Need Help Finding Certain Vertebrates.

[Sheri]

Ok, I need to find a badger, I have been looking for 18 years.

Any tips?

I know thy move dens all the time, often as much as once per day. They are mostly nocturnal and very shy creatures.

The dens have a mound of excavated earth around them, which is a helpful ID tool, but they are also 10 feet deep and often 30 feet wide. So the tickle 'em out method is not gonna work *if* the badger happened to be there at all.

I know they like the edges of fields, where prairie (ideal is a mix of long and short grasses) edges on wooded areas, but that's like... everywhere.

If you are aware of any helpful tips... like "rarely found near railroad tracks" or anything, I would really appreciate it. It's driving me nuts.


Also, if anyone knows of any really good sites for IDing scat, that would be great. This one isn't bad, but wolf is not included, and there are other mammals as well missing.

The other animal I really want to find this summer are the snapping turtle (I saw a large specimen last year but Lelle has never seen one) and the black bear.

I won't get into the frustration and hours spent looking for bear. I will tell you though, that we have 30,000 black bears in this province alone. That they were attacking people last year. That just about everyone with absolutely no interest in nature has seen at least two...

If you have any photos you have taken of these species (well, I wouldn't turn down any pics really of any predator) I'd love to see them!

 

[Kugellager]

Here you go.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/badgers.php

John
];')

 

[wicked]

Ok, I need to find a badger, I have been looking for 18 years.

Any tips?

An incredible amount of luck.

The snapping turtles should be a little easier to find. Do you know of any farm ponds or slow moving muddy springs? They like to bask on the bank in the sun and you should be able to find the slides they use. If you can find a fresh slide just keep coming back during the morning or early afternoon when the sun is out. You could also stake out the slide since any disturbance (such as people stomping through the grass) will send them sliding back into the water.

Good luck.

 

[Scorpendra]

Here you go.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/badgers.php

John
];')

nice, but this has a better example of their congregation areas

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/footy/

 

[Sheri]

An incredible amount of luck.

The snapping turtles should be a little easier to find. Do you know of any farm ponds or slow moving muddy springs? They like to bask on the bank in the sun and you should be able to find the slides they use. If you can find a fresh slide just keep coming back during the morning or early afternoon when the sun is out. You could also stake out the slide since any disturbance (such as people stomping through the grass) will send them sliding back into the water.

Good luck.

We have been to many such areas. Like... several dozen by now I think.

And according to something I have just read on our population our painted turtle likes to bask, whereas the snapping turtle is not often above the surface during the day and avoids sunning for the most part.

 

[Stylopidae]

I *might* be able to find a baby one this summer. There's a lake that I used to fish at that is fed by a creek that I've found quarter sized individuals floating down a couple times.

I've caught adults by juglining, but those are a mite too big to be sent through the mail.

I'm going buggin this summer near a bunch of creeks and lakes and I *might* find a baby that I could send to you.

IM me if you're interested. My PM box will be full for the next couple of days, so a message on YIM will be the only way to get ahold of me.

 

[Sheri]

Oh, I don't want to keep them. I just want to find and photograph them!

 

[wicked]

Sheri, you are going to make me put my photos in albums, I spent about 20 min digging through a 20 gal tub for this. ;P

View attachment 51865

This bad boy got a little too curious for his own good while we were fishing. You notice my husband is smiling in the picture? That was before I told him he had to get the hook out of its foot and let it go.

Its true snapping turtles, or mud turtles don't hang out in the sun like painted turtles do, but they can be found out on the slides with a little luck and persistence. We had the big ugly ones with the spikes on their backs at home. Surprising them on the bank was about the only way you could see them.

 

[Crotalus]

I think the snappers are easier to find when it gets warmer outside and in the water. Cos then im going all in the damn ponds with goggles!

 

[TheDarkFinder]

Road trip Badger

head out to Woodlands hill outside of Rossburn, about 311 km from winnipeg. Also check out Riding mountain park, they may have some. But Woodland Hills have a population near the road.

As for finding them they will be open canopy or grassland, near rocks and other hunting ground. Go out into the field in the morning to find the enterance. It will be a large opening 20-30 cm. Then you will need to wait them out. They will not come out until late evening and hunt at night.
thedarkfinder

 

[Mechanical-Mind]

I'd like to lend a note on handling large chelonians, and snapping turtles in particular. Don't suspend them by their tails. It can and does, especially with large specimens like that one, cause undue vertebral damage. Take a look at the following link for proper handling techniques.

Best,
-Matt

 

[Stylopidae]

Cos then im going all in the damn ponds with goggles!

Can I call you stumpy?

 

[Thoth]

Maybe this will help.
Badgers
http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/...D=5&lgfromWhere=&curPageNum=1&viewType=tracks
http://www.badgers.bc.ca

Also, which is probably way more info about badgers in BC that you would care to know
http://www.badgers.bc.ca/pubs/Hoodicoff_thesis.pdf


For snapping turtles they also like to stay in the shallows, presumably to bask, with the eyes and nostrils just breaking the surface of the water. (then again this might be behavior only show by the snappers we have in the NE). As for jumping in the water looking for snappers, they tend to like muddy areas so visibility will be low and if a hand or foot gets too close, Sheri might have to join EC in calling you stumpy.

 

[Sheri]

Ehhhh what's a finger or two?

We looked last night for about 6 hours to no avail... (badgers)

I know of those spots you listed DarkFinder, as well as several others.


Well... if I find one, you'll be sure to hear about it.

 

[Crotalus]

Can I call you stumpy?

Their bite is quite exaggreted but hopefully i will not have no find out the hard way

 

[Crotalus]

I'd like to lend a note on handling large chelonians, and snapping turtles in particular. Don't suspend them by their tails. It can and does, especially with large specimens like that one, cause undue vertebral damage. Take a look at the following link for proper handling techniques.

Best,
-Matt

I know how to handle them but thanks anyway.

 

[Galapoheros]

Snapping turtles are very interesting. Since they don't need allot of sun, I think the babies make good aquarium animals. I've had several. I couldn't keep them with anything else for obvious reasons. Once when I was a little kid, probably around 10 or 11, I went to the local creek to look for stuff. I saw this BIG frog halfway buried in the mud. I could see it's nose and eyes. I knew I had to move fast. So I grabbed it! Man, that was a strong frog! I couldn't get him lose. Then it started hopping! But it was still stuck in the mud! I couldn't figure it out. You see where this is going? It was a BIG snapping turtle! When it was trying to bite me, I thought it was using it's back legs to hop! I remember realizing what it was. It's what I call, "the awakening". Ha! I'll never forget that feeling. You don't want to get your finger caught in that mouth. Of course, I caught it and took it home anyway! Ran home and got a garbage can and a friend. Relocated the turtle and put it in the trash can. Neat turtles! I let that one go later. Parents said, "too dangerous". Now I'm older, dumber and have more dangerous stuff.

 

[Mechanical-Mind]

@ Lelle -

My suggestion was more or less directed at Wickeds attachment, but also for others who aren't familiar with handling chelonians. -but it's nice that you know how.

Best,
-Matt

 

[RVS]

I caught quite alot of snapping turtles as a kid. They're very common in this area. Your best bet is to search in a slow moving stream or creek where fish are regularly stocked for fishing purposes.

 

[skinheaddave]

Saw this guy swimming along in a small pond the other day. Not a bad size -- carapace probably somewhere in the 12-16" range.

Cheers,
Dave