American badger

Scientific name: Taxidea taxus

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Stocky, powerfully built mustelid with a distinctive white facial stripe running from nose to nape, contrasting with dark fur on cheeks and crown. Body fur is grizzled gray-brown dorsally with yellowish underparts; males are noticeably larger and more robust than females.

Size and weight

Males 1.5–2.0 kg, females 1.0–1.5 kg; body length 42–56 cm with a short tail (10–15 cm).

Habitat

American badgers inhabit open and semi-open country including grasslands, prairies, deserts, and agricultural areas with friable soil suitable for burrowing. They range from sea level to high mountain meadows above 3,000 m.

Distribution

Found throughout western and central North America from central Canada south to central Mexico, with isolated populations in the eastern United States; prefers open terrain with adequate prey density and suitable soil for excavation.

Diet

Primarily small burrowing mammals including ground squirrels, prairie dogs, pocket gophers, and voles; also takes rabbits, insects, and carrion opportunistically.

Behaviour

Primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, solitary except during breeding season; highly fossorial with long periods spent underground in self-dug burrows or those of prey species; active year-round with reduced movement in harsh winter conditions.

Hunting tips

Look for distinctive five-toed tracks (front prints show long claws), fresh mounds of excavated soil near burrow entrances, and scat deposits near den sites. Approach upwind through open terrain at dawn or dusk when badgers emerge to forage; move slowly and pause frequently to glass likely burrowing habitat. Stalking requires patience; position yourself near active burrow systems and wait for emergence rather than attempting direct pursuit in rough terrain.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.