new neighbour- badgers?

[EdS]

I was collecting some wood from the smaller wood next to the house, decided to have break and have wander and came across waht I think is a badger set (they are on the estate but ot in this wood before).

There where 5 -6 entrances ( too many for fox) in around 20square metres of clearing. Each hole was bigger than a rabbits with a deep track / entrance way. Once spotted the den I found a lot of areas that had definated been grubber up and nosed around in. Found what looks like a paw print but it was getting too dark to make out much.


So am I right in thinking badgers. And does anyone have any links to set and paw print id.?

Cheers

 

[andyn]

You could lay some soft soil or sand near to the set, you may be lucky enough to pick up a nice print. We did this when I was at school at Stubbington study centre near Fareham and it worked a treat

This site has some nice prints you could compare with.
http://www.badgers.org.uk/brocks-world/07trail05.html

 

[EdS]

andy -thanks.

We plan to but some sand down soon

 

[wolf]

the classic badger set is very oval compared to the fox den,but ive heard of badgers and foxes being together.look for signs of bedding in the tunnel,or outside you may find old bedding,if you get down and sniff you will know if its fox or badger,fox have a very distinctive smell,also look for any hairs that might have come away.Around the area you should be able to find their latrine area....

[/IMG]

 

[EdS]

I had a look on t'internet and the D shaped tunnel and bedding in the entrance almost certainly badger.


Going to leave it a few day then leave some peanuts for them - seem to feed all the rest of the wildlife around here so they may as well get a snack as well!

One weekend I'm going to see if I can see them. Might leave an old t-shirt up there for a few days before so they get use to some scent - is it worth it. Usually when I've seen badgers around these parts it is when we've walk in to each other.

 

[Ogri the trog]

One place I've found that you're likely to get a good badger print....
At the bottom of the entry holes to the den, where they descend into the tunnel then push forward to get underground. Just at the back edge of the hole, so long as it hasn't been raining too hard.

Badgers supposedly have quite poor vision, I've taken the kids in the car and parked up about 40 yards from the set, downwind and they seem a bit cautious at first, but soon get used to the new blur on the horizon. Their barks can range from playfull squeeks to blood chilling growls - its best if you can spot them first to prevent any underwear changing moments

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[wolf]

heres an entrance to a badger set...

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