Cranfield Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 There are two very large, well established badger setts quite close to where I live. We haven't really taken much notice of them, apart from seeing them crossing the road late at night, or hearing them squabbling in the meadow behind the cottage when its dark. However, things have changed and we now have a large hound. They must have always got into our garden after the fallen plums and other fruit, but since the arrival of Bramble I have buried extra fence wire deeper into the ground. So they have dug under it. The fun starts at the 11pm "toilet trip", when Bramble goes ballistic up and down the fence/hedge/tree line. I have shone the lamp into the meadow and there is usually between two and four of them waiting to come under the fence. It takes quite a while to settle the hound down after such excitement. For a few nights I have had to move the 11pm trip back to just after midnight. The first time, one was half under the fence and beat a hasty retreat with a baying hound almost on top of it. There have been other close encounters of a badger kind, but last night was the best/worse. It was almost 1am before I went to bed and gave Bramble a late outing into the gardens. There were three of them inside the garden, I would guess all juveniles and they went in three different directions. Interestingly, Bramble never went after them direct, but followed the (confused) scent lines, at a gallop, until she came to their exit points. She was very close behind one of them and brought back enough hair to make a small shaving brush. Obviously, I have to strengthen the fencing , as I can't have her harming a badger and I will also spend time today picking up all the rotting dropped plums that are on the ground. What does concern me is that the badgers may think this is all a game and come back even when the plums have gone. Living in a quiet and isolated location we are immune from street corner chavs, but it looks like we may have badger "hoodies" instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Maybe try some "silent roar" For those who think Im barking its Lion poo from Port Lympne Zoo park dried and made into animal repellant for the garden. It might just work for Badgers? Failing that hire a pile driver for the weekend D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loopy bunny blaster Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 electric fencing its cheap and effective . thats what we use to keep them away from cattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 thats your only option. Badgers are that keen they will dig up or go through anything you put up. I've heard of them going through normal wooden fencing, and undermining brick walls if they really wanted to get the other side. They seem to have had a very good year my mate who is a farmer has found 2 new sets in fields this year, sadly when the combine bounced into them but they have no natural predators so are doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 A nice low electric fence was my first thought aswell. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Other ideas might be to have a night on the lager and pee liberally round where they come in and hope the scent puts them off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 A nice low electric fence was my first thought aswell. NTTF There was an interesting letter in shooting times a chap wired up old fluorescent tubes to his pen fence, bit of galv wound round one term and another to the perimeter fence netting to earth, when the elec fence was touched the tube flashed and scared the pants off whatever touched it. good recycling of old tubes? D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 have enough badgers and it will be the disco days of the 70's And just so you know: Disco was a bad idea the first time NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 I'd definitely be concerned about the safety of your hound. If one ever decided to turn on her then they can inflict serious injury. A powerful electric fence, mains? should give them enough shock to not come back, but your dog may also get a whack from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 I'm reluctant to put up an electric fence, because there are sheep one side and my hound the other. Having cleared up two barrow loads of rotting plums this morning, I think I may have removed the attraction, that is probably the best solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down South Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 !2v electric fence is the solution. On our shoot we have lots of sheep and a badger set in a bank not more than 20 feet from our poult pen. There are numerous electric fences all over the farm and the sheep once stung keep away, it can be turned off for several days and they won't break out. As for the badgers, the pen fence goes on 2 weeks before the pen is occupied. We don't have problems although the badgers have a go at the feeder outside every night. I hope I haven't tempted fate with this statement! They are a nuisance and out number the foxes around us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 The badgers will seriously mess up your dog if cornered. Be careful, I've seen what they can do at close range. Not suggesting this of course... but someone round here had a problem with pigs on his grass tennis court and phoned up DEFRA and asked what they suggested. He got a reply along the lines of 'We will not do anything about them, they are a highly protected animal and you have to learn to live with them.' His reply to DEFRA was 'I'll just shoot them then, thanks for your time.' *Flustered DEFRA person quickly runs through all the offences that he would commit if he did such a thing!* FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 I wouldn't let my dog be at risk, but the badgers are out in the open and can escape before the hound gets that close, which is their natural inclination. I have seen dogs damaged by badgers and vice versa, but this has occurred in confined spaces where they have no alternative but to fight. I have removed the plums, blocked the holes up and put some old logs along the fence line in the favoured area. Lets see what tonight brings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Logs... I've had them move concrete bollards staked down on a fence line. Powerful beasts. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Logs... I've had them move concrete bollards staked down on a fence line. Powerful beasts. FM Not just any logs, but logs made of reinforced concrete, with foundations that go 50ft underground, razor sharp iron spikes embedded in them, machine gun posts every 20ft manned by ex SAS members, backed up by a Ghurka Battalion with their kukris at the ready and the whole area in front of the logs is landmined. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Actually, they are only wooden logs really, but awfully big ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loopy bunny blaster Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 a mains powered electric fence wont harm your dog or any other wildlife mate they can shock a mouse and it'd scarper off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loopy bunny blaster Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 it is also an indirect current it pulses and dosent stay live all the time. it shock's once every second so there is no danger of your dog getting bbq'd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 I could do with one of those by my chickens Cranners! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 have heard creosote does the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poacher Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Cranners i'd be careful about letting your hound get so close to badgers, not only do they carry disease, but can be savage. I should know i lost 1/2 a fox terrier to one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggone Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 have heard creosote does the trick. Hi Mark, probably get longer in jail for releasing creosote into the environment than shooting the badgers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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