Aren't badgers noble protectors in Red Wall?
January 26, 2009 8:55 PM Subscribe
I'm pretty sure I've stumbled upon a badger den. How can I go back and take photos safely, without causing any harm to them or myself?
I'm in New Hampshire, and the other day I was exploring the woods behind my parents house. I ended up in a spot I'd never seen before, a hill full of pretty large rocks. I was climbing up them and was headed towards what looked like a bit of a cave under a rock, and stopped when I saw tons of little pebble poops surrounding it. I then heard a bunch of little noises, which were kind like 'ermm ermm'. An animal of some sort started backing tail first out of the hole, and I backed off, afraid it might be a skunk or a porcupine.
Now that I've looked at photos, I'm fairly positive these are badgers. The internet seems to be saying that badgers are fairly aggressive and territorial, especially over their young. I'm thinking the funny, kinda cute noises were from a litter.
I'm wondering what the safest way to go back and take photographs is? How much distance should I keep? Any crazy badger stories? I don't want to freak out some mommy badger, and start running in this somewhat precarious rocky hillside.
I'm in New Hampshire, and the other day I was exploring the woods behind my parents house. I ended up in a spot I'd never seen before, a hill full of pretty large rocks. I was climbing up them and was headed towards what looked like a bit of a cave under a rock, and stopped when I saw tons of little pebble poops surrounding it. I then heard a bunch of little noises, which were kind like 'ermm ermm'. An animal of some sort started backing tail first out of the hole, and I backed off, afraid it might be a skunk or a porcupine.
Now that I've looked at photos, I'm fairly positive these are badgers. The internet seems to be saying that badgers are fairly aggressive and territorial, especially over their young. I'm thinking the funny, kinda cute noises were from a litter.
I'm wondering what the safest way to go back and take photographs is? How much distance should I keep? Any crazy badger stories? I don't want to freak out some mommy badger, and start running in this somewhat precarious rocky hillside.
Response by poster: Okay, I should have done some more research before posting. This website doesn't mention badgers being in New England. It also says that they don't give birth until March. Either this is a crazy discovery, or this is a different creature.
posted by Corduroy at 9:02 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by Corduroy at 9:02 PM on January 26, 2009
It might have been a racoon or any number of critters raiding some other critter's den. Don't get too close, it might be a catamount.
posted by vrakatar at 9:13 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by vrakatar at 9:13 PM on January 26, 2009
I think "300mm telephoto" is the answer here.
Personally, I keep the heck away from things like badgers. No sense in disturbing them.
posted by DMan at 9:16 PM on January 26, 2009 [2 favorites]
Personally, I keep the heck away from things like badgers. No sense in disturbing them.
posted by DMan at 9:16 PM on January 26, 2009 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I guess I can't be sure there was a litter in this den, but the noises just seemed so pathetic. Do any creatures give birth in January? It could very well be a raccoon, but I just read that this is their mating season.
Although catamount is the best cat name ever, this ain't one.
posted by Corduroy at 9:24 PM on January 26, 2009
Although catamount is the best cat name ever, this ain't one.
posted by Corduroy at 9:24 PM on January 26, 2009
Best answer: You could get one of those digital motion sensing cameras hunters use to track their prey and set it up near the cave. There are some relatively cheap ones available.
posted by Yorrick at 10:11 PM on January 26, 2009
posted by Yorrick at 10:11 PM on January 26, 2009
The real question is how much time do you want to spend lying out there?
If you really want to get all National Geographic, the solution is a long, fast telephoto lens. But these are expensive. (They can however be rented by the day or week in many major cities from pro-photo stores, although you're still talking a few hundred bucks.) Then you want to get probably at least 50-75' away, preferably upwind, in some sort of comfortable hiding spot, and wait. Very quietly. If you know people who hunt deer they might be able to set you up with equipment that will make this a lot more comfortable than it will otherwise be. (If you can get a tree stand, that would be pretty ideal.)
The cheaper and easier solution, as suggested by Yorrick, is to get a motion-activated digital camera and set it up near the den. You want to do this quietly and when there doesn't seem to be any activity around. And you probably want to turn the flash on the camera off, if it has one, since that might drive them away from the den completely. (I think some nicer ones for deer-tracking purposes take IR photos at night, but not sure how much they cost.) The photos from this method won't be as good, but it won't involve you spending a few days lying in a mud puddle or something, either.
Your regular everyday photo equipment is really not well-suited to this task; "natural" wildlife photography is very difficult to do without long lenses or a way of getting the camera close while keeping yourself further back.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:16 PM on January 26, 2009
If you really want to get all National Geographic, the solution is a long, fast telephoto lens. But these are expensive. (They can however be rented by the day or week in many major cities from pro-photo stores, although you're still talking a few hundred bucks.) Then you want to get probably at least 50-75' away, preferably upwind, in some sort of comfortable hiding spot, and wait. Very quietly. If you know people who hunt deer they might be able to set you up with equipment that will make this a lot more comfortable than it will otherwise be. (If you can get a tree stand, that would be pretty ideal.)
The cheaper and easier solution, as suggested by Yorrick, is to get a motion-activated digital camera and set it up near the den. You want to do this quietly and when there doesn't seem to be any activity around. And you probably want to turn the flash on the camera off, if it has one, since that might drive them away from the den completely. (I think some nicer ones for deer-tracking purposes take IR photos at night, but not sure how much they cost.) The photos from this method won't be as good, but it won't involve you spending a few days lying in a mud puddle or something, either.
Your regular everyday photo equipment is really not well-suited to this task; "natural" wildlife photography is very difficult to do without long lenses or a way of getting the camera close while keeping yourself further back.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:16 PM on January 26, 2009
From what I've read from photography magazines, for any kind of wildlife, your best bet would be a telephoto lens, some kind of basic camouflage, and lots of patience.
After all, you wouldn't want to "badger" whatever creatures are living there!
BWHAHAHA
...
No? Not Funny?
I'll leave now.
posted by carpyful at 12:09 AM on January 27, 2009
After all, you wouldn't want to "badger" whatever creatures are living there!
BWHAHAHA
...
No? Not Funny?
I'll leave now.
posted by carpyful at 12:09 AM on January 27, 2009
Response by poster: I like the motion sensing idea. I think it would be cool to set a couple of those up anyway, but even better since I've found an actual den.
Hopefully today or the next day I'll slip out there quietly and take some pretty low quality photos. I guess I also should have made clear that I'm not super into photography, and just have an old digital camera. I think I can find a spot, though, because the snow suggested that the cave dweller was using one well trodden path.
I'll post them here when I do, for anyone interested. Thank you!
posted by Corduroy at 5:52 AM on January 27, 2009
Hopefully today or the next day I'll slip out there quietly and take some pretty low quality photos. I guess I also should have made clear that I'm not super into photography, and just have an old digital camera. I think I can find a spot, though, because the snow suggested that the cave dweller was using one well trodden path.
I'll post them here when I do, for anyone interested. Thank you!
posted by Corduroy at 5:52 AM on January 27, 2009
Seconding the motion-sensing camera idea.
I have worked with wild badgers in captivity and they are not nice. Not at all. Be careful.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 5:55 AM on January 27, 2009
I have worked with wild badgers in captivity and they are not nice. Not at all. Be careful.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 5:55 AM on January 27, 2009
It's a minor point, but badgers have sets, not dens.
posted by idiomatika at 6:08 AM on January 27, 2009
posted by idiomatika at 6:08 AM on January 27, 2009
My parents had badgers on their acreage this past summer/fall. Our research and personal experience indicated that the badger was digging himself a new home every 1-2 days. So your furry friend, if it is a badger, may already be gone. Either way, I would not get very close. Raccoon, badger, catamount - I wouldn't want to encounter any of them face-to-face.
posted by bristolcat at 8:50 AM on January 27, 2009
posted by bristolcat at 8:50 AM on January 27, 2009
Do you hear other noises, especially at night? Chattering? Shrieks?
posted by salvia at 10:43 AM on January 27, 2009
posted by salvia at 10:43 AM on January 27, 2009
Response by poster: Turns out it's a porcupine. No worthwhile photos, but I had no idea porcupines looked so bad ass. I think I always had the image in my head of a hedgehog looking creature.
posted by Corduroy at 6:37 PM on February 3, 2009
posted by Corduroy at 6:37 PM on February 3, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Corduroy at 8:59 PM on January 26, 2009