphide, and proper precautions must be taken to prevent harm to non-target species.

Landowners are encouraged to contact the Montana Department of Agriculture or visit agr.mt.gov/Vertebrate-Pests for more information or to request field demonstrations.

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