The trouble with Badgers !

This is a post that I hope trappers will add some interesting badger trapping stories, ideas and trapping methods.

Unprime badger messin' up a good ADC coyote set....

Hey...where'd my trap go?



Badger diggings for pocket gophers.



Another example.

why your pics have lines in em? and i can see why farmers hae them things! they could do some damage on cattle and farming equipment!

I hope to learn from this topic (sure I will)! I have a chance to get $20.00 for every badger I get out of an alfalfa field this winter (farmer paying me to get them). He wanted me to get them in August but I told him to wait for season to open.
In the past, I've taken them with a dirthole set but I'm sure it was luck and not skill.

i would charge him more, but, if thats the most he will offer, i wouldnt push it...lol...i would be glad to trap em!

I'll take the $20, he is tighter than bark on a tree. Plus it will open another 3,000 acres to me!

How long do badgers stay in an area? Are they "long term" residents or "short term" residents?
I've seen posted on here before where they may stay underground for long periods of time.

Badger in a 220 duke. Notice how close he came to digging up the stake on the right side.

This one took 220 and stake down the hole. My dog, Dusty is tryin to get him out.

Those things are mean, and not fun to mess with in footholds. When we went to dispatch one it took three shots from the twenty two we had and it was still going. We also made a set for a badger one time and instead we caught a bobcat.

You were money ahead then, Cooter!

The trouble with badgers...is they are roamers. And they tempt the trapper by leaving a lot of sign around...then they never return.

Good point, Mike.
The reason I showed some badger diggings so that people could (at least make an attemp to) indentify them.

Badgers are protected here in Ohio. We don't have the good pale silkies anyway.
Mostly "hair badgers."

Yeah you're right MChewk, thats how I caught that bobcat was I saw the sign set my traps and the next few days there wasn't a thing in my traps and then I came one day and there was a big ol tom sittin in there

They will stay under ground for long enough that you think they are gone. I have had them in a hole for over a week during the summer and a month or more in the winter.

i want to catch a badger!!!

Nothing like a Duke 220 fight cirlce.

Note to self: No Dukes for badgers (or anything else).

Oh I don't know about that, a Bridger #3 set for cats don't look to bad either...LOL it is that clump on the left center of the mound. 3 swivels and double 30 inch stakes payed off again...Tom

How do you remake a disaster like that? That's gotta be one heck of a canine attraction, you just move over a few yards or what? No badgers here, just wondering.

Nothing like a Duke 220 fight cirlce.

Note to self: No Dukes for badgers (or anything else). [/quote]

I get catch circles on skunks and coon with 220 dukes too. They are being replaced. Make sure you have them staked off or cabled off good.

Caught one the other day. They are not something we (at least I) typically see here. There was a hole dug and a little pise of sand out front ... so I planted a canine set in the small sand pile. Two days later This is what I saw when I pulled into the field.


Most of his fight circle was ubderground!! That entire area underneath the loose dirt was hollowed out. After teh badger was dispathed, I walked accross the center area ... the hole thing collapsed and caved in.

Those great big trap circles made by badgers can be a Godsend when its late in the winter and your in need of dirt. They always have it cut up nice and fine and you can usuallyfill at least 2 5 gallon pails

Yes and that badger odor is very attractive to coyotes!

A typical view of a badger's den.



One should be careful when poking around old badger dens, as they often hold other types of creatures!

I caught one on accident snaring for coon around a creek and he dug up my snare and pulled it. I was mad until I went to the next snare and he was patiently waiting for me. Lol. Okay so maybe not so patiently waiting.

jacob you did not catch a bobcat.

amestrapper,
Many badgers will dig up a short staked trap or snare.
Often they will still be waiting as they don't even know they are free.
You got lucky on that one!
They are not normally hard to hold in a trap.
I like longer chains for that reason, but one does want to stake away from the hole and not let a badger get down too deep, or you'll do a lot of digging.

ya my badger dug a huge hole i double cable staked cause there only 15in and he never moved at all. i chased him out of my set today dang thing like's me

They prime up way to late in the year.

Yep, and the bad part here ... our season ended 11/14.

Maybe I should have said they prime up too early in the year. Mid Jan to Mid Feb

Yes Badgers are late primers for sure.

MJM, can't you trap them in mid January?

We can hunt/shoot & trap them all year. Snare, this year,21 Nov - 14 Mar I take more in the end of Feb and March then I do Jan. It can be a cold month.

Here is a badger I picked up in a coyote set this morning. It was caught deep in a duke #3.

Is that mud or water?

It is just wetter clay. Not really muddy just moist. That was my first badger in a foothold. I had seen pics of what they did but never in person.

Sometimes trapping badgers is just a waiting game, up to a week to come back to the hole he dug. In the meantime ground squirrles make themselves at home and mr badger has a meal waiting for him!

This one almost made it by the snare.


Some times it doesn't pay to drag your feet.

He must not have been caught very long because the ground is not torn up.

I get catch circles on skunks and coon with 220 dukes too. They are being replaced. Make sure you have them staked off or cabled off good. [/quote]

Its not the duke its your trigger placement. a victor hip catch is about as effective as a duke hip catch.

Its not the duke its your trigger placement. a victor hip catch is about as effective as a duke hip catch. [/quote]
I agree 100%. Now just what is the best trigger placement? I am talking about badger coon and skunk neck cought.
This coon was on a 6' cable tie off. It is twisted down to about 2" now.

This skunk moved into the box, neck catch.

The box was set at the tree and grass wasn't matted down.

Are you starting to get the idea. If it is the trigger placement, please tell me what I have to do to fix it.
The badger that is foot snared was moved before I took the picture.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask what type of kill trap those are.

I own a good many kill traps and I can tell you that the 'Savage' and/or the Beliese are HANDS DOWN better at killing an animal on impact than a Duke , Victor, Northwoods etc.

The "Canadian Bend" jaws makes a world of difference!

I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask what type of kill trap those are.

I own a good many kill traps and I can tell you that the 'Savage' and/or the Beliese are HANDS DOWN better at killing an animal on impact than a Duke , Victor, Northwoods etc.

The "Canadian Bend" jaws makes a world of difference!

They are 220 Dukes and on the way out. I'm replacing them with Belisle. The springs were weak from the start. I wrote Duke and never heard back. Sent two registered letters and had the dealer I bought them from call, they told him to bad. I won't buy another Duke no mater what the price is. The good part is I only had 20 doz of them to start. There is less all the time. I have about 10 doz Belisle and am more then pleased with them. I feel I got a bad run of Dukes and since they couldn't call or write back I will eat them once. But not twice.

I agree 100%. Now just what is the best trigger placement? I am talking about badger coon and skunk neck cought.
This coon was on a 6' cable tie off. It is twisted down to about 2" now.

This skunk moved into the box, neck catch.

The box was set at the tree and grass wasn't matted down.

Are you starting to get the idea. If it is the trigger placement, please tell me what I have to do to fix it.
The badger that is foot snared was moved before I took the picture. [/quote]

Then why did the 37lb coon i got this year still have his head in the bucket when i got to the set. And all the fisher i have caught in duke 220's have not even fallen off the leaning pole. I have had several still in the bucket like the coon. I have even caught a bears paw in a duke 220 and it was held long enough for that thing to tear everything apart.

And as far as the skunk it was caught on the way out, or it was not set properly. IF the trigger was set properly the jaw with the trigger wires would be the jaw that made the kill not the one with the dog like the skunk was caught on. so the correct position from my experiences would be the jaw with the trigger on the outside and the trigger spaced with a decent sized upside down V centered in the middle of the trap opening. for me it produces consistent quick kill strikes, with even a duke.

The skunk was still alive and was in the box when i got there. At times I have between 400 and 450 220's and 160s out. I have tried every trigger arangement you can dream up. I have more live animals in duke 220's then any other body grip. I would love to learn how to fix my problems.
Here is another live one in a 220 duke, trail set.

Has anyone tried using modified dukes, victors or northwoods? I welded kill bars on a couple of my duke 160's and the coon never pulled the trap off of the supports and that was with the trigger wires bent one straight down and one bent straight across the top and slid over as far as it could go and still fire. I don't use anywhere near as many killer traps as you guys do, I'm just saying what worked for me.

I amsure that would help them. There is a gap about 1 to 1 1/4 wide between the jaws of a duke 220. That is part of the problem with them. Kill bars would fix that.

With as many trap as you run I imagine it would be cost effective to just phase out the dukes and buy the beliese traps. I only have 2 dozen 160's and modifiy them as I find time. I have one of those little 110 wire feed welders and they are perfect for trap modifying. Got a lot of good ideas from the custom trap mods website. I really like their conbear swivels. Better than running cable through the spring eye.

If nothing else, you could make the spring holes smaller thus closing the gap a little more when its closed. I was messing around one day and installed some old 330 springs on a 220, but had to close the spring holes to get the jaws to close properly. Works like a charm and plan to use it on otter if the chance is ever presented.

I have had pretty good luck with the 160's, they close tighter then the 220's. When I first started setting 220's I thought they were all equil. But after running big numbers of them you start to see a differnce.

What make of kill trap are you using, Mark?

They are Dukes. I feel I got a bad run. Some had very weak springs out of the box. I sure won't buy more. If someone has them and likes them good for them.

People swear by Duke traps and I have used some.
I was less than impressed with their kill traps....their footholds are so-so!

I have one 330 size Duke that belonged to a friend who passed away. It was never used and I am going to take it out on the beaver line this year and trap a beaver with it, but only in honor of my long lost friend. Otherwise, I would have sold it!

If I were using a kill trap for a badger, it would be a Savage or Beliese!

I thought it was just me. I had a badger by a front foot in a 160 Belisle. It was a box/cubbie I don't know if the trap was out of the box ore he was reaching in. But he sure made a mess of things. I like the Belisles, never tried the Savage.

Both are better than any American kill trap I've used.
I haven't tried the Bulldog by Locklier!

The Bulldog and other MAGNUM style jaws on the "softer" springed conis are the answer for quicker kills AND maybe more importantly....reduce hand, wrist fatigue at days end....lol

Seriously...I had several old style Vic sq jaws 220 worked up along with old Northwoods, Dukes and Bridger...using kill bar....dead on arrival and much easier to re-set trap.

I agree that one of the big problems with some body grips is the inch and quarter gap between the jaws.

Print us a picture of your welded/modified traps, Mike!

Can't no digital camera.

All those students and no access? Come on man!

caught one in a ditch once, shot him in the head, threw him in the back of the ranger and drove off to check other sets, he wasnt there when i got home! drove my entire line lookin in the ditches for him, nope, couldnt find him. Caught one yesterday in a fox snare 7" loop 7" off the ground

Has anyone ever had a badger come up or out of the hole while you were puting in a set? I always get the willys seting traps on a big fresh badger hole.

Gun Nut

I have had my dog go down the hole and could hear them hiss and growl. The badger, the dog squeeks, he wants them out.

Fox Terrior, MJM ?

He is a Jadg Terrior. Here he is 6 foot in the air, telling me ther is a coon in a hole in the next tree over.

Tightening up a snare on a red.

You ever trap with a dog Lt?

Trapped lots of dogs, Mark.

Some on purpose!

Everything from a Rottweiler to a beagal.

thats his dog though picture were from a damage control job fur was worthless so he let the dog have some fun

I do ADC work in NE Kansas. Ten days ago I started a badger job. This badger had dug under the home owner's front porch, not your usual badger habitat. I also set up my trail camera while trapping this young female to learn her habits and let the owner have some great pictures. (Other animals visiting the den entrance include a opossum {caught}, a rabbit {actually went into the den, past my 220} and a raccoon.) I used cage traps, but she would dig under and around them. I finally resorted to a 220 conibear set in the den entrance.

This Monday, I finally caught her. My estimate is 500 pounds of sand that she pulled out from under that porch.


First picture the badger on the second night. She would leave one night and them come back the second morning, just before sunrise.


Skinned out and ready for the tanner.

Lt, I said trapped "WITH" a dog, not trapped a dog. Anyone can catch a dog, unless you what too.

Ha! Dang how did I miss that?


Just huskies on dog-sled trapline.

Here's a couple I've caught.....I've always done them in the open form but was told that the cased style is becoming more popular. The first pic is the first one I did in this way and stretched it on a coyote stetcher.

heres one that messed up a good cat set today



i dont mind catching badgers they make a nice addition to my fur pile!

Bushmaster, those are as pretty as a badger as I've seen!

Fish, thanks for posting.
How many badgers you up to now?

Fish that is a beautiful badger..real silver tip.

Caught one the other day in a coyote set...had a real creamy colored pelt..big male.

Will add this to the thread topic...old railroad grades are great badger hangouts here in N. Illinois. There is always food for predators due to the thick cover along these areas. Heck, as a small game hunter I cut my teeth hunting rail road tracks...when it was still legal. Quail, pheasants, rabbits and squirrels could always be found in these areas.

Not too many in my area Tony...usually catch 1 or 2 every few years. But nothing consistent.

Who has sold any badgers this year?
Anyone?

Taxidermist...40.00 whole lol

ive got four now but i went and put some badger sets in, near a few prarie dog towns should have some this weekend! it gotten warm out things are really moving should be good for the next few days!

I would think that 'dog towns are good for all types of predators!

When staking badger, stake to keep them out of the hole. When a badger is trapped he will work around the stake as far out as he can reach. Digging as he goes around. If the the chain is to short the only place he has to dig is at the stake. Give them some chain and cut the chances of them digging up the stake way down.

Here is a very simple modification........

Dave does that slow the trap down much??? Have you found that it weakens the springs more over time???

It does not slow the trap down at all...... as far as I have noticed.

Springs seam to be strong...BUT...Im a Manly Man..lol
The trap was originally made for a "humane Kill" study done in the state,,,,

Most trappers that participated sold the traps after catching a finger or two...lol.

I can't imagine why...LOL Do they go buy the nickname "Stubby" now....LOL

LT is that your calling card...LOL

ON WISCONSIN!!!!

Different kind of badger there, newbie 1.

ttt

I caught this ol girl in a coyote set. I had urine on an oversized dirt clump, then some coyote gland lure on the backing.

How much does it weigh?

I didnt weigh her. You are the third person that has asked me that.lol ill weigh it next time. I would guess around 25 to 30 lbs.

You cetainly do have some beautiful badgers up there. What do they bring?

Im not sure what she would bring. Really heavy fur on her, and its a little early for badgers too, so.. I could probably get around $50. I think and hope...lol

Send me a PM...

How long does one wait for them to come out of a hole. I have had some 220's out over holes for 2-3 weeks now. At the time they were freshly dug. Now covered with snow. If they were in that hole would they let it stay covered in snow or not. I'm not really sure if they were in the hole when I set them or not, but I do know they were freshly dug that night. All holes were in one 40 acre bean field. Holes seemed to go down deep, I would love to catch one in a trap, shot a couple before in early fall that were not very good looking, unprime I'm sure.

2-3 weeks?

What are the temps there in Iowa now?

COLD, has got above 20degrees twice since I put them out. most of the days have been lucky to break zero. Been really cold!!! With alot of snow, I think weve gotten around 25" to 30" with the last two storms.

I'm starting to think the badger was not in the hole's. Going to pull them tomorrow.

I would leave them if I were you. I know around here, if it were 20 out, my badgers would most likely come out and move a bit. But there maybe not cause it usually isnt that cold or snowy is it?

usually not this cold, there talking about getting up into the 30's for a couple days this week. Have'nt pulled them yet. Got till the end of the month till season closes.

If you got the traps, wait it out! I would!

cool pics guys

caught my first badger of the year. caught it in a cubbie set for cats. braught along my terrier pup to let her have a lil fun. didnt expect her to get to see a badger but she sure liked it. as you can see she wouldnt get to mad for pics. but did charge one to many times! lol. was an old female


had to get tess's pic

all of us


JP

I have done the best by far shipping badger to the auctions. You won't get much for flat or hair badgers but a good heavy pale will bring good money. I have never had a local buyer come anywhere near the auctions on heavy badger. I have had tops over $100 at at NAFA the last few years. I had 7 bring $70 Avg a few years ago. They were all trapped in March and April. They will be good now. They prime up real late.

Good point!

It has been my experience that badger can be very finicky when it comes to weather. I've seen them hole up in good weather for days just because it was wet on the ground. They don't seem to like to get wet. I've caught them here in MN in the snow but in SD on a Delta contract , they just didn't like cold or wet weather.I'm sure they are the most weather sensitive animal I have ever trapped.It has been my experience that a fresh dug hole only indicates that a badger was there and not necesarily still there. It is common for them to get into a gopher colony and dig many holes(to the landowners dismay) and leave that area for extended periods of time(weeks). They would dig up most of the gophers in that colony and had little reason to return. When I found a single or double hole they proved to be the most likely to have a badger in them still, and snaring between the dens and trails leading away from them was very effective. I found badger to be as likely to walk around a 220 as go through one.I had better luck setting the conibears in fresh dens, and only caught one ever in a cage trap, and it was a little guy. I had my best luck catching badger in close to active gopher colonies with footholds and snaring trails amongst obvious denning areas. When trapping a 36 square mile block for 4 months, it was common for badger to just appear in the duck nesting areas, dig a den, and begin hunting nests. On several occasions a female would bring her young with her.It was also easy to tell from a 1/4 section away when I'd caught a badger in a foothold. The best way I found to avoid the large "crop cicle" was to snare them at the dens with kill poles and short snares. They most often would just back down into the den and not dig alot. If you want to see a large "crop circle" catch one on a 10-12' snare in the grass. WOW Looks like a beaver house in the center of a field of switch grass. LOL

Ha! Yep, I've seen that one before...great coyote attractor though!

i would guess that there are still too low of numbers to trap them but thats just a guess dont know much about the state or badgers

What YOU SHOULD know, is badgers are PROTECTED in the state of OHIO!

Picked up a good one in a 220 trail set (coon set),could not check the trap the next day due to snow and ice. The following day he was frozen solid....Just got it thawed a couple days ago. Did not have the camera with me. Oh well. Tom

You're slipping Tom....LOL (No camera)

Great to hear how was the fur???

Man haven't we all forgotten a camara, just once?

ttt

Here's the pics you wanted me to post on this thread, Lt Grey:





-Skunkly-

Here is Wisconsin we have two color phases of badgers. The Silver and the Golden.

Golden badger










Say Cheese

This one was hunkered in pretty good for the storm. Was a real bear to get out of the hole.

Nice pic's.......never heard of a GOLDEN badger though....

Is that a common coloe phase?

I never heard of a golden badger myself. We get some that are buff color.

The pale ones seem to $$ out the best.

Most of his fight circle was ubderground!! That entire area underneath the loose dirt was hollowed out. After teh badger was dispathed, I walked accross the center area ... the hole thing collapsed and caved in. [/quote]

haha! Found were a badger had been digging with my truck once. There was a few inches of snow so I did not see it till it collapsed and my truck got high centered. Thank god for handy man jacks

I suppose the Badger being the State Animail has something to do with them being protected. I'm not sure we have great numbers in WI as the nickname "Badgers" didn't come from the animal but the lead miners that came here and lived in their burrows as they dug for the lead. Anyhow, I'm very curious, youse guys that have gotten them here in Wi and had to release them, how'd ya do it? Can you hold them in an animal control pole? Seems like you'd need a large set of balls to turn one loose. Will they turn and attack?

Comes with age...LOL the fur looked pretty good considering it is still a couple weeks till the get good here. Tom

they are nasty looking ......... I'll bet they are no fun to release


great grabs folks ...........

I have released some due to not being prime. I have used a pole, but like a 5 gal bucket better. Stick the bucket over them, pull out the trap while holding the bucket down with your knee and release the foot. They will want to stay at the catch site most the time. If you press them they will charge, mostly a bluff or false charge from what I have seen. I would rather release them then a large boar coon. They arn't that hard to deal with.

i dont know anything about badgers but dont coyotes and badgers work together, that be cool to catch a coyote/badger double

I have had problems with skunks in 220s too but the 160 turned em off like a switch usully never pulling their head out of the box but the 220 seem to big for em also the coon arealways dead in my 160 and 220s

220 is too big for a skunk. IMO. What you need is a 110-160 with a 220 spring on it!

Badgers :P I love em













And as far as remakes go for coyotes...

Nice shots!

What's the 1st pic?
Wheat field?

yes sir

So you're trapping summer badgers for control work then?

Yes sir, I was at the time, get a few calls each year to do so, my exam is expired this year, so headed in to retake my test to renew my adc permit for this year. Usually they call and badgers are really tearing up there terraces, or they are in stuble fields with cattle on them. Had a farmer with a couple cows broke legs in there dens.

Reason to have "trouble with a badger", right there!

ttt...so Redbonehunter doesn't blow a fuse!

Ive only seen 2 badgers in my lifetime. 1 on a DNR officers wall at headquarters, and the other one dead on the highway. Im sure Ill run into a couple when Im out in the gopher fields, i mean alphalfa fields

1st badger I ever got was up near Breckinridge, Mn.
So they're around. Especially on the N.D. border!

Does anyone have a picture of a body grip set for badger? And by that I mean, after the trap is placed, but BEFORE the badger gets caught?

You mean like at a den set?

Yes, at a den.

Gosh I wish I could keep the ones I catch here in WI.

They are protected here as well...

I can trap them all year hear in Idaho, but I have yet to get one. I am trying to trap some for a farmer but my traps have been out for 3 weeks and nothing but a coyote so far, FRUSTRATING!

Keep at it, you'll get one!

The top 5 lots of badger (218 total) in the Mar NAFA sale avged $97.52

That's IMPRESSIVE!

So, I am in northern UT and have seen a few badger around but have no idea what to look for as far as sign...... can you help me??? where do I find them??

Look for fresh digs. This is the time of the year I get my best badgers. Here they like man made grades. Road banks, RR, dirt mounds. They also seem to like the ground with hill compared to flat. They will be where the gophers are.

Thanks, Ill get out and see what I can find!!

Excellent choice for areas that have gophers!

what kind of leg trap should it be and how lomg should the stake be

Are badgers easier to catch early in the season or later?

Earlier, IMO

Location can change with real cold weather and/or deep snow.

what's the bestset,trap,bait,lure,set and stake

Man, there's a can o' worms....

Actually, there is no "best set" lure, bait for every badger or any other species for that matter.
That said, any hole set baited for a 'cat, fox or coyote, will take most any badger that works it.

...as far as trap/stake set up, any predator trap that will hold a coyote will hold a badger.
On staking, I would personally like a longer chain, so that a badger would not be apt to dig up the stake, as you'd find with a shorter chain. Just my opinion.

Same on snares. An 8" loop a few inches off the ground will catch and hold most badgers!

Foot snares for coyotes, will catch a lot of badgers if in the area.

i think there more pretty when there not prime what so yall think

Disagree 100% ! Prime pale badger, does it for me!

Coy, trigger up or down on your trap ?

i found the badger woulda killed it to if she didnt have babies with her!

and triger down

why?

Never kill a female badger!

lt is it because of babies not to kill her

Anyone collecting badger glands this fall? Shoot me a Pm.

Why is it bad luck or something?

How do you track a badger to its den?

you dont track unless with dog,you look for the den.

Is this one on a drag ?

The trouble with them is the leave a mess after you catch them. But most of the time the clean up crew isn't far behind. A coyote can sure fill in those badger circles.

Man, I love that 1st pic !

Almost a miss, but a good solid catch.

What is that...a 3/32nd foot catch with a Slim lock?

Cam with a spring, spring is on top of the foot and compressed tight. 5/64's 1 X19 Due to the hind foot catch he was in the hole a little deeper then I wanted. With a little digging and prodding I got things lined up.

Over the summer I was out shooting my bow & I saw something big bodied but low to the ground so I went out to the hay field to asses the situation. I had no Idea that there were badgers around until today. I found a hole so I just thought it would be a woodchuck hole out in a hay field so I stuck my hand in it to touch it up & maybe set a trap for it. All of a sudden I hear this strange noise coming from the inside so I took my hand out & started to tap the outside when the next thing I know a Badger is sticking his head out at me & our faces are not 2 feet away. I never knew that I could run that fast until that day. I will never stick my hand in any hole ever again for any reason.

They are quite the excavators!

Make sure you have a LONG chain on those traps or a badger will dig the stake up if you try to short chain him

You said a mouthful there...Oddly enough, sometimes a badger will dig up the stake and not even know he's free and then plug himself down in the hole...

I caught a badger last year in one of my culvert sets. They just tear the crap out of your set. It took me 20 minutes to remake my set.

Snare them.

Do you always leave the snare so exposed ? Or try to break out the outline with some blades of grass ?

second year trapper, caught my first one. what a rush



caught him in a dirthole set with a skunky lure and a chunk of venison

no I used to but have found it dose not make any difference.

We don' need no steenking badgers! Sorry Ha!

Im trying to catcha badger in my neighbors yard. Set three dirt holes (badger dug not I) and today had a snapped victor number 2 today and a nice pile of dirt over the hole. My chains are too short and will be swapping them tomorrow. Im new to the dirt hole foot hold scene. How should I set it up? He has no dogs.

i catch alot of mine in flat sets i dont generaly try for them but pick up a few a year last year i had around 8 this year i think ill have more have seen alot of them in the plain day and on the trail cam in an area im working

What is an effective remake for a badger catch?

Restaked and made them into post sets....

so thats abadger hole gives me an idea

We have fresh snow....and I've seen coyote tracks stop and do a complete 180 on the edge of badger catch circles.

Suppose there are lots of factors as to why. I thought they would be money makers.

He's in there.

I don't remake it it I set it for coyote. I put in a flat set or a pocket set right in the middle of the mess. Just caught a coyote this way last week.

Badgers do, in many instances, make an "attractive mess" that will be checked out by every predator !

My badger made a huge mess, dug one heck of a trench. When I shot him he [Please excuse my language... I'm an idiot] down the dirt mound. I figured it would make a great yote set so I re set the trap just below the urine. But it rained for two days straight since then. So I'm guessing all the scents gone. How would you guys re set for fox? (There are plenty of fox in the area, not much coyotes)

But you still have eye appeal...
...and you can BUY badger gland !

is the fur worth much on the badgers?

the trouble with badgers is they are protected here due to very low populations

Are there usualy more than one badger per hole? Because a few years ago while squirrel hunting me and my friend shot one as it was running towards its hole

Guess I'm curious why you did that ?

No badger would be prime when you were hunting squirrels in Michigan !

I was sitting on a hill with my friend and the badger started running towards us so we shot it and it ran into a hole about 10 feel below me on the hill that I had never noticed

If I wanted to take an out of state trip to catch badgers, where would I go? I've got a badger infatuation it seems and I want to go out of state.

Most western states, ( mid and north) have a good supply.
Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas would be my pick for quality !

THAT has to be the ultimate badger picture !

The best place to set a badger trap is in the middle of a gravel road.

Just ran across this article about documented events of badgers and coyotes cooperating on a hunt. Interesting and you could see the advantages for them. Badger Coyote Hunting Cooperatively

You will find badgers anywhere in the prairies. But even "high density" badger areas don't have a lot of them. I think most trapped badgers are probably caught incidentally in dirtholes or flat sets.

badgers can be targeted, when you find their den sites or fresh activity, but yeah, usually are "accidents" and welcomed ones at that usually

I would agree with that...or of caught accidentally in 'coon snares or 'leg snares' set for canines.

You can target them easily after a fresh snow, you can see where they cleared their tunnels out from a mile away by the fresh dirt on top of the snow. track em after you see the dirt and see what hole they are in for the night. Set the trap and you got them with in a couple of days depending on the temprature.. I love it when it happens that way!

How far east are badgers ?

A homeowner shot one the other day on Montgomery Co. , Ohio.
Badgers are protected in Ohio.
He shot it trying to get in his chicken coop, I heard...not sure what they did about it.

Protected or not will the state pay for the loss of chickens ?

Probably Not !

Caught two badgers so far this year thanks to some pheasants parts and Grimshaw's Coyote-Wolf Lure #26.

We've got 2 badgers so far this year. We'll target some more that are digging in unwanted places.

Badger #1 left this hole, I found him hiding during my morning trap run.


Badger #2's damage - we may be fixing this fence line once this post gives way now. haha



And the remake on that set. Haven't caught anything in it again yet

Most of the badgers I catch are these light colored ones.

it's not anything a bullet cant fix in season.

Q ) What's the longest anyone has ever set a trap in front of a badger hole....KNOWING A BADGER WAS IN THERE and waited for it to be caught?

Anyone ever wait more than 2 weeks ?

found what I believe to be a fresh hole and left a 220 over the hole for two weeks,either he wasn't in there or he didn't want to come out.

I'de like to trap a badger,this isn't badger country around here,but they are occasional occurances of them.I see badger sign around very sparsley.This country is froze up and badgers hole up like skunks,I think.I've been watching the last 2 places I saw a fresh hole get dug and they are all under 2 feet of snow in the side of roadbeds.I'll keep watching.

been waiting for one month and half already i know he is in there

Best way to tell that they are in their hole is to check them on real cold days in the morning. When they are in there, there is almost always frost in the hole, on the top of their tunnel. I caught this giant one in a set that I could see from the road. He was in there when I made the set. His diggings were completely covered with snow for three weeks. On day 2 of a warm up that melted a lot of snow, I saw the tell tale mound that said he was finally caught.

I have had lots of luck with exposed sets that are heavily guided for badger. Any other trappers on here have the same experience with exposed sets? Here are a couple I caught this year that way. #1 with the #2 coil. Wish I could have waited later in the season to trap him, but it was at the request of one of my landowners that he be removed asap!. #2 with the #3dbl was fun to get at, to say the least! He lost my pan shingle somewhere, the son of a buck! LOL

we are gonna be in the high teens and low 20s for a few days now.I wonder if badgers will tunnel up through the snow to take a peek when it warms up every once in while?

Les, Badgers are becoming almost common "down south in Embarrass". I wouldn't expect to seem them for months though. The camera I set on the hole in my pasture, which was occupied, did not trip until May 10th last year. And last year the lakes opened in March, two months early!

Ah yes,I could'nt figure out what this sign was for the last few years around here,and I know it's badger.The farmland area I trap is just a little above lake level and I'ts all been or is being tiled these days.All my life you could dig a post hole,and come up with water.Thats why I thought we had so few badgers.But it is getting dry now.

got him today almost two months later

.

and of course seasons over in MN but I'me still watching for signs of spring out.

all my badger sign is still froze up with snow on top and the ground is froze,beaver pond ice hasnt started to lift yet.Do badgers even come out when they cant dig Yet?rather,do they scavenge in early spring for while?

Catch a lot of them on my exposed cat sets.I use Bridger 3modifieds .But any badger in a trap is exciting.I was really diss appointed at what they brought at auction.9.00 when I was expecting like 100.00lol .I guess there fur isn't really in demand .

Well, badgers are LATE primers, so early badgers won't be worth much.
'Hair' badgers aren't worth skinning, unless you know someone who ties flies for fishing.

Now PRIME silver tipped badgers are worth darn good money, both on the fur market and taxidermy trade.
One should, just like every fur bearer, learn proper fur put up, as a lot of money can be lost if not handled properly.

Don't shoot badgers in the head as that skull is worth another $10. or so.

( Never kill a female badger ! )

europe to kill 5000 badger endangering

was asked to post this here

I love this place..

Yep, a lot of good info on badger trapping.

Frozen ground won't stop them from digging. They are active around here when it is frozen. Dang things will dig a hole in the middle of a frozen gravel road in January.
They likely hole up due to lack of food and to conserve energy when it is freezing.

ttt for Iowa Badger

Glad you guys asked. I live in of all places, The Badger State. Why we are the badger state I have no idea. ( Well at least we have more badgers than the Wolverine State has wolverines ) I have actually caught a half dozen badgers but please don't ask me how many I caught on purpose. I can tell you this; the next badger I catch since I've been in the ADC business ( 25 years ) will be the first.

I didnt know what these holes were in a fenceline and I set 2 1.5coils and was really surprised like three days later drove up on the fourwheeler and seen this white thing didnt know whAT it was at first. Then after i shot i saw he was only halfway in one trap and my 3 foot stake in the middle was barely in the ground! i plan to catch a few this winter seen LOTS of sign!!

this the time of year when you see alot of digging in our area,seems to coincide with the chipmunks denning up for the winter.one of them can sure dig up the joint...my first trap check today

Nice pale badger !

Caught one last night in the mountains, in a marten set, by one toe.

I caught this 1 a few days ago.

So how do you dispatch them then?

My trouble with badgers is that we don't have them in MD. But I have family in Montana. One of these days...

They keep getting in my coon set








They keep getting in my coon sets and coyote sets!!!!

I wish someone would come up with badger repellant! I have caught six already. I don't care if they are worth more than bobcats. I never kill them, I think I have the only ranch in Wyoming with no prairie dogs. When I first got the place it was one giant colony of prairie dogs. Ten years of not killing badgers and I don't have any. yippee!!!

Clear out your box LT.

I read through the archives and didnt find much on badgers. I recently got access to 2000 acres of farm land and the farmer is puttin a nice bounty on any badger I get. So I guess I'll start with if I use 18 inch cable stakes what would be a good chain length and how many swivels? And I read through this post and saw someone mentioned exposed sets. Could someone explain how to go about makin a good exposed set and placement for it? If anyone has pictures that would help a lot. Thanks.

I use rebar stakes 20" long with about 20-24" of chain. Never had one dig up my stake.

Thanks, what's the best size trap?

Here are the two I caught this year with MB550's.

First:



Second:

North Dakota has some of the prettiest badgers I've seen.

In northeastern MT we used to catch them all the time in fox and coyote sets (dirtholes). We just caught them by the neck with a cable catch pole and then got up on the tailgate and let them go. They are all attitude and thick skull but not that big. When released they would routinely trot off a ways and snarl at you as if to say " I ain't skeert of you".

A large late season pale NE Montana (same as ND) badger is not all that common but it is GORGEOUS. Actually, probably my fave.

Oh, and don't ever think they can't move.

That's what I like to see!

Notice the worn, chiseled teeth, old male

Biggest badger I've caught

His feet were huge!

Can you say pale?

SoDaker that's an amazing looking badger! is that a 220? and how did you set them so that when they fired they functioned properly and caught the critter?

Yes, it is a 220, and I take my hammer and I flatten the ground on the bottom part of the hole so that the trap sits just right in there and the I have the springs just about vertical. In the first picture you can see how the ground is flatter and packed in so that the bottom bars of the conibear fit in the hole just perfect. Sometimes I test it just to make sure it will fire correctly

Yes, I agree to ALWAYS double check those kill traps at a den set.
You get a miss fire, you may not get another chance !

I would think Kirk De's traps would work quite well.

I agree 100 %

ttt

i wish we had them here. i ve heard a few are caught but must be released as they are protected.

I've caught very few badgers in Ohio, and all of them were what I would call a 'hair badger'...not the silky pales like they have out west.

Great pics, MJM !
You're in state that has one of the nicest badgers I've seen !

Lt, We do have a pretty good badger at the right time of the year. Most badger are caught way to early in the year If I was to choose one month to take badger it would be in February.

A badger and fox video.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10203452347367137&fref=nf

Great stuff there, MJM.
North Dakota has one NICE badger, for the most part!

Here's a 26lb male I caught back in November... Basic dirt hole with Weiser's Sucker Punch and June's Widowmaker.

Hind foot in a Northwoods #3, with about 18 inches of chain, and a 20 or 24 inch rebar stake.

single staked?

Yes.

pretty nice silver badger. wait. weiser has a lure called sucker punch? andy you holding out on me? lol

Caugh front right in a dirt hole set on the back side of its den. Used a duke #3 held it good.. The bait I used was cavens predates bait and a rat in the hole

Didn't load first time

How am I suppose upload a picture

Nice work!

Here's the best I've ever done. Of course, I live in SW Idaho, so it isn't saying much.

I sure do love taking badger.. I just hate fleshing badger

Badgerman 50 ,what time of year was that photo taken ?

Mid summer

Is this a nuisance complaint you're trapping these on ?
Are you saving the glands ? Claws ? Skulls ?
Seems a waste to kill good badgers when they aren't skinable but, having been a nuisnace trapper for most of my adult life, I understand it's done all the time.
Those just look like they'd be worth some money if they were prime.

Grazing lease. Nuisance

i don't exactly target them, just like others have said.
one thing i do though, is if i see a ditch bank full of badger digs, old and new mixed, i set the backside of the bank.
it seems everything runs the backside checking those holes. this coyote was caught in that type of set.

one thing ive also found is badger holes are great coyote attractors, like others have said also.

this little one was caught right next to a railroad bed, another great place to catch almost every furbearer in my area!

Heres the last one i caught about a week ago, 220 over a den did the trick finally. First couple of checks on this set location kept haveing the 220 knocked over and finally ended up catching one. Have taken all three that i have caught have came off this quarter, two snared on trails and one in a 220

Ttt

Ttt

One of my favorite threads ever.

A Montana Badger, that I took a picture of last season.

Ttt

That's a great day on badgers, anywhere !
Too bad badgers are late primers !