We have mentioned before Quail Run Farm at one time was home to a den of badger.  A couple years back, we found a badger den on the property.  It was a ways away from the house, and in an area that was not being currently used.  After some research we found that the badgers would help us with a couple of problems we may have on the farm.  They eat gophers, and also are know to kill rattle snakes.  So we left it alone and told the kids to stay way from the area.  Badgers have a large area they cover, and move from den to den.  They moved from our property a little while later and we have not seen them since.

Well, until we went for a walk just west of our property.  (We were taking some pictures of the flax that was in bloom.)  Then we found a badger battle zone.  We took some pictures to show that there was another active badger den, and that it declared war on some of the local pocket gopher mounds.

Here is the badger den.

When also found some claw marks that were left close by.

We then started looking around, and found several gopher mounds that had been dug out by the badger.

 Here is one where you can see the gopher has refilled its hole.

The battle was pretty massive, there are a lot of mounds that were dug up by the badger.

We have found that at times, the best approach is to wait and see what happens.  We try to keep a balance between nature and farming.  Unless the wildlife interferes with our farming, or causes a danger to our family or livestock, we will try to leave it where it is, and let nature take its course.

I don’t know if this is the same badger that was on our property a couple years back, but if it is, I am glad that we let it do its thing.  Anything that will help us take out the pocket gophers naturally, is a friend of ours.