Will a 160 hold a badger?
just

Yes

Sure will. They don't have an overly large head.

Impressive shoulders though..

^^ and there done very quickly like a cat.

The only time I've caught myself with a 160 was setting a fresh digger hole. Then the sucker didn't even have the common courtesy to try coming out through the trap after I finally re-set it. Other than that, badgers can be fun!!

The 160 would not be my first choice or any coni in fact, the badger is a “no neck” critter and has a tendency to pull out of a coni if not stunned by the trap. If you ever tried to hog pole one you can see how that happens.

I find a properly set snare is a better choice because it’s a body catch, if the badger bumps the loop or slips it off it will not scare the badger just reset it again. With a coni if you miss it or it pulled out your chance of working that critter is slim to none they can vanish pretty quickly.

A coni is not made to catch a critter in the kind hole most badger make with the way the jaws move where a snare will fit and line the hole way better with less refusal issues. Remember to not leave any slack in the cable use it all up then stake it and don’t put the stake in the burrow tunnel from the top.

The beauty of a snare is no support is needed because if you line the hole with it there’s no slack going in or out of the hole only the lack will move i tip my loops to fall on the badger when bumped so the shimmy into it.

That's why you need those RBGs when den trapping.

Listen to law dog. He knows badgers

I can assure you a Belisle 160 will hold a badger. If I was setting a 160 for a badger I would want a Belisle. I caught a fair number of badgers in body grips and snares and do not feel slighted with a body grip. I never had a badger pull out of a body grip. I would rather use a 220 if the hole is large enough to hold one. You don't want the Jaws or springs to hit the ground when the traps goes off. Often the springs are folded up along the jaws as far as they will go. A couple Body grip badger.

LOL

I see badger and ground hog holes in road ditches. My concern is the damage being done after the catch.
On the other side is the question is it worth catching a low dollar badger and take the risk of a $12.00 trap being stolen. Then again It took me about a half hour digging out a badger snared in a road ditch one time.
That gravel is hard to dig.

just

I see badger and ground hog holes in road ditches. My concern is the damage being done after the catch.
On the other side is the question is it worth catching a low dollar badger and take the risk of a $12.00 trap being stolen. Then again It took me about a half hour digging out a badger snared in a road ditch one time.
That gravel is hard to dig.
RBGs might be the answer.
Anyone have a couple to sell?


just

The less slack in the snare the better it cuts down on digging issues plus no slack is your friend lock wise.

If you are going to use a snare use another rebar stake for the badger to wrap up on.