Unlike colder climates where gophers slow down in winter, Southern California's mild climate means Riverside County gophers are active year-round. Here's when they're most damaging — and when to act.
In much of the United States, gopher activity declines significantly in winter as soil temperatures drop and gophers shift to deeper burrows and reduced foraging. This seasonal slowdown does not happen in Southern California. Riverside County's climate — with mild winters that rarely see extended hard freezes — means pocket gophers remain active and continue tunneling, feeding, and reproducing throughout the year.
This is an important difference for homeowners coming from other parts of the country. The instinct to "wait until spring" when gophers first appear in fall does not apply in Riverside County. A gopher infestation left untreated through winter will have the same tunnel system in spring — but potentially with a new litter of young gophers added to the population.
Spring is the most active period for pocket gophers in Riverside County. Lengthening days and warming soil temperatures trigger breeding behavior. Female gophers give birth to one or two litters of 2–5 young each season, and those young disperse to establish their own territories shortly after weaning. This dispersal means gopher populations in an area can appear to multiply rapidly in spring as young gophers establish new tunnel systems in adjacent yards. Spring is also when irrigation systems are often restarted after winter reductions, creating fresh, moist soil conditions that gophers prefer for tunneling.
Fall brings a second period of heightened gopher activity as the animals expand their tunnel systems and increase food storage ahead of winter. Although Riverside County winters don't require the same preparation as colder climates, gophers still show increased tunneling activity in fall. This is also when many homeowners restart irrigation after summer's heat or begin new landscaping projects — both of which disturb soil and attract gopher attention.
Summer gopher activity in Riverside County's inland communities often shifts deeper underground as surface soil dries and bakes in the heat. Gophers follow moisture — they track toward irrigated lawns, vegetable gardens, and fruit tree root zones while avoiding dry, hard soil. In summer, gopher damage may appear to concentrate around drip irrigation lines, garden beds, and shaded lawn areas where soil stays moist.
Winter is Riverside County's slowest gopher period, but "slowest" doesn't mean inactive. Cool, moist winter soil is actually comfortable for gophers to tunnel in. Rain-softened soil after seasonal storms often triggers visible mounding activity as gophers take advantage of the easier digging conditions. Homeowners sometimes report seeing their first mounds of the year after the first winter rains.
The honest answer: immediately upon seeing evidence. Gopher populations in Riverside County don't reliably retreat on their own, and a single gopher can create significant tunnel infrastructure and damage within weeks. Each additional week of infestation means more lawn and plant damage, a larger tunnel system to treat, and more risk of the existing gopher producing offspring.
If you're considering treatment timing for preventive or efficiency reasons:
In Riverside County, the irrigation calendar is as relevant to gopher activity as the weather calendar. Spring irrigation startup — when homeowners switch from winter schedules to full summer watering — creates a consistent surge in gopher mound activity within 2–4 weeks. The freshly softened, well-moistened soil from restored irrigation is ideal for tunneling, and any gophers that have been present in the surrounding area quickly move toward the newly irrigated lawn.
If you're starting a new irrigation season on a property that had gopher activity in previous years, scheduling a preventive inspection or initial treatment at irrigation startup can prevent re-infestation from escalating before it's noticed.
Rodent Guys — available year-round throughout Riverside County. Appointments typically available within 1–3 business days.
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