Iowa County Ends Gopher Paw Bounty Program

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — Floyd County is out of the gopher paw business.

The northern Iowa county's Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to end its longtime practice of paying 50 cents per pair of paws. It amounted to about a $200 annual cost.

The Globe Gazette reports that like many Iowa counties, Floyd County has paid a bounty for decades to encourage gopher trapping. The rodents dig holes that can create hazards for horses.

County Auditor Gloria Carr asked the supervisors to consider ending the payments because her staff didn't like counting paws, especially when the auditor's office is busy.

Supervisor Mark Kuhn says he's researched the issue and found that trapping gophers ultimately does little to control their population.

He called the counting of half-decayed gopher paws "a significant issue."