[lgalere]

We just moved into a house with a large field to the side. The badgers is ruining our lawn. Any advice?

[cooper956]

 nothing much you can do but block up its ways in ect then thay may just digg under the fence ect
but arnt they so cute and cuddley

[Gordon M]

Cute looking yes, as for cuddly definitely no!
They will kill your chickens if you have any and are known to carry TB which will infect any cattle you have, best to try and discourage them lgalere, as cooper956 suggests. Stock fencing may keep them out but it can be expensive and as mentioned earlier, they may dig under any fence.
Don't forget though, they are protected so you can't harm them in any way.
Has anyone else got any better ideas/more experience, for dealing with this?
Gordon.

[Hardfeather]

An electric fence wire about six inches off the ground, with another one six inches above that, would probably give them something to consider. It would be best on the outside of your boundary fence, to stop them before they come through. However, if that is not possible, it may have to be on your side, in which case I would recommend it is about 18 inches out from the other fence. This will make sure they will turn about when shocked, rather than bolt through it.

All other methods of dealing with badgers has been made illegal.

[Muc]

The badgers is ruining our lawn.

Be thankful that you live so close to these wild creatures and can observe them.
The world will be no poorer a place for the lack of another 'lawn' but it would be a much poorer place without badgers.
Why not invite your local badger-watch group to come and observe and relax and enjoy the world for the few brief years you will live in it.

[cooper956]

Be thankful that you live so close to these wild creatures and can observe them.
The world will be no poorer a place for the lack of another 'lawn' but it would be a much poorer place without badgers.

bagers are out of control being protected is makeing them in to pest that dont only dig up lawns they spread tb kill and eat livestock (very young lambs, poultry ect) there are that many compeating for food they have no choice the odd famley is nice i love watching them myself  but i also have seen first hand the damage they do and we are powerless to stop it its not a case of wanting them all gone far from it they just need controling we are the only natural preditor the new cull plans will hopefully control them sensubly.

it baffles me why baggers are liked so much? foxs do less damage but arnt seen  as so cute and cuddley

[waterhouse]

Warm furry cute-looking animals that people write kids books about.  We live in arable territory so badgers are OK and foxes keep the rabbits down a bit.  But in town the urban foxes are nightmare bin raiders. 

Rats and mice don't get such a good press.  Your average anti fox hunting person will be on a chair and screaming at the sight of one (and thats just the blokes). Try explaining how foxes deal with rabbits...

[Muc]

We do have to control and cull animals at times - especially those of us engaged in agriculture. But the reasons need to be moral and justified.

Wild animals that become troublesome can be excluded by fencing; it doesn't require 'war' on their species or 'sport' in the name of culling or anger or resentment on our part. We are a clever species and can make enclosures to keep any animal in or out. Zoos do it all the time.

the urban foxes are nightmare bin raiders. 

If a dog taking leftover food from a bin gives you nightmares, the problem might not be with the animal.

[cooper956]

i fail to see how you can fence them out and at wat cost thay live in the middle of farms and fences stop them for a week at best on farms iv worked on i can say they are everywhere im not talking one famly its more like 4 or 5 in a small acrage mabe  40 bagers in 100 acres and im not jokeing

[dyedinthewool]

Don't get me wrong I like badgers - we even named one of our properties Badgers Crossing, because there was a badgers track going from one side of our property to the other.

The farmers nearby had TB in their cattle... One had to have 300 of his cattle slaughtered in 2009 because they 'reacted' to the TB test.  A very emotive subject  that has been going on for donkeys years.   If the programmes on TV  showed doe-eyed calves and their mothers being slaughtered instead of 'cuddly' black and white badger cubs playing 'while being fed a trail of peanuts!!!' maybe the public's thoughts might change.

These are not friendly cuddly creatures - they can be vicious if cornered, I have seen the remains of a lamb that a badger was reluctant to leave when disturbed by a friend checking her ewes late at night. Badgers have a nasty bite...

We have moved since then and now have Badger setts in surrounding fields. The farmer opposite has had to have many of his cattle slaughtered because they had TB.  Just because he is a farmer doesn't mean he had no feeling for his cattle - it had taken years of selective breeding to get his herd as he wanted, some of his herd he'd had since calves and were 10 years old - all gone in moments.

I know it has not been 'proved' one way or the other about Badgers carrying TB and infecting cattle. Most 'wild' animals have preditors that cull the weakest which maintains the status quo of the species.

Unfortunately Badgers have NO wild preditors to control them and while I think they are entiled to live in peace like any animal, with out a natural enemy to contol them 'humans' have to become the preditor. It should only be carried out by a licenced person and not by all and sundry.

Sorry rant over - not sure what you can do about the Badgers wrecking your garden.  maybe some Lion poo around the perimeter 

[robert waddell]

well i am 57 and have only seen badgers once live two boars fighting over a sow round here they must be one of the most unluckiest animals ever they only get to the side of the road and killed  no marks no blood and guts just a nice peaceful carcase lying there

[cooper956]

well you dodnt see bagers sat at home  if i went out now i could walk round 50 acre and would easly see a min of 5 and thats without looking for them im not saying every area in the uk has a problem but round our part of the counrty there is end of.
 there will always be people wanting to protect them but also people wanting to protect there livestock and property unless you are afected its very easy to pick the bagers side as its not costing you time and money or livestock loses

[dyedinthewool]

It's said that if you start seeing 'dead' animals on the road be they Badgers, Foxes, Hares etc then there are too many of them in their locality and they are looking for some where new to set up home.

A badger is a mighty solid animal probably did alot of damage to the vehicle...

[robert waddell]

that was when WE HAD CATTLE used to walk them night and morning  as i said only the once i saw live badgers even going out at night never seen one foxes deer owls but no more badgers

[robert waddell]

no i think it was the badger baiters left the dead to look natural