Badgers at Prairie Works

Recently, I have been noticing an increasing amount of presumed Badger activity in the area with hole digging, eye witness accounts or tracks from the creature. I have decided to crash course myself in Badger and have found some very interesting information.

The American Badger (Taxidea taxus), is a fossorial carnivore, meaning its spends most of its life digging and being underground. Badgers inhabit much of the great plains but $Badger \'sett\' near Shapville, ILL$ are scattered throughout the Upper Midwest. They prefer open areas such as prairies, pastures and fallow ground preferably with loose dirt to ease its digging practices. Badgers prey on Squirels, Rabbits, Mice, Moles, Gophers and when those populations are low they will settle for snakes, insects and birds.

Some interesting facts about Badgers include:

Badgers reproduce by delayed implantation, where mating occurs in mid-summer but eggs are not fertilized until December. They give birth to an average of three cubs in March or April.
During the winter months Badgers enter torpor, a semi-hibernation state where they will rise in and out of sleep every 29 hours.
When challenged the Badger can release a musky odor, similar to a Skunk’s survival tactic but not as powerful.
Their digging claws can reach lengths of 4″.
They have been known to dig through concrete and asphalt.
Badgers will hunt with coyotes to utilize both of their skill sets most efficiently and share the kill.
Badger hair is used for shaving and paint brushes.
In the middle ages Badger vs Dog fights would be arranged for gambling entertainment, much like illegal Cockfighting today.
Their burrows are called setts.
One unwilling Badger used as a mascot at a Wisconsin high school football game escaped and dug its way under the football field creating humps and holes throughout.
Early settlers in southwest Wisconsin would live in underground lead mines during the winter months, thus receiving the nickname of Badgers. Later, this created the state’s official animal and mascot, The Wisconsin Badgers
Bucky Badger, the University of Wisconsin mascot, was once replaced by a raccoon because the live mascot was too ferocious to handle. It was call ‘Regdab,’ Badger spelled backwards.