In some states, badgers are actually legally protected

In general, you don’t want insects congregating in your yard and munching on your plants while attending to their daily standup call. But you might be willing to make an exception Beneficial insectsLike predatory beetles, centipedes, earwigs and praying mantises, which help you Manage garden pests. That being said, you’ll draw the line at humans (think badgers) who eat fruit and nuts from your trees, or dig through your garbage can when they’re hungry. However, before you set up an elaborate trap or load your shotgun, know that this backyard pest is legally protected in some US states.

Highlighting why that is, Charles Van Rees, Ph.D., conservation scientist and naturalist, and owner Gullo in Nature Newsletter“Most of the protections for badgers stem from their historical popularity as a furry animal that was trapped to make things like shaving brushes,” Hunkarn says specifically. “In some states they are considered a conservation concern and legal to hunt or trap, either during certain seasons or when they cause property damage. States such as California, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Washington list them as conservation priorities,” he says, listing the territories you want to deal with carefully. Therefore, it’s best to leave them to their own devices, unless their tunnel-boring skills pose a threat to your property or they start using your livestock.

“A badger on any small to medium-sized property is a temporary visitor, perhaps sticking around for the length of the winter,” adds our expert. They also have their benefits. “Badgers are surprisingly efficient hunters that can dig faster than mice, and can quickly clear extensive tunnels of ground squirrels or gophers,” says Van Rees.

Knowing that they are legally protected in your region, you can be willing to put up with this backyard pest for a few months. But don’t automatically assume that your half-chewed plants and rifled-through bins are the work of badgers alone. Charles van Rees reasons in his exclusive interview with Hunker, “Since badgers are nocturnal, the best clue would be any tunnels they leave behind; sightings of the actual animal are rare.” And while they are able to dig a tunnel of their own, they usually stick with widening tunnels dug by other pests like gophers and ground squirrels, our expert says. To determine which tunnels belong to badgers and which have been dug by other animals, he noted, “the width (diameter) of the hole/tunnel is the best indicator — if it’s more than a foot, a badger may have been involved. Badger burrows (or more correctly badger-renovated burrows) often have fronts or large aprons.”

You can also find some evidence here if you look around for tracks. “Badger tracks will show two very different sized pairs of feet (the front feet are wider) and long claw marks with larger (front) tracks,” notes the naturalist. Another way you can confirm if badgers are hiding on your property is to look for their scat, aka poop, in shallow holes. “I’ve heard a hint from other naturalists that they can dig latrines (small depressions in the ground) by digging holes with their feet, and finding skates in such latrines can be an indicator,” our expert says. However, he cautions that it will vary in appearance because badgers use different types of prey.

If your yard has a fence or sentinel trees guarding its perimeter, it’s unlikely that badgers will hide on your property (they may pass through, though), especially if you live in the suburbs, notes Charles Van Rees in an exclusive chat with Hunker. This is because they prefer open areas and sandy soil where they can dig to their heart’s content. As such, they mostly trouble herders and agricultural landowners, explains our expert. However, what if they have chosen your property and you need them gone? “It’s a good idea to consult a wildlife professional, especially a state agricultural extension agent, for advice on local policies and best practices for their removal,” he recommends. The silver lining is that due to their nomadic lifestyle, they won’t give you a headache for long, he stresses. “One week a problem badger can be gone the next,” he maintains.

But if you want them to not pay for your yard visit at all, our expert suggests making a few changes. “Mesic (wet, humid) conditions and associated vegetation, such as thickets and groundcover, as well as a thick or multi-layered tree canopy should deter badgers, as they prefer more open areas such as prairie or grassland,” says our expert. Consequently, get ready Plant trees If you want to keep these unwanted guests out. He stresses that this is the best way to maintain a badger-free yard because you can’t really change its soil profile. And using pesticides to eradicate rodents or other small mammals (basically, badgers’ food sources) isn’t worth it when you consider how harmful it can be to you, your pets, children and local water supplies, he concludes.