Idaho Badgers

[broper]

I don't post very often, I'm mostly a lurker. But I thought comment on the badgers this year. Here in south west Idaho we've had a really good season for them. Seemed to be more this year than in the recent past. My hunting buddy Gary, I call him "the ol' varmint", and I have shot 25 between us this summer. We just go out once a week and prowl the deserts looking for them. I got three with my .218 Bee loaded with 40 gr. V-Max or Varmageddons and 14 gr. of lil' gun and I got eight with my .204 loaded with 40 gr. V-Max and 30 gr. BL-C (2). My buddy has shot 14 all with his 6 m/m Rem. loaded with 75 gr. Hornady HP's. That bullet is super accurate in his 6 m/m and really puts the smack down on the badgers. But Hornady has discontinued that bullet and has no plans to ever make it again. So he's experimenting with Speer and Sierra 75 gr. HP's. The badgers weighed from about 11 lbs. to almost 25 lbs. That 25 pounder I shot with my .218 at 110 yds. It went in his right ear and out his left ear. He was a BIG badger, looked like he didn't have any neck, just head and shoulders. His feet were huge with very long claws. We shot them anywhere from 30 yds to 400 yds. Gary shot that one at 400 yds. with his 6 m/m as it was running from us, didn't quite make it back too his hole!. The prime time for badgers here is winding down now. Were not seeing as many as we were. We've shot several jack rabbits too. There hasn't been any to speak of for several years but they seem to be making a come back. Hope so. It has been lots of fun shooting the badgers but it's just about time to start hunting and shooting coyotes now. That will keep us busy through the winter.

 

[jotrot]

really like southern Idaho and apparently I'm missing out on a lot of fun, keep at it

 

[Mike 338]

I leave 'em alone and most other fur bearers in the summer. Never saw the need to shoot 'em just cause they're moving but that's just me. Of course if they're getting into farmers fields, that's another story cause they cause damage to equipment.

 

[Catahoula]

I live in Idaho Falls & hunt all year long. I don't see badgers. Are you sure there is not a season on them???
Thanks, Kirk

P.S.
Are they hurting anything???

 

[broper]

There is no season on them. They are considered varmints/predators, all you need is a current hunting license. Talk to just about any rancher/farmer and see if they hurt anything. If you don't like to kill them don't hunt them. We haven't hurt the population one bit, there is 100's maybe 1000's of them out there. And we had fun.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

What do you do with them? Can you eat them or do you take their fur? Or is it more like a cull with coyotes you shoot them and let Mother Nature take care of it? I think one badger hunt for me would be pretty cool.

 

[broper]

I don't think I would eat one although I know a guy that did. He said he cut it up and cooked it in a crock pot. Doesn't sound very appetizing to me. You can skin them for the fur. They're kind of hard to skin and not worth much. Not sure but right now I think they're worth 4 or 5 dollars. Mostly it's a cull thing with us. You can go back a week later and they're all gone so I guess mother nature does her job well. I did see a turkey vulture eating on one that we had shot 4 days before. Come on out, we can get you on one.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I don't think I would eat one although I know a guy that did. He said he cut it up and cooked it in a crock pot. Doesn't sound very appetizing to me. You can skin them for the fur. They're kind of hard to skin and not worth much. Not sure but right now I think they're worth 4 or 5 dollars. Mostly it's a cull thing with us. You can go back a week later and they're all gone so I guess mother nature does her job well. I did see a turkey vulture eating on one that we had shot 4 days before. Come on out, we can get you on one.

I would take you on your offer, but I'm married and my wife would kill me if I left her over a weekend for a vacation hunting trip lol.

 

[broper]

Lol, bring her along, we'll get her one too!

 

[pozzest01]

My one and only badger I have shot and recovered was from Eastern Idaho while hunting over Christmas holiday. The friend who took me still calls it "the guided badger hunt".

 

[broper]

After that hard winter a couple years ago they were kind of scarce but they seem to be making a come back. We've got 20 between us this year. I've shot them with 218 Bee, .204, .222, and 6 m/m. Gary has used his .22/250 and 6 m/m.

 

[Mike 338]

Just curious... do you skin, stretch and get the hides off to market?

 

[broper]

No, badgers are kind of hard to skin and they're not really worth much. I did find a guy that will buy the heads and feet. He pays as much for a head as you can get for put up hides.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

No, badgers are kind of hard to skin and they're not really worth much. I did find a guy that will buy the heads and feet. He pays as much for a head as you can get for put up hides.

Ok got to ask...why?? Lol