Gopher or mole (without seeing the animal)?
There are three clues to look for when trying to distinguish mole (Scalopus) sign from gopher (Geomys) sign.
-
Texture of soil in the mound:
very lumpy = mole (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13015309)
granular (and sometimes with a plug visible) = gopher (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5087818) -
Position of mounds (not always apparent):
no directional pattern or rarely distinctly curved = mole
several in a fairly straight line = gopher (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4550501) -
Depth of tunnel:
only an inch or two = mole (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1242426)
over a foot = gopher
