Pocket gopher does more harm than good

J ust how much does a Mazama pocket gopher contribute to the economy? A few vet bills for putting down someone’s loved horse that broke a leg in a gopher hole. Or the impact from the broken farm machinery when someone tries to harvest a little grass hay. Compare the grief of the child that lost the horse with all the good the entire population of gophers does. No comparison. Pay a bounty on the critters and let the gopher lovers spend their time in some worthwhile endeavor, like maybe painting the barns at the fairgrounds. That would help some real contributors to our society. If you are losing sleep over a pocket gogher, you have not focused on the reality of an economy in the dumps and wounded warriors and homeless people who need some help. We do not need another spotted owl revolution.