Dealing with badgers

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Fuju

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I visit a small nature reserve where badgers now have a sett in the far end but I've noticed by claw markings that they travel around the reverse quite a lot. It's mainly open tall grasses with some small wooded areas and narrow foot paths. From previous experiences where I have come across a badger in the grass unexpectedly and it had a growl and one bluff charged me on a different occasion so it put me off for a bit.

Do badgers generally approach if they see you and would they likely run the opposite direction if say one suddenly came through a hedge and ended up only feet away? I'm guessing the ones before felt threatened maybe because the sett wasn't far away and most likely had young in there.
 
I’ve had them in the garden and when encountered they always retreated. HOWEVER it might be different if approached when young are in the set.

 
Brilliant footage! I might try it again tonight, hopefully I don't get chased away
 
Avoid deodorants/perfumes and fabric softener, arrive before sunset and find somewhere to sit/lie, wait for them to wander around, if they smell you or see you move they'll probably bolt, their eye sight isn't great but they see shapes move, so hide your shape and stay still.
Stay down wind.
Aggression is normally last resort and because they feel threatened, have young or may even be because you're between them and their set.
They can get aggressive if their in pain.
I've never seen aggression myself.
 
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Echo @Gav. - I've had them running full pelt towards me (I was just standing there on a badger pad (path) wondering what actually made that particular path...) - became aware of me at the last second (18" from my toe end) & essentially make a snap 90° left turn.

The key is not to corner them. Sit still, keep scrupulously quiet. Round me they were wary of the head torch light at first (if the light comes down towards them rather than from the side they seem much more amenable) - and initially they bolted when a flash fired but now they don't give a rats about it.
 
I've had a few encounters, but they mostly just glare at me and saunter off. Not bothered about me at all. Never had a charge, did get a growl right by a set entrance and a face looking out at me, but it just waited for me to go (not very long :)).
 
My only experience of badgers is at the back door where I've sat a couple of metres away from them so they might act differently in other situations.
Their default response to a disturbance seems to be to run, and run fast. As mentioned above their sight isn't the greatest but I've read their sense of smell is excellent. In my encounters their hearing also seems exceptional.

I have never heard of anyone being attacked by a badger, other than a report years ago by what was thought to be a badger than had become habituated to humans.

Dave
 
I was brought up on a farm in the Brecon Beacons and we dealt with badgers all the time. They will generally avoid you unless you corner them. If cornered or threatened they will attack and they can do a lot of damage to a human leg. They should be treated with utmost respect. We have around 8 of them living in the neighbour's garden. They run up and down at night and sound like a heard of elephants. Suburban ones are likely to be far more used to encountering humans and you'd expect them to be less aggressive when disturbed than ones in more remote locations. I know a couple have entered the neighbour's conservatory a few times but always shoot back out when shooed away.
 
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I got knocked off my bike by a badger once, when I was young. Was cycling home late at night down a country lane when he/she burst out of the hedge and into my front wheel. I lay on the ground looking face to face at the badger I think we were both surprised. Then he/she turned and went back under the hedge and was gone. I cycled home.
 
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Never had a problem with them myself but I've only had a few brief encounters. They can be, by all accounts, rather nasty, so respect is needed. I think in most situations though, they'd rather leave than confront, as long as they are not threatened or cornered.
 
They are no different to many animals if cornered or threatened; they will fight back if they can't get away.

Dave
 
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