Victor Black Box Gopher Trap Review: The Enclosed Trap That Does Not Need Bait

A Trap the Gopher Sets Off Itself

Gophers hate light in their tunnels and rush to plug any opening. The Black Box uses that: open the tunnel, set the box with its mouth facing the run, pack soil around it, and the gopher comes to fill the hole and trips the loop. No bait to buy, no poison in the lawn and no open jaws for a dog or a child to find. Victor has made it for decades and extension services recommend it as the beginner trap.

This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on standard gopher trapping technique. We have not used this trap ourselves.

Setting It

Find a fresh mound and probe 8 to 12 inches out on the plug side until the probe drops into the main run. Dig a hole to expose the tunnel, clean it of loose soil and set the trap with the open end facing into the run. Pack soil around the box so the only light reaching the tunnel comes through the trap, and tie the cord to a stake so the trap and the catch can be retrieved. Check once a day.

Why It Suits Beginners

Wire scissor and pincer traps catch more per set in expert hands and are easy to set wrong or set off in your own. The box sets with the mechanism inside, cannot snap a finger and cannot be triggered by a curious pet. Owners who struggled with wire traps describe their first catch with a box as the moment gopher control became routine.

Two Traps

A gopher may come from either direction along a main run. Opening the run and setting a trap facing each way doubles the odds; one trap in a lateral facing the main run works too. A probe finds the run; without one, you are digging at random.

After the Catch

Dispose of the animal, reset in the next active run and fill old holes. New mounds a week later mean another gopher has moved into the vacant system, which is normal in gopher country.

Who Should Buy It

• Homeowners new to gopher trapping.
• Anyone with pets or children who rules out poison and open traps.
• Gardeners with a few mounds rather than a field of them.

Common Owner Complaints

No catch when the trap was in the wrong tunnel. Probe first; move after three empty days.

Alternatives to Consider

Macabee and Gophinator wire traps catch faster for experienced trappers. Cinch traps suit moles and gophers both. The Beseetop bait applicator is the poison route for large infestations.

Verdict

For catching gophers without bait, poison or risk to pets, the Black Box is the trap to start with, and most people never need another. Find the run with a probe, pack the soil tight and check it daily.