There’s one topic of semi-regular discussion among township supervisors which always has everyone giggling - the Gopher Bounty. Township residents (of most townships in Sherburne County) may kill gophers and collect a bounty on them. The bounty is paid out for each pair of gopher feet turned in to the local representative. 

While the topic may seem a bit morbidly funny, it does date back to the early 1900s, at least. I found this passage of Minnesota State Law from 1905: “Any county board may by resolution offer a bounty for the destruction of gophers, ground squirrels, crows, or blackbirds… The bounty shall in no case exceed five cents for each pocket gopher; three cents for each common gopher or ground squirrels; ten cents a dozen for blackbirds…”

The statute was instituted to encourage Minnesotans to help control the gopher population. Every year during their reorganizational meetings, township boards re-address their preferred gopher bounty. Townships are eligible for reimbursement from the county, but many townships choose to increase the bounty for their township even higher than the reimbursement rate. At the April 16 Sherburne County Association of Townships (SCAT) meeting, Haven Township noted they had to decrease their gopher bounty recently, as residents of other townships were taking advantage of their high rate.

The going rate for gopher feet today can in some cases be around two dollars or $2.50 per pair. Much higher than the mere five cents offered in 1905!

Even over 100 years later, people do take the gopher bounty seriously. While it isn’t a big moneymaker for anyone, many townships do report paying out cash for gopher feet each year. Those who are interested in being a gopher bounty hunter can contact their local town board chair and see what the local rate is and to whom to submit the feet (most likely either the board chair or another township representative). 

Happy hunting!