Rock Chucks, Squirrels & a Badger

[sixshot]

With a threat of rain today we headed out in search of our 3 "amigos" Rock Chucks, Ground Squirrels & Badgers. Myself, 2 grandson's & one of their buddies. The squirrels were everywhere, trying to get that last mouth full before the big sleep. Ended up with 129 squirrels, 3 rock chucks & one very nice badger before rain flushed us back home. Fun day with the boys, & as always more reloading to do.
This is a very nice mature badger & goes to a forum member, throw your name in the hat & we'll pick a winner in a day or two. He's a dandy.


http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/6shot_01/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/5DBBBF16-08D6-45F0-BB9B-B58E68DA6F39_zpsdfnhpdpr.jpg (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/6shot_01/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/5DBBBF16-08D6-45F0-BB9B-B58E68DA6F39_zpsdfnhpdpr.jpg.html)


Dick

[ammohead]

That would make a fine hat.

[Spruce]

Sounds like quality day with the grandkids, good shooting, and a nice badger too boot. Great scenery.

[Mike H]

From someone a long way from your country,why do you shoot badgers?

[nagantguy]

great day, those boys wi) remeber it forever and you will as well! this made me smile, thanks for sharing!

[shoot-n-lead]

Sounds like it was a great day!

NICE badger!

[runfiverun]

they have to be about number-2 in the contrary department.
they are digging machines and hunters and dang vicious.
I had one attempt to turn and take on my old scout, I must have drug him 75 yds before he let go.

[ammohead]

MikeH,

Quite a bit of the farming out west is irrigated and requires nice level fields. Ground squirrels will move into a field and make a mess of it in their own way with their incessant digging, but if a badger moves in to feast on the squirrels it will look like a bombing range in short order. They can really tear things up.

[sixshot]

Mike H, why do they shoot Kangaroo's, wild hogs, buffalo, etc in your country. Destruction! As ammohead mentions badgers are destructive, they are just like a backhoe, when they start digging its crazy how much ground they can tear up, then a horse or a cow comes along, steps in the hole, breaks a leg & you are out several hundred dollars. Happens all the time. Where I live its grassy with brush so many times the horses or cows can't see the holes until they step in them or maybe they are running, its very easy to break a leg.
There is no closed season on them where I live, we have lots of them. I always give them away to someone who wants a nice pelt or mount. We got 2 more today along with 156 ground squirrels & a coyote.

Dick

[ammohead]

Don't get me wrong. I think badgers are cool animals. I grew up in the badger state and probably wouldn't kill one just to kill it. But if I am on a field shooting squirrels I know that I would be expected to shoot one should it show up.

[Mike H]

Thanks for all the replies,I hadn't heard of them being hunted until reading and seeing the photo of the one that was shot.They are a nice looking animal.
Mike.

[trapper9260]

I normal trap the badgers and sell the skin or the fur buyer buy them to have the skin tan and then sell to a taxidermist. I get more for them doing it that way then if I where to just sell the skin. But if one just want to sell the skin . You can make some money on the claws that they use to replace bear claws for jewlery and also there is a market for the skulls .after they are clean.Out in this state there is a season on them .It is only open season for coyotes and woodchucks. beside ground sq. .Also the badgers out around your area I think have better fur then the most of the US. They also it the fur to make paint brushes also.if one looks to make some thing extra on what they shoot . There might be a market on it.

[sixshot]

I've probably gave away 25 on different forums to guys that wanted one, I don't just shoot them & leave them. In this area all the farmers & ranchers want them shot.

Dick