Badger Watching

[MikeG.]

Does anyone here go badger watching?

I have been watching at our local sett for 6 or 8 years now. It was a huge and thriving sett, and many evenings I would see 10 or more badgers......I even had a wild badger walk over my foot once!

Someone then disturbed the sett (repairing a footpath), and they all scarpered. So, I have taken lately to watching a slightly less accessible sett a bit further away from home.

We sat and watched 3 badgers tonight come to within about 5 yards of us as we just stood leaning on a tree........and forage, play, eat, scratch etc for about 20 minutes. Magic!! With bats around our ears, deer deeper in the wood, birds roosting all around, and the badgers......well, its a joy to be alive in England in the spring!

Mike

 

[Jake]

I used to now and then, back when I lived in the country with my parents - good way of getting some space. Always used to come across them walking up the lane, sudden big scrabbles ahead as the brock tore off.

Best one ever was coming over the brow of a dip and seeing a mother with four or five little ones, I ducked down and waited - she got a bit nervous about 20 feet away, but the kids only took notice to the extent of rearing up and sniffing a bit (not more than 18" tall). Then they ran up and dived into the bush a foot or five in front of me and had a play fight!

My favourite encounter with wild-life ever.

 

[Grinding One]

Are you talking about people from Wisconsin?? The Badger State....

 

[TrimTheKing]

I saw my first one 'in the wild' about 3 weeks ago Mike. Coming back from footy in Manchester and just coming back down my road (I live in the middle of a few thousand acres of farmland) it ran across the road in front of me and off through the next field. I couldn't believe the size to be honest, I thought they were much smaller, this thing was a big boy (I assume).

I would love to keep tabs on them (have seen a great episode of Ray Mears when he watched about 5-6 with night camera's) but wouldn't have a foggy about how to start, any tips?

 

[RogerS]

We are lucky enough to have a sett under our drive but we keep it very quiet given the antipathy towards them from some sections of the farming community.

 

[woodbloke]

We are lucky enough to have a sett under our drive but we keep it very quiet given the antipathy towards them from some sections of the farming community.

I don't know why, but they are considered to be a 'pest' by farmers in some parts of the country - Rob

 

[newt]

Rob, I think its the TB debate.

 

[lurker]

I've been watching the same badger every morning, for several weeks, on my way to work.

Its getting quite decomposed now :twisted: :lol: :lol:

 

[MikeG.]

I couldn't believe the size to be honest, I thought they were much smaller, this thing was a big boy (I assume).

I would love to keep tabs on them (have seen a great episode of Ray Mears when he watched about 5-6 with night camera's) but wouldn't have a foggy about how to start, any tips?

Mark,

the thing to do is to find their sett. It will normally be in a sheltered bank, and reasonably close to a stream. Once you've got that you simply work out a place to stand where they won't really see or smell you (dark clothes, breeze in your face, no perfume!!!)........get yourself there at a time it is just starting to go dark (around 9.00 ATM) and stand perfectly still. You might have to wait a while.......be patient!

They don't have good eyesight, but don't stand where you will be seen against the skyline.

Laying a trail of un-salted peanuts (bought from a pet shop) in the vicinity of the sett will get them staying on view for a while.......otherwise they might just head off into the fields.

Mike

 

[lurker]

Laying a trail of un-salted peanuts (from a pet shop) in the vicinity of the sett
Mike

:shock: :shock: The pet shop is miles from the Badger sett I know, its going to cost me a fortune in peanuts to lay a trail all that way.

 

[MikeG.]

Laying a trail of un-salted peanuts (from a pet shop) in the vicinity of the sett
Mike

:shock: :shock: The pet shop is miles from the Badger sett I know, its going to cost me a fortune in peanuts to lay a trail all that way.

 

[ste_5150]

Rob, I think its the TB debate.

Yeah, I'd say so. My girlfriend's Dad is a farmer and they've just had a cow with TB - they nearly lost all of their livestock and it could've cost them everything, so I can see where the concern lies!! :shock:

2 sides to every coin though - from a farmer's persective they're a pest, but to the rest of us, they're another form of wildlife that's really interesting to watch (trying to aviod sparking a thread-hijacking debate!!).

re original post, that sounds really interesting - I'm surprised the'll get that close.

 

[Digit]

TB and the fact that they dig B****y great holes!
They are a considerable pest round here I'm afraid, attractive as they are.

Roy.

 

[chris_d]

TB and the fact that they dig B****y great holes!
They are a considerable pest round here I'm afraid, attractive as they are.

Roy.

And mankind hasn't dug even greater ruddy holes? Probably destroying badger habitat in the process!

Come on Roy, we share this world with these wonderful creatures and if farming wasn't so intensive then there would be a natural equilibrium. I'm no 'eco warrior' but a badger can never be considered a pest when we consider our own behaviour!

 

[chris_d]

P.S. I'm from farming stock, but have realised that sustainable farming is about find a balance with the envrionment. There are too many farmers who are either ignorant or have simply been negatively programmed through the generations to realise this.

 

[Digit]

then there would be a natural equilibrium.

Fine! Just reduce the human population then farming won't need to be so intensive.
The problem with the view that you have expressed, along with other people, is that in many cases, not necessarily yours, is that it only extends to the cuddly Bunnies.
Do you, for example, extend the same generous views to Grey Squirrels, rats and Mice? Many who claim that Badgers are being victimised go home from their parade out side our local Tesco's to spray their Greenfly and wash spiders down the loo.
Me, I shoot Greys and Magpies to improve the chances of the Song Thrushes and others, ALL other species, Greenflies rats, mice mole, voles etc run around unmolested. We even have a Rookery in the garden and simply accept the noise.
My garden runs to about half an acre, and me and my wife have spent more money on trees and shrubs for the benefit of wildlife than a Tory MP.

Roy.

 

[chris_d]

Fine! Just reduce the human population then farming won't need to be so intensive.

Needn't reduce human population but prevent the insane wastage and over-production whilst accepting that there will be an increased financial cost to sustainable food sources.

Me, I shoot Greys and Magpies to improve the chances of the Song Thrushes and others, ALL other species, Greenflies rats, mice mole, voles etc run around unmolested.

I'm shocked at your short-sightedness, you just don't get it! Imposing your will on the squirrels and corvidae impinges on the natural control mechanisms that have developed over billions of years to ensure a balanced environment.

 

[thomvic]

We have a gate from our garden into a 50 acre wood on a hillside. For 20 of the 30 years we have lived here there was a badger set within 50 yards of our gate. About 10 years ago they moved a little further away and now have a set with at least 6 entrance holes!
We have frequently seen 8 and occasionally more badgers at dusk. One downside is that from time to time they get into the garden, uproot vegetables and dig holes in the lawn :twisted: Before we had wheelie bins, badgers often came down to the house and rummaged in the dustbin.

Richard

 

[Digit]

increased financial cost to sustainable food sources.

True of course, but the rise of the supermarkets vividly suggests that people do not wish to pay the true cost of food production.

natural control mechanisms

Please specify then I can hang my gun up!
I would note that the RSPB and the Forestry Commission cull both species as their is an absence of 'natural control mechanisms.'
Just to clarify the point, I do not obtain any pleasure from killing anything. I do not even kill spiders, just catch them in my hand and put them outside. May I ask if you do likewise?
On the subject of sustainable food sources the only truly sustainable food production method is the traditional 'mixed farming', which involves the keeping and subsequent killing of livestock.

Roy.

 

[chris_d]

the rise of the supermarkets vividly suggests that people do not wish to pay the true cost of food production.

Another ill-informed observation. The buying power and monopoly of the super-markets allows them to dictate wholesale prices, regardless of whether the raw food stuffs are grown sustainably. The monopoly has occurred through thirty years of co-operative integration and shareholder pressure.

Please specify then I can hang my gun up!

Again, another short-sighted comment. Remember that I said it has taken billions of years to develop the existing control mechanisms - the hysteresis of mother nature works well beyond our life-cycle so it could take a millennia for those mechanisms to 'kick-in' and control the squirrel/magpie populations. We are simply temporary observers on this old, old rock.

May I ask if you do likewise?

I don't take any pleasure either but kill my own livestock on my small-holding as a sign of respect. However, I don't hunt or kill for the sake of it.

the only truly sustainable food production method is the traditional 'mixed farming', which involves the keeping and subsequent killing of livestock.

I completely agree but such livestock are intentionally bred for that purpose. Badgers are simply fighting to maintain the existence of their species - which may ultimately fail if that is what the natural order dictates.

Hopefully we have both learned something from this interesting intellectual exchange? :wink: