What Animal Is Digging Holes in My Nebraska Yard? (Identification Guide)

Identifying Yard-Digging Wildlife in Nebraska

Nebraska's digging problems follow its rainfall line more than anything else. The eastern half is corn belt and wet, which means moles, moles' grub supply, and the animals that dig for grubs. The western half is High Plains and Sand Hills, drier and grassier, where pocket gophers are the star and voles carve runways under the sparse snow. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) and University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension both list burrowing mammals among the most common nuisance wildlife complaints in the state.

Key Identification Tip: Split your holes by whether there is a mound and what shape it takes. A kidney-shaped or horseshoe mound with a plugged opening = plains pocket gopher (almost never a mole west of the 98th meridian). A volcano- or volcano-shaped mound with no visible hole = eastern mole. A clean 1-2 inch hole flush with soil plus runways through the grass = meadow vole. One large 6-8 inch burrow on a slope with pushed soil = woodchuck. Clusters of small cone-shaped pits = skunks. Lifted, rolled patches of sod = raccoons.

Nebraska Yard-Digging Animal Identification Table

Animal	Hole Size & Shape	Depth	Damage Pattern	Nebraska Range
Plains Pocket Gopher	Kidney- or horseshoe-shaped mounds; plugged burrow opening	Burrows 6-18 inches below surface, up to 200 feet long	Conical dirt mounds with a plugged side hole; chewed-off roots and buried irrigation lines	Central and western Nebraska; Sand Hills and High Plains dominate
Eastern Mole	Volcano-shaped mounds; raised surface ridges	Feeding tunnels just under turf; deeper runs 6-18 inches	Spongy raised ridges and round mounds of loose soil in moist lawns	Eastern Nebraska, wetter soils and river valleys
Meadow Vole	1-2 inch clean holes, flush with soil	Shallow, 1-3 inches	Surface runways through grass; girdled trees and shrubs; grid of runways after snowmelt	Statewide in grass, meadows, and orchards
Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel	Small 2-3 inch clean holes, often near cover	Burrows 1-2 feet deep, near lawns and roadsides	Neat dirt rings; garbage-can-size dirt piles; grazed seedlings and birdseed	Statewide in short grass, lawns, pastures, and roadsides
Woodchuck (Groundhog)	Large 6-8 inch burrow openings with pushed-out soil	Burrows up to 5 feet deep, 30 feet long	Dirt piles at entrances; eaten garden crops; collapsed holes on slopes	Eastern and central Nebraska; western counties sparse
Striped Skunk	3-4 inch conical holes, scattered	Shallow, 1-2 inches	Clusters of small pits (grub hunting); holes under porches, decks, sheds	Statewide, common in towns and farms
Raccoon	Peeled-back sod, 6-12 inch lifted patches	Shallow digging into top few inches	Lifted, rolled turf; overturned garbage and planters; dug-up bulbs	Statewide along rivers, lakes, and in towns, especially eastern

Plains Pocket Gopher

Plains pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius) are the signature digger of western and central Nebraska. They are stout, almost mole-like rodents with small eyes and ears, powerful front claws, and fur-lined cheek pouches they use to carry food. Because Nebraska's Sand Hills and High Plains are sandy and loose, gophers thrive there and build extensive burrow systems that can stretch 200 feet, with a main run 6-18 inches deep.

The calling card is a kidney-shaped mound of loose soil with the opening plugged on one side. That side plug is key — moles plug their mounds, too, but a mole's volcano mound is round, while a gopher's is fan- or kidney-shaped and the tunnel continues along the surface as a slight raised ridge. Gophers eat roots and tubers, so they also chew through buried irrigation and sprinkler lines, which is one reason Nebraska homeowners find them so damaging.

Gophers are unprotected in Nebraska and property owners may trap them year-round on land they own. Because gopher tunnels are closed, poison baits are generally not allowed in the way they are for aboveground rodents; trapping at active mounds is the standard control, and flood-irrigating a plugged mound is sometimes tried. Many Nebraskans also welcome gophers on range land, where their burrowing aerates heavy soils.

Eastern Mole

The eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus) is Nebraska's eastern-half digger, hunting earthworms and grubs in the wetter soils east of the 98th meridian. It leaves volcano-shaped mounds and raised, spongy surface ridges through lawns — no holes, which is the simplest way to tell a mole from everything else on this list. Moles do not eat plant roots; the tunneling just heaves turf and dries the root zone.

To confirm an active mole run, flatten a section of ridge and check the next day: if it is rebuilt, you have active tunneling. Moles are unprotected in Nebraska and may be trapped on your own property, but traps must be set in fresh, active runs. Because they hunt grubs, the same drip-irrigation and grub issues that bring skunks and raccoons also feed moles, so drainage and soil health are part of the fix.

Meadow Vole

Meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) dig small 1-2 inch holes flush with the soil, connected by shallow runways through grass, and they eat roots, bulbs, and bark — often girdling young trees and shrubs so they die back in spring. In western Nebraska the runways are more visible because the cover is shorter and drier.

Voles are often confused with moles. Moles leave raised ridges and eat insects; voles leave surface runways and chew plants at ground level. The effective lever is habitat change rather than trapping a population boom: keep grass mowed, pull mulch away from plant bases, and wrap young trees in hardware cloth. Voles are unprotected in Nebraska, but trapping rarely wins against a fast-breeding population.

Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) are everywhere in Nebraska's short grass — lawns, cemeteries, roadsides, pastures. Their small 2-3 inch holes appear as neat dirt rings, and because the animals are active in daylight you will usually see the squirrel near the hole, which most other diggers on this list are not. They graze seedlings, raid birdseed, and sometimes build burrows extending under walkways.

In Nebraska these are classified as nongame wildlife that may be trapped without a permit on your own property. Because they are diurnal and surface-active, exclusion and removing birdseed work best; trapping them individually against a developing population is usually a losing battle.

Woodchuck (Groundhog)

Woodchucks (Marmota monax) are the largest yard diggers in eastern Nebraska, about two feet long with gray-brown fur and a stout body. Their burrows — up to five feet deep and 30 feet long, with large piles of pushed-out soil at the entrances — are often the first thing property owners notice, not the animal itself. They eat grasses, clover, and garden crops and are active in the mornings and evenings of warm months.

As in most states, abandoned woodchuck burrows get reused by raccoons, skunks, foxes, and opossums, so a "groundhog hole" can turn into a raccoon or skunk den. Woodchucks are nongame in Nebraska and may be trapped or shot without a permit year-round on your own property, but durable control is exclusion fencing buried at least 2 feet with an outward flange, plus removing brush and rock piles.

Striped Skunk

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are the classic source of clusters of small, cone-shaped 3-4 inch holes scattered through the lawn — each pit where the skunk probed for grubs at night. Fresh holes with damp, loose soil in the morning point to overnight skunk activity. Skunks also dig under porches and decks to den.

The main risk is their spray, which is extremely hard to remove, and rabies — skunks are a rabies-vector species in Nebraska, so never approach one, especially active in daylight, and keep pets vaccinated. Removing food and shelter is the best prevention: secure garbage, bring pet food indoors, and seal under-deck openings with hardware cloth. Controlling lawn grubs removes the food that drives most skunk digging.

Raccoon

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are common across Nebraska, especially along rivers and in towns like Omaha and Lincoln. In yards they roll back and lift patches of sod hunting grubs, overturn garbage cans, and dig up bulbs. Their damage is patchy lifted turf rather than neat holes.

Raccoons are a rabies-vector species in Nebraska, and NGPC regulates how captured raccoons may be handled — in practice this usually means professional removal rather than hauling a live raccoon across the county. Reduce attractants with locking garbage lids, bring pet food in at night, and seal den sites only after confirming no young are inside. See our Raccoon Removal Cost Guide for what professional removal runs.

Seasonal Digging Patterns in Nebraska

Season	Most Active Diggers	Why
Winter	Voles (under snow), pocket gophers	Voles tunnel under snow; gophers stay active below ground all winter; woodchucks hibernate
Early Spring	Voles, moles, woodchucks, ground squirrels	Snowmelt reveals the vole runway grid; woodchucks emerge and dig; ground squirrels surface
Summer	Skunks, raccoons, moles, gophers	Warm nights bring grub-hunting skunks and raccoons; moles and gophers stay active
Fall	Gophers, woodchucks, raccoons, voles	Animals build fat stores; gophers push fresh mounds before freeze-up

How to Get Rid of Animals Digging in Your Nebraska Yard

1. Identify Before You Treat

Nebraska's diggers range from unprotected species you can manage yourself (gophers, moles, voles, ground squirrels, woodchucks) to rabies-vector furbearers with real restrictions (skunks, raccoons). Use the identification table above, or contact your county UNL Extension office to confirm the species before you invest in traps — especially if you are west of the 98th meridian, where gophers are far more likely than moles.

2. Gophers: Trap at Active Mounds

Because gopher tunnels are closed, set traps in fresh, plugged mounds and leave them until they are active again. Flatten mounds, place traps at fresh openings, and check daily. Flood-irrigating a plugged area is sometimes tried, but on sandy soil tracking which side of the mound is plugged tells you which way the tunnel runs. Gopher traps are not the same as mole traps.

3. Moles & Voles: Habitat First

For moles and voles, start with the lawn, not the trap. Improve drainage, reduce thatch, and control grubs with beneficial nematodes. For voles, keep grass mowed, clear mulch from plant bases, and wrap young trees in hardware cloth. Mole traps work only in fresh, active runs. See our Mole vs Vole vs Shrew Damage Guide.

4. Woodchucks & Ground Squirrels: Exclusion

Fence at least 2 feet deep with an outward flange for woodchucks, and remove cover. Ground squirrels are best handled by removing birdseed and excluding them from gardens; individual trapping rarely outpaces reproduction.

5. Skunks & Raccoons: Remove Food, Seal Shelter

Secure garbage, bring pet food indoors at night, and control grubs. Seal den sites under porches and decks with hardware cloth only after confirming no young are inside. Never approach a daylight-active skunk but evacuate the area.

6. Professional Wildlife Removal

If DIY fails, or if you have a raccoon or skunk denning under your home, contact a licensed wildlife removal service. Licensed operators know Nebraska's rabies-vector relocation rules. Search for Nebraska wildlife removal. Professional removal in Nebraska typically ranges from $250 to $1,000.

Nebraska-Specific Regulations

• Plains pocket gopher: Unprotected. Property owners may trap or destroy them year-round on land they own.
• Eastern mole: Unprotected. May be trapped or excluded on your own property.
• Meadow vole, thirteen-lined ground squirrel: Classified as nongame; may be taken on your own property without a permit.
• Woodchuck (groundhog): Nongame; may be trapped or shot without a permit year-round on your own property using legal methods.
• Striped skunk: Furbearer with open trapping; as a rabies-vector species, live relocation is restricted. Check NGPC rules before trapping.
• Raccoon: Classified as a furbearer/rabies-vector species. NGPC restricts how captured raccoons may be handled; nuisance raccoons are typically handled by licensed wildlife control operators.
• Protected species: White-tailed deer, wild turkey, elk, pronghorn, all migratory birds, and most nongame species such as snakes, hawks, and owls cannot be taken without authorization.

FAQ: Nebraska Yard Digging

What is making mounds in my Nebraska lawn with no visible hole?

If the mounds are volcano-shaped and you live east of the 98th meridian, it is almost certainly an eastern mole. If they are kidney-shaped with the opening plugged on one side and you are west toward the Sand Hills, it is a plains pocket gopher. Both plug their mounds, but a mole's is round; a gopher's is fan- or kidney-shaped with a plugged side entrance.

Why does my western Nebraska yard have gopher mounds but no tunnels?

Plains pocket gophers build covered burrow systems and stay below ground. The mounds are their spoil piles at vent openings. West of the 98th meridian the sandy soil makes gophers the dominant digger, and you will rarely see the raised surface ridges that eastern moles make.

How do I tell a mole from a pocket gopher in Nebraska?

Moles make volcano-shaped (round) mounds and raised ridges and eat insects. Pocket gophers make kidney- or horseshoe-shaped mounds with a plugged side hole and eat roots and tubers. A mole mound is round; a gopher mound is fan-shaped with the opening on one side.

Are woodchucks protected in Nebraska?

No. Woodchucks are nongame in Nebraska and may be trapped or shot without a permit year-round on your own property. Because abandoned woodchuck burrows are often reused by skunks and raccoons, fill and monitor any burrow you close.

Can I relocate a raccoon I trap in Nebraska?

Usually not far. Nebraska classifies raccoons as a rabies-vector species and restricts how captured animals may be handled. In practice this means professional removal is the practical route for a persistent raccoon problem.

What animal is leaving small holes in my lawn every morning in Nebraska?

Clusters of small, cone-shaped holes that appear overnight are almost always striped skunks probing for grubs. Fresh damp soil in the morning points to overnight skunk or raccoon activity. Controlling lawn grubs removes the food that drives it.

Professional Wildlife Removal in Nebraska

If you need professional help, see our Wildlife Removal Cost: $200-$1,500 (2026 Complete Price Guide) for pricing, and our Rodent Exclusion Cost Guide for sealing rodents out of your home. For neighbors on the central Plains, see our Iowa Yard Digging Guide and Kansas Yard Digging Guide.

Sources: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional wildlife management advice.