First ever!

Brandon L

New member
Well I had a first this weekend. I went out going after a couple coyotes that have been bugging a family friends cows, it was a hot day and it had rained the week before so the mosquitoes were out in full force! It was my second official stand of this season so I was pretty excited. I set up near an old river wash that seemed promising a mile or so south of the farm. Sat down under a bush and waited five minutes or so. Readied my fox pro and pressed play, nothing, I learned right then to check batteries everytime! Grateful that I brought a couple hand calls along I began making the most accurate wounded bird sound I could. 5 minutes into the stand and nothing, about the 9 minute mark I notice some movement on my far right, I look over and about 30 yards away comes a badger! Startled I swung my rifle over to get the barrel between it and myself, I was also pretty loud about it hoping that the badger wouldn't get any closer because I've had a few run ins with them on the farm and they aren't the most friendly critters. Instead of running away it stopped, and then kept coming towards me. I put my eye on the scope and realize I hadn't set the zoom back (3rd mistake). Feeling that I didn't have time to readjust and getting a little nervous I just found some fur in the scope and pulled the trigger, apparently I put the bullet under him because the first shot took out his blacklegs completely, he turned trying to escape and I was able to finish him with a round to the dome.

All and all I was pretty excited. I had no clue that badgers would come running to a call although now that I think about it it makes sense. I am also glad that I made the mistakes I had made, they will now stay fresh on my mind and I won't make them again anytime soon, I'd say it was a good 'work the kinks out' stand.
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Nice! I called one in from a few hundred yards and hit that guy with a 87gr v-max then watched it run 6 feet and dive in a hole. Good shooting they are tough!
 
Brandon L--Congratulations. Like reb8600, I know first-hand you can call in badgers. However, I have only managed to call in two badgers over the last 46 years so that's not a very good batting average
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Here's a couple photos of one I called in with the old "suck on the skin on the back of your hand" squeak trick.

Here it is on the top of a prairie dog mound, peeking out to see where the mouse squeaking is coming from.

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Here it is coming to me.

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Here it is about 15 feet away from me. I had my rifle with, but it was sitting on the ground beside me and I had my camera in my hands. I decided he was close enough so I spoke a couple words to it and it did a U-turn and headed back to where it came from!!! WHEW!!! I thought I might have to go into hand-to-claw combat with that badger and might well have come out second best!!!

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Thanks for sharing the photo and the story. What caliber is your rifle in the photo and what bullet, powder, primer combination are you using?
 
Thanks for the responses! Silverfox, caliber is a .223 and I was shooting a 53gr hornady v-max. Obaro, the season to legally sell or trade the parts isn't until sep 27th. But this is from the guidebook
Badger, weasel and spotted skunk
Utah Admin. Rule R657-11-21
If a badger, weasel or spotted skunk is cre- ating a nuisance or causing damage, you may harvest it at any time—without a license—as long as you do not sell or trade the animal or its parts.
I was close enough to a neighbors farm that I found it pretty justifiable, the damage they cause to our alfalfa fields are incredible!
I LOVE the UBR stock, it really levels the weight distribution of my rifle. I don't think I'll ever steer away from the UBR.
 
Here are a couple I've got on my phone. Hope it's enough.

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Shankbone, what part of Oregon you from? I've been trying to get a job out that way, deschutes county if prob one of my favorite places on earth!
 


Congrats on the badger. They never get a free pass around here.

It's good to see your smiling face , Silverfox.
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I ordered a "Killer Call" from Rich Cronk many years ago in July. I don't normally hunt in the summer unless there's a predator problem, but I couldn't wait to try it out.
I set up in a pasture amongst some humps and holes and started to call. A badger came out of one of the holes at about 30 feet, within seconds of me calling.
I dispatched him post haste and went back to calling. another 30 seconds of calling produced a pair of coyotes coming in on the run.

I sure miss Mr. Cronk.
 
Good job & a learning experience for you.
Ive called in maybe 5-7 badgers in my eons of calling coyote & only went barrel to teeth with one as I was trying to escape. I shoved my barrel at it when it got in front of me and it promptly clamped down on it....that was funny as heck after I thought about it back then.
 
Originally Posted By: tugboaterNice! I called one in from a few hundred yards and hit that guy with a 87gr v-max then watched it run 6 feet and dive in a hole. Good shooting they are tough!

So I keep hearing mixed answers and have not seen it clarified anywhere are we or are we not allowed to shoot badgers in wa??
 
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