Badger

Wisconsin’s state mammal, the American Badger, is a stocky mustelid (member of the weasel family) that typically weighs 12 to 16 pounds and is easily recognized by the distinctive white stripes on its head. 

Badgers prefer large open spaces like fields, grasslands and pastures with loose or well-drained soils. They are carnivores that use their strong, long claws to dig up and eat small burrowing mammals and excavate the dens to live and have their young in. They are known for their aggressive behavior and have few natural predators. Badgers are a protected species in Wisconsin and cannot be hunted or trapped recreationally.

A typically solitary animal, females and males are only found together during their mating season in August and September, and the female raises the young alone. Badgers give birth to one to five young, called kits, between mid-March and early June due to delayed implantation. Kits are born furred, and their eyes open at around one month old. The kits can be seen outside the den at around 5 to 6 weeks. While the young may be weaned around 2 to 3 months, they will remain in their mother’s care until fall. Typically, badgers are nocturnal and stay in their dens throughout the day; however, a badger mother may forage during the day and care for the kits during the night.

Tip: It is less typical to see a badger than it is to see its burrow, which can look similar to the dens made by woodchucks, foxes and coyotes. These species all have different regulations regarding nuisance response, so try to determine which species is present based on tracks or by using a trail camera. Because they are nocturnal and avoid humans, badgers may growl and hiss if encountered. In these cases, their aggressiveness tends to be a bluff so they can retreat to their den. Make noise and give the badger plenty of space to escape.