How to stop badgers digging?????

FrenchieBoy

Well-Known Member
I have just received a text from a lady who owns land that I shoot on. By all acounts she wants me to stop at the house and have a chat with her about a problem that is developing. (I was thinking of going up there for a walkabout this evening anyway)
By all accounts there is something that (In her words) has started diggingquite a big hole near her house. She also says that she filled it in yesterday but it was dug out again this morning.
I haven't seen it yet but I believe that it could be a badger as there are a few around this property (Which I haven't made any attempt to touch for obvious legal reasons)
If I do find that it is the start of a badger digging I believe that I would be legal to do something about it before it becomes an "active badger set". If I am right my thoughts would be to put some cloth sacking soaked with creosote into the beginning of this hole and then fill it in and cover it with another layer of sacking soaked in creosote.
Am I right in thinking that by doing this before it becomes an "active set" I would not be falling fould of the law regarding badgers and their protected status please?
If not then what would others suggest in order to stop "Old Brock" from trying to set up his new home here?

Please note: I am only interested in any FULLY LEGAL suggestions guys!
 
dig for you life and infill with chain link fence? that's what the brock watch group did for a pal of mine when one destroyed his garden and fish pond by digging under it ? first call was me NO??? THE Next was a £5K FIX :eek: and dead fish :doh: still they are lovely to watch !!
 
I stopped them digging in a garden by putting an single strand electric fence round where they were digging. Only had it a few inches off the ground, they didn't come back after a couple of nights.
 
My view is that you are correct in your assertion of a new partial hole not being an active sett. I think Ranger has the simplest idea well described - be it run off a car battery or the mains....... Exclusion from an area is not illegal.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Obviously I want to stay within the law so an "exclusion exercise" seems the way to go. I suspect that the owner might well have an electric fence unit that is not in use. I'm off up there shortly to assess the situation so I will be able to give an update of the exact situation later on.
 
As far as I know using creosote as a fumigant is out side of product label its a wood preservative not sure how wrong it is but I wouldn't put it near any animal hole. fence definitely the way to go
 
OK, I've been up and "assessed" the situation. It is definitely badger(s)! It only took me a couple of minutes to find the run that the badger(s) use to access the place and exactly where it/they are getting under the fence and the place that it/they are now using as a latrine. The hole is in a bankment of shaley ground directly behind a greenhouse and just 15 yards from the owners front door. The badger is gaining access from the fields behind the property and pushing their way under a sheep wire fence (There is badger fur caught on the bottom of the fencing so there is no doubt about the "access point"). It has been agreed that the bottom of the sheep wire fence needs reinforcing with wooden planks heavily treated with a good strong (Legal) wood preservative. These wooden planks are going to be painted with plenty of the wood preservative on the banking just behind the greenhouse (Directly above where the hole is starting to develop) and there is a very good chance that there will be a heck of a lot of "accidental splashes all around" while treating the planks with two or three heavy coats of preservative!
A few days will hopefully tell us if this has worked and if not then other methods of exclusing/deterant might have to be thought about!
Thanks for the advice guys!
 
U could try 1 of them ultrasonic thingy's, know a farmer who has 1 in his garden and his garden is relatively broc free now considering how close and large the set is.

Mibee even 1 of those water scoosher things for cats too that are PIR and place it facing the run

As long as u have a decent overlap when u bury the wire where u fix/reinfocre the fence it should hold them for a while, until they find another hole
 
While you are there ,make sure there are no cameras about before you get yourself on some Ninja "anti footage".

This day and age you just never know!
 
As cambsman says "take the spade off em". Or you might consider putting a sign up! A local "friends of the woods" group to me cut holes in the rabbit netting to let the badgers through and put signs up saying "badgers only". No bull they really thought that would work.
 
Not a lot legal you can do with badgers, not sure that a sett is defined to that level in law.
Put up a mains powered electric fence around the area and remove the feed source that attracting it to that place.
If you want to know what its eating look for dung pits and see whats in there.
 
if she's an old lady, get her to knit some mittens :lol:
Creasote anit the same anymore as the powers that be have taken the goodies out and have now called it creacote (or somethime simillar) as apparently it is no good for you or something.
 
My Norsk badger slayer uses something made by Barnes. They don't like it up them :D. Plus no chance they are in any fit state to dig again.
 
Get her to **** in a bucket for a while. Pour it where its digging and under the fence where they are passing. They won't hang around then. Seriously it works. And if she ain't willing to do a bit of the dirty work, let the badge dig.
 
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