Help! Bamboo!

[Tim Lindstrom]

I recently purchased a property where the back yard is full of bamboo plants (shoots?). They are sprouting up as far as 20 feet from a bamboo patch at the rear of the property. I talked to the neighbor, and he said he cuts the back section of his yard twice a week during the growing season, or the bamboo gets too thick for his mower. If I don't keep it under control, it will take over the yard.

Some of the canes are about 4 inches in diameter, and probably 20-30 feet tall. I'd really love to eliminate the bamboo patch permanently.

Anyone have experience controlling/eliminating bamboo?