A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems 13 stripe ground squirrels (striped gophers) or rabbits?

I have "Minnesota" gophers at my field. They have a few holes and one is too close to a tomato plant. However that doesn't bother me much. But something has been eating my veggies. The death count is: (melon plants mowed down by deer with obvious tracks) peas, beans, swiss chard, cucumbers and broccoli seedlings. Do you think it is rabbits or gophers? I read that gophers eat bugs and plants. The nibbled beans and peas point toward rabbits. So if it is the gophers there is not much I can do. I can't fence them and I don't think the motion detector sprinkler would work since it might be off more in the day. I tried to spray some hot pepper/garlic oil but it wouldn't spray so I sprinkled it. I don't want to start messing with sprays and things that are supposed to make them turn up their noses, but I do want some peas and beans and cucs.
I guess I might be able to hook up my motion detector sprinkler to a pressure water tank. A water tank with the hose coming out of it and a valve so the pressure stays in there. I need some more info on it. (I can't hook it to the normal hose since the pump would have to be on 24/7.) This would work well for deer and rabbits.

More then likely it is deer and wabbits, doing the deed. Try some of that fine black mesh bird netting, draped loosely over the plants then staked down. that may be enough to deter them. They don't see it, and when they feel it with their whiskers it kinda freaks em out.