Badger trapping

For all you guys that are always having these earth movers messing up your coyote sets.
I just started trapping a farm that has a LOT of holes in the grassy perimeter around a big picked corn field. Farmer tells me there have always been holes there. I'm sure it's being caused by badger(s) due to the size of the holes. What's the best INTENTIONAL way to catch these things?

I have the same type of holes on another farm, even looked like a fresh hole maybe last night with what appeared to be badger tracks on the mound (sand). Also skunk tracks. Can a 220 be effective? Would a badger go into a coon box if the right bait was inside?

Us Illinois guys have no real experience with this problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

I've always had luck with a simple dirt hole set close to a den. Snares over the hole work too. Never tried a coni but don't see why it wouldn't have work.

I always look for the hole that's full of dirt. The badger pushes dirt behind as digs himself in. I'll put a 220 over the plugged hole.

I catch a couple badgers every year in my coyote sets. Hot spots that I have found are on sheer banks over looking creeks, and around brush piles. I do kind of a step down/trench style dirt hole. I’ve tried a few times to set traps around their old diggings but never had much luck there.

I use snares on active holes. Catch them in coyote style sets too

Badgers come out of their dens backwards kicking up dirt so they'd probably just fire a 220. Use a stinky tainted predator bait at a dirt hole with a #2 or #3 coilspring.

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Just make a good coyote set, and and badgers will find it.

Thanks guys. I have a couple warm days before we go single digits. It's supposed to warm up later this coming week. Will try something.

The earthmovers are at work around here got 3 in coyote sets last 2 days

This very set caught a badger. Also caught them in snares on the hole the same way. Stake the snare out away from the hole so you dont have to pull it out so far when it catches though.

Be patient also. Had one holed up for almost a month in a friend's drain field for his septic before it finally decided to resurface and was caught.

Thanks. I'll be keeping my eyes open for active sign I could set on.

I wish we could badger trap.

Dirthole baited with straight mice.. caught 6 without even trying.

If I see them tilling up an area. I usually make a set on the freshest dirt hole. I always give it a good shot of coyote urine. Flat sets in the same area work well with coyote scat and urine. This dude was caught on a poor boy set I made for him. He was digging up the two track on the way to a water well this week.

Pawnee that badger is pretty flat and not fancy. Our badgers are at their best after feb 1, they prime real late. They are a bugger to flesh too, and bring $12.

Taxi guys will always buy them though, frozen solid.

Yep a bit early, but my head won’t be hitting the top of the cab when I drive into that well next week How are things out west going

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They arent bashful about wrecking a cat set either.

I am doing real good man, Merry Christmas to You and Your Folk!

Them badger holes sure are a bad deal, go get em!

I have caught 5 this year (unintentionally) all on flat sets. I've skinned two badgers in my lifetime and that was two more than I would have liked. they do have beautiful fur and look nice tanned on the wall, but lots of smelly work for few dollars at auction..

I bet they're a son of a gun to release, if ya don't have a tag.

https://youtu.be/SePtQUVLIUE

https://youtu.be/vnHP9nlvKD0

Well, today was a day of surprises. Got to the farm field that I posted about at the beginning of this thread and when I'm about 2oo yds away from the first 2 coyote sets I can see something ain't right up on the hill. Closer inspection shows that it was a huge pile of sand and the badger HAD been there, had dug out the wolf fang and disappeared. So I check the rest of the traps on the south side of the field (very foggy today) and drive around to the north side of the field to check the rest. Can't see across the field, too foggy, about 1/2 mile. First thing I see missing is one of my Sterling Grizz DP's. No disturbed ground, just missing. That was on a 18" rebar stake. Nothing in the other traps, so I proceed to check the entire hedge row on that side of the field. No Badger. While doing that I here what sounds like a tractor go up the side I was just on. Odd, the owner told me they weren't going to do anything with that field until spring. So I go to my last stop, possum in the coon box, coyotes had visited all 3 sets, committed on one but missed the trap pan. Also pulled my DP out of the ground and emptied it, no cat food found.
So I put in 2 more coyote sets while telling myself I need to go back and check the hedge row on the south side of the field where the badger disappeared. I get there to find my ears did not deceive, the farmer managing the "next door" hog confinement was in the field and spread liquid hog manure and covered all my coyote sets. He also dislodged my #3 DLS I had blind set on the largest badger mound on the field edge. So I'm looking at it and realize that the hole is plugged from the inside. One of you guys mentioned that badgers do that when going in too stay. I get my shovel and carefully remove the dirt, and by golly there's fur. So I get a flashlight and the .22 and put a round towards the end I thought was the head. Tried to pull him out by the tail, couldn't move. So I reached in and grabbed a hind foot and with some effort extracted one badger with a #4 Monty square jaw attached to his foot.
You folks are right, make a good coyote set and if badgers are around they will find it.

Congrats on the badger.

I came home at 7 and tried to kiss the wife. She looked at me and said “Good lord!! Get out of my house you stink like h—!” Dang badger messed up a great coyote set and cost me a kiss. Good for you and glad you got him. Earth movers for sure

You will know when you catch one. It looks like a bomb went off.

Awesome catches and great stories. Nothing better.

So did the guy spreading manure take the dp’s ?

No, DP was missing on the opposite side of the field. I also had a bucket with a 220 in it about 30 feet away but back in the tall grass, that and the brown colored Duke DP were still there.
Even though I knew where the Sterling Grizz was placed I could hardly see any ground disturbance.

By the way, I did find another plugged badger den yesterday on another farm. Hmm.

Not much doubt what was in this coyote set....as I drove over the hill....

Well, for all the mid-west trappers that want to catch a badger my advise is......don't wish too hard. Pulled all the traps yesterday to start a new line tomorrow. Get to the last 3 sets and guess what:

So I pull the 2 traps downhill from the crater and walk up. Hmm, no visible critter. Pretty deep holes.

I start digging with my little spade shovel can't find anything. Get poking around and hear a growl. Well, I now know that he is buried down there somewhere. I can't dig deep enough with the small shovel, so I drive 20 miles home to get a long handled shovel, and a backup trigger man. I also take my 4 prong garden tool for hooking on to something.
A LOT more digging and clink, there's the trap. So I hook on to it and start to pull and Mr. not to happy badger appears. Trigger man does his job.



This one is bigger that the first one, with longer guard hair and a white belly. He's in the freezer.
I will be searching for some taxidermy person to purchase both.
So, for all you MO, IL, IN, and where ever trappers that would like to catch a badger, be careful what you wish for.

That's what I'm afraid of. If I catch 1, I have to release it. I don't think it would be fun or easy.


Curious, do badger stray far from their den?

Find a active whole set a coni over it and end of story. Has worked for me since I was a boy .

As long as it doesn't try to come out of its den while you are at the set