Report Small Mammal Sightings

The plains pocket gopher is a small stocky rodent with a stout neck, broad head, short legs, and short tail, varying in color from light to dark brown or blackish on top, sometimes with white on the belly or throat. The claws on its front middle toes are long and sharp for digging. It has large, fur-lined cheek pouches, or pockets, that extend from the sides of the face near the mouth to the shoulders. 

Plains pocket gophers live in open habitats, such as grasslands, prairies, pastures, meadows, and cultivated fields of clover or alfalfa. They build extensive underground tunnel systems and prefer areas with deep, moist soil. Mounds from creating burrows, often resembling prairie dog mounds or large mole mounds, can be seen in golf courses, prairies, or hay fields. They are found across the northern half of the state and in east-central Missouri.

Total length: 7½ –13¾ inches; tail: 2–4½ inches; weight: 5–18 ounces 

Extra-long ears and very large hind legs and hind feet set this species apart from cottontails. Jackrabbits have somewhat lanky bodies and short, fluffy tails. The fur is buffy gray on the upper side and white underneath. The insides of the ears usually have a black mark at the top. 

Jackrabbits prefer open areas with short vegetation. Although populations are doing well in western states, they are state endangered in Missouri. In the mid-1900s, they were found in western counties south of the Missouri River, often in farm areas with pastures, but their numbers have declined with changing land use practices. Very few have been sighted in Missouri over the past three decades. 

Total length: 18–26 inches; tail: 2–4 ½ inches; weight: 4–8 pounds