Badgers have been fully protected since 1992 in the UK - they now abound and virtually every hedgeline and wood that I stalk has signs of badger activity.

This can create issues for farmers and foresters as it is an offence to disturb a badger sett, even if the sett is newly established and in the middle of your crop!

Just checking if badgers are (i) protected, (ii) a quarry species, or (iii) considered vermin - in other European countries.

I know they are still hunted actively in France by terriermen. A hunt which has pretty good PR, unlike terrierwork in the UK and Ireland.

You can hunt them in Romania with or without dogs. Most of our hunting areas has a quota of 2-4 badgers every year.

iii and yes you can use terrier.

You can hunt them in Germany, with or without the dogs. A lot of fun during the winter lulls.

Very interesting. It sounds like we may be in the ignorant minority here.

How is the rifle hunting conducted? Chance encounters from high seats or stalking? I remember a clip posted here of someone calling in a badger with a rabbit squealer.

Another question ---- does anyone eat these oversized weasels?

What happened to the Great Badger Cull that was planned?

(I left before the madness)

In Sweden we hunt the badger in many ways. With dogs or without dogs. Using a squealer (Nordik predator) you can lure them to come very close...
In former days the badger was eaten in several parts of Sweden and still You can find recipes on the web.Good luck and bon apetite!

Some of my freinds release a dog on the track the dog bails them so the hunter can shoot it. They use it for training carnivore dogs the same dog is used for bear and lynx.

Sometimes you can call them, this is me getting lucky predator calling in Bulgaria last year

http://youtu.be/296FehSpsWg

quote:

Originally posted by P-A Åhlén:
Sometimes you can call them, this is me getting lucky predator calling in Bulgaria last year

http://youtu.be/296FehSpsWg

Nice shot

P-A, Did you ever try to call for badgers in Sweden?

Börje, I have called a lot of predators in Sweden and never had any badger coming to the call

Hi Gabriel

In France it's fair game except Alsace.

Mostly hunted with dogs in their dens. They are digged or flushed out using working terriers or dachshounds.
A good opportunity too is shooting them close to a feeder. They tend to monopolize corn feeders and charge any game approaching, even big boars.
I am amazed that one can track them down in daylight, they usually are in their dens. Very interesting.

As Macs B mentioned you can hunt them during the season in Germany - August thru to end October. They are often baited using fruit, meats or even peanut butter. And badger (Dachs) meat is treated as a delicacy and often smoked like ham. The only concern is TB and rabies.

Legal in Norway as well.
Hunting season from August 21 to January 31.
Mostly game of opportunity were I live.
Feeding (among a lot of other things) on eggs from ground breeding birds, we flatten them whenever we have a chance.