Badger sign.

[Bushwhacker]

Stop me if it's been done before (though I couldn't find anything on here) but I thought I'd start up some threads every now and again containing tracks and sign that I've found on my wanders if anyone's interested.

I'll start with badger since, I think, we all like them.

Here's a nice print to start with.
1662

A typical sett entrance, even a bit of rabbit droppings at the front too!
Note the spoil heap and the bedding. Badgers regularly clean out and gather fresh bedding.
1660

Latrine - consistency and colour of scat can vary according to diet. Mainly quite near to a sett but are also used to mark territory too.
1658

No, not another sett entrance.
1659

Brock has dug up a bees nest for a feast.
1661

More badger sign to follow.

[Bushwhacker]

Some more scat containing rabbit fur (I think). This wasn't in a latrine and there were lumps of this everywhere.
1663

Badger trail through the ramsons. I especially like this because it's a perfect crossroads - no human interference at all.
1664

Scratching log that's been well used. This would be an ideal place to hide nearby and try to spot them.
1665

Another feast. This time it's a wasp nest that's been dug up.
1666

[Ben Casey]

Really cool :) Thanks for th info

[Metal mug]

Great stuff Bushwhacker, looking forward to more.

[RobbC]

Thats a fantastic idea. I want to learn tracking so im eagerly awaiting more:). Also those are great photos

Robb

[ocean1975]

Here are some pictures of a badger skull i found and a copule of badger tracks. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/ocean1975/skcull.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/ocean1975/bagertrack1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/ocean1975/badgertrack2.jpg

[Bushwhacker]

Some nice additions ocean.
Cheers.

[Bushwhacker]

Big fat Billy at the back of my place.


http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/?action=view&current=PICT0047.mp4

[Al21]

I keep trying to get some better pics, but I think these are my best Badger tracks to-date.

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/tt23/acgirling/flora-n-fauna/Tracks/badger-tracks.jpg

This youngster was attracted to a waspnest I was destroying and taking some pics of, I heard some snuffling behind me and turned around to see Brock having a shuffle about. I felt rather privileged!

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/tt23/acgirling/flora-n-fauna/badger.jpg

I must get some plaster of paris to make some casts to get my boys more interested.

Al

[Tony1948]

I was mowching about in the woods one night,well lots of nights,around some release pens,when I herd wot I thought was the keeper I dived down behind a big tree,I could'ant make out this noise,something rootting about snorting and rooting I put me ead around the tree and come faceto face with old brock,He was about 3in off me face,he just snortted turned and woddled off the way he came.I bricked it but still helped meself to about a dozen pritty boys:happy-clapping:

[ocean1975]

.I bricked it but still helped meself to about a dozen pritty boys:happy-clapping:

:confused2:

[Tony1948]

ocean1975.On a Bushcraft forum you'r not trying to say you do not now wot pritty boys are.they are mail pheasants.Not the drab hen birds:ashamed:

[Adam Savage]

More great tracks and pics Paul, and great photos from ocean and Al21 :)

Are badger tracks generally direct registration?

[Adam Savage]

ocean1975.On a Bushcraft forum you'r not trying to say you do not now wot pritty boys are.they are mail pheasants.Not the drab hen birds:ashamed:

i must admit, that's a new one on me too lol :)

[Bushwhacker]

More great tracks and pics Paul, and great photos from ocean and Al21 :)

Are badger tracks generally direct registration?

Not entirely direct as the hind is laid a bit behind the fore but enough to lay over part of it.
It's all dependant on how quick the animal is moving I should add.

[Adam Savage]

Thanks Paul.
Am I correct in thinking the faster the animal is moving, the more of a direct reg, but the further apart the actual prints left?

[Adam Savage]

Went to a local woods the other day, and found a few burrows, which I think are rabbit, as they don't seem big enough for badgers setts. What do you make of them Paul?

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0512-1.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0513-1.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0511-1.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0514-1.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0515.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0516.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0518.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0520.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0523.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0522.jpg

But I think this is badger damage

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0524.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0525.jpg

As I found this nearby

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/bushcraft%20locations/fungi%20and%20animal%20evidence/IMG_0521.jpg

[jus_young]

Did you find any fur at the entrance to the burrows? Being in the woods like that, and going by the types and size of trails, I would be more inclined to think it was badger.

[Adam Savage]

I didn't really look for fur, I must admit. The thing that made me think rabbit was the droppings near the entrance, and the size of the "hole", which was only around 6 inches across. I shall return at some point, and investigate fur-ther lol

[Bushwhacker]

The holes are rabbit without a doubt, you'd expect to see a much larger 'D' shaped hole if it was badger plus you have said they were 6" across.
I would expect to see a larger spoil heap and also old bedding outside the entrance.
I'm also pretty sure that's not badger damage on the log - just looks like it's been snapped off - and I can't make out the impression in the soil in the last picture.

[Adam Savage]

Thanks Paul. Next time I'll try and get better pictures of any prints I come across :)

[AL...]

A good way to get a photo of a track in some cases is to lay a tortch down next to it with the beam shinging across the track .. It helps pick up the ridges and hollows of the track giving you a better chance of a photo.

Cheers
AL

[Bushwhacker]

A good way to get a photo of a track in some cases is to lay a tortch down next to it with the beam shinging across the track .. It helps pick up the ridges and hollows of the track giving you a better chance of a photo.

Cheers
AL

Even if you don't have a torch, look at the track from all angles and even alter the amount of light/direction of light by cupping your hand around it.
It's amazing how different things show up.

[m0txr]

Great advice, thanks for it. Mac

[AL...]

Aye that works too.
Tracking is such a great way to spend a day. Its realy amasing what ye come across.

Love this thread by the way

Cheers
AL

[jus_young]

:ashamed: six inches is way too small.

The scrapes are quite harsh. Most rabbit burrows I tend to see have the customary spoil thrown out but you don't get the heavy tracks and scrapes that are evident in your photos, that I see more often around the lethal badger sets that I end up falling in when scrambling through the scrub.

[Adam Savage]

Maybe brock thought about starting there, gave up, and flopsy, mopsy, and cotton tail finished it off :D

[Hushwing]

Agree with the others that seems too small for badger, nor does it have the classic D (on its back) shape apparent. Could the scrapes be fox? or just very active buck rabbits (going at it like ..........)

[Bushwhacker]

It looks to be fairly soft, loose soil. It's definitely rabbit and a few comings and goings on an active hole like that would certainly create what we see.

Here's an example of what they can do in next to no time.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/24022012875.jpg

[moontanboy]

Great thread, I love the idea of tracking badger, and have wanted to go badger watching for a while but don't know any local setts ...yet.
Now I know what I'm looking for hopefully I'll be back with some pics soon.
P