Badgers

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 12:34am #1

Just a question, a bit of an odd one but on the off chance that someone might know..where is the best place to spot badgers in Ireland..I know there is lots of them but they only come out at night and hard to spot..Also whats the best way to get them out of their quarters during the day(smoking aside), perhaps leave nuts by the den?

Quantum Erasure · 12-12-2019 12:36am

the badger parade

Day Lewin · 12-12-2019 12:37am

They are a protected species. Hands off, please.

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 12:38am

Day Lewin wrote: »

They are a protected species. Hands off, please.

No I don't want to harm them, just take a few photos maybe, only badgers Ive ever seen are roadkill

Sharp MZ700 · 12-12-2019 12:38am

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

the badger parade

What time?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 12-12-2019 12:41am

dreamers75 · 12-12-2019 12:42am

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

beaten by an inch.....

KWAG2019 · 12-12-2019 12:43am

It’s not a black and white issue OP.

Junkyard Tom · 12-12-2019 12:44am

Be careful. A fully grown badger is a strong animal, if you cornered one it would jump up and rip your throat out with its fangs.

wiggle16 · 12-12-2019 12:44am

They'd be more inclined towards cat food.

If you're in Dublin there are a fair few of them in the Phoenix park, but they are very hard to catch a glimpse of, mainly because they're nocturnal and actively avoid people. They tend to sett in places that aren't very accessible to people, I've lived beside the park my whole life and I don't think I've ever knowingly seen a sett.

Also they don't fully hibernate but are much less active during the winter and don't come out in cold weather.

SafeSurfer · 12-12-2019 12:46am

I have a badger that sometimes finishes off whatever the dog leaves behind. He comes right up to a glass door, always at night. It’s very unusual to see them out during the day.

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 12:47am

wiggle16 wrote: »

They'd be more inclined towards cat food.

If you're in Dublin there are a fair few of them in the Phoenix park, but they are very hard to catch a glimpse of, mainly because they're nocturnal and actively avoid people. They tend to sett in places that aren't very accessible to people, I've lived beside the park my whole life and I don't think I've ever knowingly seen a sett.

Also they don't fully hibernate but are much less active during the winter and don't come out in cold weather.

Thanks for that. They are elusive characters. I was thinking more of the springtime to go looking for them.

IAMAMORON · 12-12-2019 12:47am

They are nocturnal op.

Be very careful approaching one, they have very sharp teeth and are very safety conscious, particularly around their young. It could get nasty. They can be vicious.

Snails pace · 12-12-2019 12:48am

Woodlands is always a good place, especially if theres a stream near by. Keep your distance because their a dangerous thing and hardy. I heard a few old fellas around here who used trap badgers put 2 sticks on the side of their legs in case they were bitten. A badger wont let go until it hears the bone breaks. when it hears sticks break it'll leave go. I never tried it

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 12:51am

Snails pace wrote: »

Woodlands is always a good place, especially if theres a stream near by. Keep your distance because their a dangerous thing and hardy. I heard a few old fellas around here who used trap badgers put 2 sticks on the side of their legs in case they were bitten. A badger wont let go until it hears the bone breaks. when it hears sticks break it'll leave go. I never tried it

No I'll keep a safe distance, I wont be approaching them or trying to touch them or anything, beautiful animals though, that's why I want to see one(A live one)!

mgn · 12-12-2019 12:55am

Snails pace wrote: »

Woodlands is always a good place, especially if theres a stream near by. Keep your distance because their a dangerous thing and hardy. I heard a few old fellas around here who used trap badgers put 2 sticks on the side of their legs in case they were bitten. A badger wont let go until it hears the bone breaks. when it hears sticks break it'll leave go. I never tried it

That's true, polystyrene down the side of the wellington boot is another one

Snails pace · 12-12-2019 12:57am

mgn wrote: »

That's true, polystyrene down the side of the wellington boot is another one

Greta will be giving out if she sees you using that

whisky_galore · 12-12-2019 1:00am

Snails pace wrote: »

Woodlands is always a good place, especially if theres a stream near by. Keep your distance because their a dangerous thing and hardy. I heard a few old fellas around here who used trap badgers put 2 sticks on the side of their legs in case they were bitten. A badger wont let go until it hears the bone breaks. when it hears sticks break it'll leave go. I never tried it

Sounds like an old wives tale to me.

KWAG2019 · 12-12-2019 1:01am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgKN3BuvC3E

OP and friend confront badger having his dinner.

Fr_Dougal · 12-12-2019 1:02am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

No I'll keep a safe distance, I wont be approaching them or trying to touch them or anything, beautiful animals though, that's why I want to see one(A live one)!

They also have a tendency to carry TB.

One used to visit a house I lived in, he was after windfalls. Used to hear it around 2am, thought someone was in my front garden until I spotted it.

Capt'n Midnight · 12-12-2019 1:03am

Day Lewin wrote: »

They are a protected species. Hands off, please.

Yeah, don't badger the badgers.

Skylinehead · 12-12-2019 1:05am

Snails pace wrote: »

Woodlands is always a good place, especially if theres a stream near by. Keep your distance because their a dangerous thing and hardy. I heard a few old fellas around here who used trap badgers put 2 sticks on the side of their legs in case they were bitten. A badger wont let go until it hears the bone breaks. when it hears sticks break it'll leave go. I never tried it

I heard the same about a million times as a kid, but it's not true. They don't have the bite force required to break legs.

Pretzill · 12-12-2019 1:05am

Lovely animals who get all the wrong press - I have a few that walk through my garden - have caught them on trail Cam -

They are nocturnal. You might see them coming out of their Sett in the forest. You rarely come across one by accident, you'd need to go to somewhere with known activity but because of their bad press some may not give those locations away.

Try the nature forum

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 1:05am

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

They also have a tendency to carry TB.

One used to visit a house I lived in, he was after windfalls. Used to hear it around 2am, thought someone was in my front garden until I spotted it.

At least that was the conspiracy theory from the farmers some years back, whether that was justification to massacre a load of the poor critters I don't know

mgn · 12-12-2019 1:13am

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

They also have a tendency to carry TB.

One used to visit a house I lived in, he was after windfalls. Used to hear it around 2am, thought someone was in my front garden until I spotted it.

What the say around my area is, if you have badgers on your land and you never had a problem with TB, leave them as the are, as the keep out new badgers out of their territory who may have TB.
Better the devil you know.

Fr_Dougal · 12-12-2019 1:14am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

At least that was the conspiracy theory from the farmers some years back, whether that was justification to massacre a load of the poor critters I don't know

Apparently the culling works, the downside is that when badgers are being culled they travel further. Double edged sword.

gozunda · 12-12-2019 1:17am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

At least that was the conspiracy theory from the farmers some years back, whether that was justification to massacre a load of the poor critters I don't know

Nope. Apparently based on various scientific research relating to transmission. Various government departments have remit for same. New research into vaccine bring trialled ...

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 1:22am

gozunda wrote: »

Nope. Apparently based on various scientific research relating to transmission. Various government departments have remit for same. New research into vaccine bring trialled ...

Oh well what can you do. Hopefully it was done in a humane manner

mgn · 12-12-2019 1:22am

Skylinehead wrote: »

I heard the same about a million times as a kid, but it's not true. They don't have the bite force required to break legs.

The may not break your leg, but the will do a lot of damage before the let it go.

ArchXStanton · 12-12-2019 1:26am

SafeSurfer wrote: »

I have a badger that sometimes finishes off whatever the dog leaves behind. He comes right up to a glass door, always at night. It’s very unusual to see them out during the day.

Does your dog not go mental? I have 2 foxes that visit every night for food I leave out for them and the cats, even if my dog senses them he goes crazy, they hate them. On the plus side, it's hilarious watching on the cctv the nightly battle between the cats and foxes over the food, cats take no messing

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 1:28am

ArchXStanton wrote: »

Does your dog not go mental? I have 2 foxes that visit every night for food I leave out for them and the cats, even if my dog senses them he goes crazy, they hate them. On the plus side, it's hilarious watching on the cctv the nightly battle between the cats and foxes over the food, cats take no messing

cats are tough mofos, will stand their ground against much bigger and more vicious creatures

ArchXStanton · 12-12-2019 1:32am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

cats are tough mofos, will stand their ground against much bigger and more vicious creatures

Yeah they will not move until they've had their fill and if the foxes get too close trying to harass them they make a quick drive at them, I've a jack Russell and if he gets out all hell breaks lose

An Ri rua · 12-12-2019 1:36am

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Be careful. A fully grown badger is a strong animal, if you cornered one it would jump up and rip your throat out with its fangs.

I saw a documentary on that narrated by John Cleese...

Wait, that may have been a rabbit..

An Ri rua · 12-12-2019 1:40am

ArchXStanton wrote: »

Does your dog not go mental? I have 2 foxes that visit every night for food I leave out for them and the cats, even if my dog senses them he goes crazy, they hate them. On the plus side, it's hilarious watching on the cctv the nightly battle between the cats and foxes over the food, cats take no messing

I've great memories as a young kid of running to my parents to tell them there was a banshee outside my window and when we opened it, it was a poor young fox screaming for his life, with our cat Sibe, back arched, sounded like the little ****er from the Exorcist. I'd say that fox had the shiney ****es for weeks after.

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 1:42am

Apparently Badgers and Foxes get on famously, even share Dens together

An Ri rua · 12-12-2019 1:42am

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Apparently the culling works, the downside is that when badgers are being culled they travel further. Double edged sword.

I'd say they just shoot them, no? I know they licence deer cullers but I'd say the paperwork for some lunatic with a double-edged sword massacring badgers would test any government department.

ArchXStanton · 12-12-2019 1:44am

An Ri rua wrote: »

I've great memories as a young kid of running to my parents to tell them there was a banshee outside my window and when we opened it, it was a poor young fox screaming for his life, with our cat Sibe, back arched, sounded like the little ****er from the Exorcist. I'd say that fox had the shiney ****es for weeks after.

I still like to see them around the place, beautiful creatures, I never mention it to anyone locally because you'd always get some fcuker with a gun

RobertKK · 12-12-2019 1:44am

The department of agriculture cull them near where I live as they were spreading TB.

Before this there were lots of badgers and one would see them regularly if out during dusk. I was up early one morning and it was around dawn and I saw this mound in the field and couldn't make out what it was so went to see, nearly got a heart attack when I was like 1 foot away and it moved and I saw I was standing next to a badger. It had been rooting in a rotten dung eating dung beetles. It looks at me, I had decided to stay still, then after a couple of seconds it ran off as we were both equally scared I guess.

But the department of agriculture started culling after many cases of TB in the area and badgers were dying in fields and on the road. It did seem to solve the TB problem in the area.

Stacksofwacks · 12-12-2019 2:20am

Just seen this video, more lively than I thought they were, kind of like Stoats ,weasels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Hh76f6qzY

Guy:Incognito · 12-12-2019 3:06am

Do they hang out in strip clubs with the beavers?

wiggle16 · 12-12-2019 4:14am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

Just seen this video, more lively than I thought they were, kind of like Stoats ,weasels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Hh76f6qzY

They're related to them. They're all mustelids, same family as otters, ferrets and wolverines. One thing they all have in common is stink glands.

BDI · 12-12-2019 6:53am

You don’t spot a badger

You stripe a badger.

You spot a Dalmatian

Graces7 · 12-12-2019 7:11am

whisky_galore wrote: »

Sounds like an old wives tale to me.

Well yes as it is how we old wives survive intact to tell it

I lived in a place once where there were badgers; their sett was by the cottage that had been empty years. Stayed up nights in hiding to watch them. Magical . Keep very still..

Bob Harris · 12-12-2019 7:16am

How do you start a badger race?

Ready, sett, go...!

Bob Harris · 12-12-2019 8:11am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

Apparently Badgers and Foxes get on famously, even share Dens together

I believe you're mistaken. It's moles and rats they get on best with and seemingly have little time for mischievous toads.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 12-12-2019 10:17am

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

Just a question, a bit of an odd one but on the off chance that someone might know..where is the best place to spot badgers in Ireland..I know there is lots of them but they only come out at night and hard to spot..Also whats the best way to get them out of their quarters during the day(smoking aside), perhaps leave nuts by the den?

Peanuts will keep them in an area so you can watch or film them but won't lure them out in daylight. Contact a local wildlife group for advice on locations near you.

IAMAMORON wrote: »

They are nocturnal op.

Be very careful approaching one, they have very sharp teeth and are very safety conscious, particularly around their young. It could get nasty. They can be vicious.

]

You'll rarely, if ever get close enough to them for that to be an issue. They are very shy and wary.

KWAG2019 wrote: »

OP and friend confront badger having his dinner.

Pity that's not a European Badger and a species with a completely different lifestyle and temperament. :rolleyes:

Wanderer78 · 12-12-2019 10:19am

Fiftyfilthy · 12-12-2019 10:24am

I was staying at a friends house in England a few years ago and heard sounds at the front door around 2am, was certain it was someone trying to break in. Went downstairs and opened the door and saw a big badger

First and only time seeing one, was surprised at how big it was