The damage gophers cost me: damned near broke my ankles several times when tripping into a hole, my riding mower tires fall into so that the blades can now dig up a good 48" patch of dirt, dig up holes around my new trees therefore killing the roots, endangering my horses' legs - yeah, they get blasted around here. And we never seem to run out of them. On the good side, birds of prey get a free meal without the side effects of poisoning. Besides, gopher shooting is therapy, and sharpens my shooting skills.