Badgers

[Stalker62]

Last week, whilst crashing about on the farm and attending to the birds, I stumbled on (to what I think) is a Badger sett.

I have been knocking about as the (almost choke on the word) "Keeper" for three years now, and I have not noticed this sett as "live". Point of fact, did not notice it at all until last month.

There was also evidence of folk having set up a "watch station". As this "watch station" included detritus, I dismantled the whole thing last week.

Having a gander today, and it is evident that there is signs of fresh soil disruption. There were also, two skulls amongst this freshly turned earth - which I have taken to be badger skulls? I have also taken a photograph of a fairly fresh print.

One of the Guns has been kind enough to lend me a trail camera, and I shall endeavour to deploy it this week, in such a manner as it does not disturb the sett, does not attract the unwanted attention of people and gives some insight as to what is actually going on there.

The sett site is less than 100 yards from my pen - it is what it is.

Interested to hear of others experience with Badgers, and what (if anything), can be lawfully done to protect the pen?

 

[Rizla_green]

We have badger sets within 50 yards of all our pens.
And plenty more on the farm. Most of them have been there 20 years plus
Only real problem with the pens they cause is digging under the wire, but the never get very far as the wire goes under the ground.

we have an electric fence round ours that’s turned on about 1 week before the poults are in. Don’t know if the badgers feel it but I would think they do.

the worst thing is when you step in one of the holes they have dug and get badger s**t over your boots.

 

[old keeper]

Despite the cull, it is an offence to interfere with a sett. The skulls are often found kicked out when bedding is cleared or fresh excavations are made. A badgers skull has a very definite crest on top which gives massive anchorage to the muscles.

As a keeper, you have to be very careful these days as you never know who is about especially if there are signs of people keeping an eye on a sett.

As far as pad marks are concerned you can always tell a badger because the claws show up clearly, especially in mud.

 

[Stalker62]

...the worst thing is when you step in one of the holes they have dug...

Actually that is a good point.

We do beat through that little wood and it is now a real health hazard.

I must brief the beating line...by which I mean MrsS62 and our Spaniel...

 

[Stalker62]

Despite the cull, it is an offence to interfere with a sett. The skulls are often found kicked out when bedding is cleared or fresh excavations are made. A badgers skull has a very definite crest on top which gives massive anchorage to the muscles.

As a keeper, you have to be very careful these days as you never know who is about especially if there are signs of people keeping an eye on a sett.

There is a very definite "crest" on these skulls. Sagittal Crest apparently - everyday a school day.


It is the first time I have seen Badger Skulls.

Thank you for the "Keeper's warning", please rest assured that I would never do anything to compromise myself or the Shoot.

 

[Loler UK]

What area of the country are you in?

 

[Ooops]

There was also evidence of folk having set up a "watch station". As this "watch station" included detritus, I dismantled the whole thing last week.
.....
One of the Guns has been kind enough to lend me a trail camera, and I shall endeavour to deploy it this week,

Stalker, may I suggest additional cameras, one to see who frequents the 'watch station' and another to observe anyone approaching the pens from the direction of the watch station

While they have no right to be there the watchers may take offence at being interfered with and take it out on your pens.
Hopefully that won't happen but either way it would be a good to be able to identify the trespassers.

Awesome skulls

 

[Frank Homes]

Some pointers.
Badger setts have well worn paths around them.
Badgers have 5 toes and you can usually see the clawmarks.
Old bedding will be removed and scattered around the place.
There will be dung pits away from the sett.

 

[Stalker62]

Badgers have 5 toes and you can usually see the clawmarks.
Old bedding will be removed and scattered around the place.
There will be dung pits away from the sett.

Perhaps the "prints' at #1 are not Badgers then?

This evening, I will be mainly reading up on Badgers...

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm. We have so many brocks we could sell them. Kwis of course would say it is co-incidence but virtually every farm in the area has been intermittently closed down with TB over the years and seeing them rootling about amongst herds of cattle is an almost nightly occurrence.
On a couple of occasions we found several decapitated poults just inside the pen wire, an old sage advised that this was typical badger work, long before trail cameras so nil hard evidence. Another tip I recall was that a badger sett entrance is wide and low whereas a fox den entrance is narrow and high, also brocks being much cleaner animals will dig little toilets not too far from the sett, definitive confirmation is that they use pages from Kwis’s latest epistle as loo roll.
As regards what you can do, practice your smile in front of a mirror, then just bear it!

 

[TomT3]

Yes on a couple of occasions have managed to ‘visit’ a badger Latrine on the edge of the set whilst out with the air gun. Most unpleasant.

 

[Ade8mm]

Some pointers.
Badger setts have well worn paths around them.
Badgers have 5 toes and you can usually see the clawmarks.
Old bedding will be removed and scattered around the place.
There will be dung pits away from the sett.

Plantigrade ( flat footed )

 

[sh1kar]

There is a very definite "crest" on these skulls. Sagittal Crest apparently - everyday a school day.


It is the first time I have seen Badger Skulls.

Thank you for the "Keeper's warning", please rest assured that I would never do anything to compromise myself or the Shoot.

Lions and hyenas have them too. Gives anchorage for the muscles to bite
S

 

[Magnificent 7]

Perhaps the "prints' at #1 are not Badgers then?

This evening, I will be mainly reading up on Badgers...def

Perhaps the "prints' at #1 are not Badgers then?

This evening, I will be mainly reading up on Badgers...

That's a badger print will be last year's young boar kicked out and set up home

 

[Tim.243]

Perhaps the "prints' at #1 are not Badgers then?

This evening, I will be mainly reading up on Badgers...

 

[User00025]

I had a huge sett 20-30 holes when I keepered on the Cotswolds. It started a few yards from a release pen and most of the year there were two main roads under the wire and through the pen.
A couple of weeks before we put birds in I would bury the wire and dog the pen out to remove anything that shouldn't be in it. On the estate we had a ring electric fence run off a mains transformer round all the fields and it was simple to run a wire off it to attach to the fence around the pen. Once their roads were blocked off the fence was on. I never had any problems from badgers and the only problem was me getting a shock occasionally, it really hurt.

 

[bogtrotter]

Lions and hyenas have them too. Gives anchorage for the muscles to bite
S

Ah stalker 1962 perhaps you have a lion den.

 

[sh1kar]

Not far away

I gave S62 my 500 to watch my back. Turns out it was unloaded!

s

 

[Stalker62]

I gave S62 my 500 to watch my back. Turns out it was unloaded!

True story.

Please forgive the re-post.

On a hunt for dangerous game. My mate was gun, second mate was on the camera and I was "rear gunner".

Long short.

My mate is successful in taking an old Lion - which was also carrying the remnants of a poacher's snare in a badly damage foot.

The crew are busy with the post shot administration when we see that there is a lioness further up the mountain and she is not going away.

I am dispatched to go and stand between our party and her as "security". My mate's tracker passes me his double 500 NE (spare rifle) and I wander off to perform my duty.

The lioness is watching intently and shows no desire to leave. As we start to loose light I am transfixed by her eyes - but secure in the knowledge that if needed, I have the upper hand.

Eventually, the work is done and we are ready to load up and head back to camp. I break open the double to pass it back to the tracker.

"Would you look at that, not loaded".

After taking his shot with his rifle; the double had been unloaded and in the excitement not reloaded when passed to me for my "security detail". I had neglected to check it was loaded.

Well - you could have knocked me down with a lioness. Literally.

 

[20-250]

Stalker1962, don't fall foul of the Protection of Badgers Act 1962 by possessing part of a dead one.