Tempting Badgers

TheNissanMan

TheNissanMan

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I've just spent an interesting evening watching badgers at a local set but only managed one blurred shot as wrong equipment and poor light. Is there anything they like to eat that would not harm them in their natural habitat if that makes sense?

Am thinking of putting some food down on my next trip to try and get them in a slightly better spot which is only a few feet from where they were this evening and hopefully get them to stay still for a split second...

Or should I just before patient?
 
Dog meat, dog biscuits. Best of all..............peanuts........they love peanuts.
 
Just Dave said:
spread it on a branch or tree then they have to lick it off
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although ive never had encounters with badgers , the above worked with pine martins last yr in scotland
they visited every night outside back window,
by spreading jam and peanut butter and mince pies , on to fence post etc, they stay around longer
 
I would opt for peanut butter and if they dont come, at least you'll have a tasty snack :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:

Les :D
 
i photographed badger cubs last year and i smeared peanut butter onto the toecaps of my boots then sat down and stretched my legs out, and they came right upto me and ate the lot, but be careful if mum and daddy badger is around. i also took some members of the local camera club to see them one night and they couldnt believe how timid they were, i guess they were to young to fear humans.
 
marky.b said:
although ive never had encounters with badgers , the above worked with pine martins last yr in scotland
they visited every night outside back window,
by spreading jam and peanut butter and mince pies , on to fence post etc, they stay around longer
Click to expand...

What an excellent, natural diet for them, I hope you are so proud of yourself.
 
fracster said:
What an excellent, natural diet for them, I hope you are so proud of yourself.
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Rather than a cynical reply maybe the expert would like to share a more educated opinion? Or is it just more fun to shoot people down in flames.

I've asked a serious question to enable me to get some better photo's and at least there are some people on here who are willing to help.

If Peanut butter works well great, if there is a better, healthier option for the badgers I'm all ears, please share your wealth of experience, as obviously you are in a position to be of great assistance.
 
It isn`t cynical at all, simply factual. Do you believe Martens thrive on mince pies and jam?
 
fracster said:
It isn`t cynical at all, simply factual. Do you believe Martens thrive on mince pies and jam?
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Not at all although I heard they were partial to clotted cream!

The way your last message came across was extremely cynical although hard to put
meanings into posts, what would you recommend for badgers.
 
i think if you were to place two bowls of food out for the badgers one containing worms and one containing peanut butter they would opt for the peanut butter every time!!!! they are just like any other wild animal whereas they will eat anything they can easily get their paws on.
 
At the sett we visit, we put a mix of potato, carrots, apple and some normal peanuts. Sometime there are a few raisins too, so everythin nice and natural. Once the badgers know the food is there they will look for it again. Also lighting to help you see the badgers, have a decent torch with something red over it, I use old christmas pudding wrappers which are ideal. Let the badger be out a bit before you put the torch on, once they are busy feeding away, now is the time to take the picture. I usually prefocus at the beginning of the watch, but I can refocus well enough when the red torch light is illuminating the badger. Also check the wind direction, if they catch your scent it will stop them coming out.

I use a Canon 30d at iso 1600 to boost the built in flash range, using my 200mm 2.8, I can use apertures between f2.8 and f5.6 depending on the distance they are from me.

These are the sort of results I get


Badger by scilly puffin, on Flickr


Badger by scilly puffin, on Flickr

Hopefully I have covered most things you wanted to know. Anything else just ask and I will try and answer it for you. (y)
 
Couple of things to add:

Don`t get too near the sett, they are a protected creature as well as being powerful and having a savage bite............:D.......They are a very large weasel after all.

Badgers will eat just about anything.Worms,insects grubs,a good sign of them being about is ripped up dead wood on the floor,they rip it up to get grubs.Mice,rabbits dead things like pheasants etc etc.

They have favourite runs, as they hang very low to the floor,these are usually easy to see and will be shiny if they go over earth or wood.

Pretty much nocturnal and so lethargic in winter that if they were anymore laid back they would be dead..........:)

I get them around the bird hide and will get some solar powered LED lights when I have enough brass. No power in the woods, so solar power it is. The badgers should get used to it quick.

When the young are about you may well see them in daytime.

Get off the floor, if they scent you, as stated above, they will bugger off.

Can`t think of anything else offhand, but will post if I do.

Oh, Invest in one of these...............(y)


http://www.traxwatch.com/Home.aspx
 
Forgot something...........Water.

Now this is based on the setts I watch, it happens to them so may happen too other setts.

In the winter,the older badgers sett will be on higher ground away from the streams and rivers,once they have had the young in the spring and the young have nearly stopped weaning, then the older badgers move them to a sett near the streams and rivers. I suppose this is to make getting water easier for the young brocks.

Once the late autumn and winter comes, the lower setts could well flood more often or maybe be harder to access due to the water levels being regularly higher. Not sure on that, but it is my best guess. They deffo move setts in winter.
 
while i would never dream of normally agreeing with fractser ;) :LOL: ....

in this instance i agree with him - nowt wrong with feeding badgers , but feed em a natural diet - the like fruit , windfall apples etc, and nuts (hazel nuts, walnuts, even unshelled peanuts)

but peanut butter :nono: theres no doubt they like it, but that doesnt mean its good for them - after all some people fatty foods

most peanut butter has a shedload of salt , and e numbers, and preservatives and name it - none of which are part of a badgers usual diet - if you must smear peanut butter on fence posts, trees etc (and personally i think hiding nuts makes a more natural picture) at least make sure you get the organic health food type which doesnt have all the nasty additives
 
agreed.

verminer said:
i think if you were to place two bowls of food out for the badgers one containing worms and one containing peanut butter they would opt for the peanut butter every time!!!! they are just like any other wild animal whereas they will eat anything they can easily get their paws on.
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and dogs will eat chocolate if put in front of them but it can kill them.
 
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