Foothills County wants to hear from local producers about their experiences with Richardson's ground squirrels, commonly referred to as gophers.
The County's Agricultural Services Board is gathering feedback on the damage inflicted by gophers, the costs/losses associated with the damage, and any control methods that producers have found effective.
They plan to pass the information along to the Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration, Joseph Schow, who has requested letters from producers to illustrate the scope of damages caused by gophers.
Foothills resident Tanya Rossamann is among the residents facing issues with gophers on her property.
"The comment that I get from friends and neighbours when they drive up my driveway is it looks like my yard is crawling," said Rossmann, who lives between Okotoks and High River. "It's that bad. There are gopher mounds everywhere."
She says the pests have burrowed through her land, damaged her driveway and even tunnelled under her home's foundation.
"When it rains, the water goes underneath the foundation," she said. "They're just digging everywhere."
The County's request for letters makes mention of the use of Strychnine, which is currently banned.
Rossamann, who wouldn't use Strychnine, is available so as not to risk harming her pets, has hired someone who used disintegrating bullets, which eliminates the risk of ricochets.
Since he wasn't available this season, the gophers are back, and in greater numbers
"Without a word of a lie, I've probably got 500," she said. "It has to be done every year. They have to be eradicated every year."
She's not the only one struggling. Her neighbour is also dealing with a growing infestation, with gophers reportedly digging into a septic field.
"That’s big," Rossmann said. "There’s only so much you can do."
Letters can be sent to Keith Kornelsen, Manager of Agricultural Services, at keith.kornelsen@foothillscountyab.ca