Don't badger me

 

I now remember that in addition to ticks and rattle snakes creating anxiety in my young life growing up in the wilds of Idaho, I was also taught to beware of badgers. They are not friendly animals as this photo would imply. They dig holes and live in dens underground and don't like visitors. I imagine they have the reputation of being persistent (i.e. don't keep badgering me) because if they come after you, they don't want to stop. 

My oldest brother killed one in the desert after it came after him (or so he claimed) when he was out hunting for something less aggressive like a pheasant. He blew it's head off with a shotgun. I think it may have just popped out of its den and both of them were surprised. And my brother was in a macho stage of his life when he just like shooting things. So the badger was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Badgers do have lots of teeth though and I wouldn't want to surprise one. They also don't see too well since they are nocturnal animals and are better in low light situations. So my brother did have the advantage over the badger in broad daylight of being able to see it coming. He also had the advantage of the shotgun. 

Animals rarely have the advantage when you come to think about it. And my brother was the one tromping around on top of the badgers home turf. So ironically my brother was the one badgering the badger.

Life is full of twists like that.