Several 8-by-10-inch photos of Thomas Wittman's 11-year-old daughter adorn the walls of his office at the UC Santa Cruz farm. The girl is casual and beautiful as she holds a chicken, emerges from a ...

Shangri-La. That”s how Thomas Wittman described my yard. Shangri-La. For gophers. With plenty of morning sun, abundant perennials and ample lawn, my front yard practically hangs out a “welcome” sign.

For California gophers, you’ll want to buy the small-size Cinch trap, which has a 2.25-inch jaw opening. UC Regents Q: I have gophers, but don’t want to use bait because of my dogs. What else works?

A: Rodents make up a large portion of the mammalian population. Characterized by gnawing teeth and continually growing incisors, animals such as gophers, voles (also called meadow mice), and rats fall ...