Calling badgers from their hole

[rk660]

Have any of you guys had much luck doing this when you know youve got a badger in a hole? Sounds, time of day? How about how close to hole? Would using a scent like skunk or a loud bait placed close to hole help your chances? Be nice to have a way to get them on the spot when you find a fresh hole w/ one in it.

Thanks
Rich

[qwagoner]

Rich, that is what your Jagdterrier is for. LOL How is he working out anyway? As far as calling goes I have called out a couple of badgers from their holes. At least I think I did? The ones that I have called out were ones that I have actually seen go down them. A few squeaks on the peewee and out they popped. I am not sure if they were going to come out anyway or my call caused them to respond. Don’t know but all the same I got them. A badger that was not working a hole and was settled in for the day may be a different story. I have never tired that.

Give it a try and let us know how it works.

Good hunting.

Q,

[Planes & Poison]

A little cumbersome, but those small (lawnmower sized) plate compactors, run in circles directly over the hole/tunnel with a badger in it will bring him out 4 out of 5 times.

The ones that don't come out are usually in soft ground and I assume just dig deeper/farther away from the commotion.

They typically come out of the hole in a hurry, but stop a few yards away to try to look or try to figure out what's going on.

[bobwendt]

any badger that you come across and he runs to a hole and in, if you just set and wait like 1 minute he will come up for a peak. no need for any noise of any type. now, coming on a hole you THINK a badger is in due to fresh sign etc, but you never ran him in upon your travels, I havn`t a clue. the ones you run in,. not only will they pop up in a minute, you can run them back in 10 times over and each time they will come up for another peak. not too bright apparently.

[Zach]

Are badgers transient or do they have a home range they stay in? I saw one in a hole in October and wonder now how far he has moved from there.

[bobwendt]

he is probably with in a mile or less from your siting. if it is a prairie dog town he probably hasn`t moved 100 yards. they find a dead sheep or cow they will dig under it and camp there for months till it is all gone.

[lb]

I don't know where I stand on this? I have been on stand and called possibly three badgers, lifetime. Were they just traveling in my direction or actually coming to my call, I can't say, for sure?

Now, the other situation, usually night hunting, you set up a stand and a short time later, you see eyes, then you don't and then you do, and always the same place. If you get the scope on him for the next time he lights up, you can see that he iscoming up out of a hole, and that is the way I have killed about twenty, or so?

I do not believe I did anything right, other than having the luck to make a stand close to a badger, sleeping in a den or hunting.

It seems to me that when I see a badger, I usually see another, within a short time. I can go a couple years without killing one and other times, I get two within hours of each other. I assume I'm just in the type of cover they prefer, sandy ground and many rodents? But, not always. I have killed a few in the rocks. Whenever I have caught one moving in the daytime, all I have ever been able to do is stop him for a shot, they never seem to be interested in approaching a distress call?

All you can expect is that they will come up and give you a look. Much better chance of that happening at night, at least their eyes give their location away.

Good hunting. LB

[Wiley]

I have never intentionally called badgers but I have called a few in and shot them. I'm not sure they would hear a call if they had the hole plugged behind them as many do when they are staying in a hole as opposed to being in the process of digging it. Mostly I have done as Bob said and waited a few minutes then shot them.

A dirthole set in the NW corner of a pr. dog town with a loud bait is as close to a badger guarantee as you can get.


~SH~

[bobwendt]

I just smiled thinking of this explanation of calling a badger from his hole. I guess get one of those little calls boddicker makes, stick it in the badgers arse and then jump and down on him.......... kind of like artificial resperation. I guess it would have more decibels if the badger layed in the 90 degree sun for a couple days and gassed up good first.

[Wiley]

I think you've been sniffin' too much fox pee Bob.


~SH~

[gunny]

Rich, try a coon squaller, or something that sounds like a pup badger in distress.

I think that would get them to come out of their hole if anything would.

[GaTrapper]

i saw a video and they would set up 100yds from the den and they played a meadowlark in distress and he came running out in no time. They said any bird in distress will work on them

[rk660]

Wiley, Odon said he has had some luck parking 10 yards from hole and cranking up radio, have gun ready out window. We tried at two holes when I visited him this fall but no luck. He said for some reason it worked better when they paly Glen Cambell on radio 30 years ago.

[Wiley]

Odon has a lot of good stories. Has he told you about being stranded in the middle of the Cheyenne River during ice out and letting the ice pass over his back as he held his breath? That incident almost cost his life.


~SH~

[rk660]

Yes he has, he thought other guy was a goner, and other guy thought he was a goner. Odon said he pretty much figured himself a goner until his partner showed back up. That guy has done so much over the years, it would fill a rather large book to get all his stories and experiences into it. That story came about talking beaver hunting. Was telling him about me and a guy dumping canoe in 5 ft. of water, and having to walk a couple miles to truck, like it was a big adventure. Then he tells HIS beaver hunting story, in his normal unassuming nature. What always amazes me about Odon, is a lot things a guy thinks is relatively new information, he was doing 3o years ago.

qwagoner: had high hopes for the Jagd getting badgers out, but plug many times is too deep to get dug out and get dog in hole, once he got past a plug he yapped down there for what seemed an eternity, I suppose the badger digs himself in faster than dog can dig. He has no fear of bailing right into any coon, and would commit suicide if I took lease off when he has been around a few bobcats in traps, but he met his match on a groundhog in a cage trap the other day. He would not bail into that woodchuck for some reason, that chuck would turn lightening fast to face him when dog tried to flank him, and hiss right in dog's face with them mini beaver sized teeth, that the dog was having no part of mixing it up with him. Even barn rats he will kinda be careful when he nabs them, they turn in his mouth and nip his lips. Skunks, possums coon coyotes housecats and probably bobcats if allowed to he launches himself into the fight with no second thoughts of his own well being, all offense and no defense. Rodents he used caution on for some reason.

[qwagoner]

Yes, that damn “plug” is a problem. LOL Badgers can dig much faster than any terrier. The best part about seeing a plug is that you know there is one in the hole. Maybe your best bet is to lay a 220 over the hole and collect him the next day?

We need to hook up some time and hunt terriers. I have three and I have a buddy just over the line in Iowa that has a whole brace of Patterdales. Maybe next fall we can make a weekend of it before trapping season starts.

Let me know.

Q,

[rk660]

yes, lets do it. your way might be better hunting w/ more haystacks and less den trees. my dog needs to get around some good working dogs and maybe it would rub off. Mine still does a lot of dumb things, chases rabbits and skunks, yaps at squirrels out window all day, takes off on little adventure for half the night if I dont keep a close enough eye.

Once, somewhere in KS, I was holed up in fleabag motel with another trapper that looked rough as a cob, trying to dodge the extra body in room fee, and no dogs allowed rule at same time, when lady owner is outside letting someone in room next door. Trying to lay super quiet while she shows room, and got hand on dogs muzzle. Danger seemed to pass and a loosened my grip for just a second, and out comes a large booming "WOOF", out of the 15 lb dog. I was going to bail under this guy's cot with dog, pull all the dirty laundry and pair of coveralls that should have been thrown out 2 spring cleanings ago around me for concealment, while the Hoosier faked a 80 decibel snore to cover the ruse. Luckily the old gal must have had better things on her mind and never beat on the door to investigate. Probibly figured it was one of them live coyotes left in back of truck.

[bobwendt]

lol, ah ,the life of a trapper! money coming out our ears, so clean and good smelling we sparkle, and women drooling over us all the time. it`s a tough job but somebody has to do it. dodging the women that are constantrly hounding us for services is the toughest part. in a town where the average age is 74 years old, they expect us young guys to carry the load, and frankly, it just gets to be a burdon at times trying to run traps day and night, hunting coons ,and trying to keep one step in front of the broads all the time. a guy just has to be a good manager of time and energy to get everything that needs done taken care of in a timely mannor. at least I`ve never needed sleping pills. any time a guy can get a couple hrs of sleep ,day or night , sleep comes easy.