The Badger
Category:
STEEL TRAPS AND THE ART OF TRAPPING.
The American Badger is mostly confined to the Northwestern parts
of the United States, and it is a curious little animal. In size
its body is slightly smaller than the fox. Its general color is
grey, approaching to black on the head and legs. There is a white
streak extending from the tip of the animal's long nose over the
top of the head and fading off near the shoulders. The cheeks are
also white, and a broad and definitely marked black line extends
from the snout back around the eyes ending at the neck. The grey
of this animal is produced from the mixture of the varied tints
of its fur, each hair presenting a succession of shades. At the
root it is of a deep grey; this fades into a tawny yellow, and
is followed by a black, the hair being finally tipped with white.
The fur is much used in the manufacture of fine paint brushes, a
good Badger blender being a most useful accessory in the painter's
art. The badger is slow and clumsy in its actions, except when
engaged in digging, his capacities in this direction being so great
as to enable him to sink himself into the ground with marvellous
rapidity. The nest of the animal is made in the burrow, and the
young are three or four in number. His diet is as variable and
extensive as that of the coon, and consists of anything in any
way eatable. Snails, worms, rats, mice and moles, seem to have
a particular attraction for him; and he seems to take especial
delight in unearthing the stores of the wild bees, devouring honey,
wax and grubs together, and caring as little for the stings of the
angry bees as he would of the bills of so many mosquitoes, the thick
coating of fur forming a perfect protection against his winged
antagonists. The badger is very susceptible to human influence, and
can be effectually tamed with but little trouble. Although his general
appearance would not indicate it, he is a sly and cunning animal, and
not easily captured in a trap of any kind. He has been known to set
at defiance all the traps that were set for him, and to devour
the baits without suffering for his audacity. He will sometimes
overturn a trap and spring it from the under side, before attempting
to remove the bait. Although not quite as crafty as the fox, it is
necessary to use much of the same caution in trapping the badger,
as a bare trap seldom wins more than a look of contempt from the
wary animal.
The usual mode of catching the creature is to set the trap size
No. 3 at the mouth of its burrow, carefully covering it with loose
earth and securing it by a chain to a stake. Any of the methods
used in trapping the fox will also be found to work admirably.
The dead-fall or garrote will also do good service. Bait with a
rat, mouse, or with whatever else the animal is especially fond,
and scent with Oil of Anise or Musk. In early spring, while the
ground is still hard, badgers are easily captured by flooding their
burrows. After being satisfied that the animal is in its hole,
proceed to pour in pailful after pailful of water at the entrance.
He will not long be able to stand this sort of thing, and he may
be secured as he makes his exit at the opening of the burrow.
The skin should be removed whole, as in the case of the fox, or
as described for the beaver, and stretched as therein indicated.
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The Raccoon
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