I've been catching a few badgers in snares set on top of their holes but I have also been missing quite a few. The lock is pulled all the way down and almost tight. I'm using a 5/64 snare with an amberg lock and dispatch spring (my coyote snares) and was wondering if you guys had any tips to help me connect on a few more of those misses? Was thinking maybe a ram power snare would work better, anybody ever try those for badger? Thanks!

on the power snare video bruce bertram sets one in the mouth of a badger den
he pours a bunch of lure down the hole
he says it will catch all predators

How big a loop and how exactly you running the snare in relation to the hole entrance?

I had a badger hit a coyote bait station the other weekend, moved about four yards of earth, made a big heapin mess, and drug the deer ribcage halfway down the hole. I drug the ribcage out about ten feet away, dug a sort of trench through the dirt pile around the hole for a "trail" and set the snare with about an 8" loop about 4" off the ground in that trench. He was dead as disco the next check.

Taken four coyotes off it since too. That big pile of stinky fresh dirt adds some BIG TIME eye appeal.

Only badger ive ever attempted to snare, so take it for what its worth.

I'm using about a 6"-8" loop or whatever size fits inside the hole without touching the sides of the hole. I have been hanging them so the snare loop is set at the same angle as the hole. Staked with rebar as far from the hole as possible. I think the loop is just not closing fast enough because the snare is pulled off the whammy and pulled tight to the end of the snare with about a one inch loop left open. Would any other lock be a better choice?

I would think hitting them further from the hole may work better?? When I set that snare for the one I got I was working under the assumption he'd probably not be moving to fast coming out of the hole and to get a good catch had to try for him a bit farther from the hole entrance where he'd be moving with more purpose.

Coming out of the hole he may be apprehensive, slow, making sure the coast is clear and could easily back out of a loop that's not hit hard and firing fast??? Especially a loop hanging at a slight angle???

May guess is the badgers that are NOT being caught are from the badger claws catching in the snare loop. If that is the case a Power Ram won't help with that.
I would stick with the coyote snares with Amberg lock and dispatch spring then make a trail set in front of the hole. Use a 6" loop, 4" off the ground with a #9 wire figure 7 suspension system with the snare attached to a 20" or deeper earth anchor set up. If the number of snare misses are still a high and you have no domestic animals around you might a use a 330 or 280 conibear right over the hole.

Largest coni we can use here on land is a 220 i believe. Would a coni work being set that close to the hole? I would think the jaws would hit the sides of the hole and throw the trap away from the animal? If i had to set the coni far enough away from the hole for the jaws not to hit I think the badger could easily see it and just go around it. Anyone else try this method?

That's a good idea and I'm sure it would work but the problem is there is no grass or trail where the holes are because they are out in the middle of alfalfa, corn and bean fields, It would be nearly impossible to guide them into a snare set with no funneling or guiding.

I have had success with a 220 in the badger hole opening.

I catch badger in 220's all the time. Just pin the trap over the hole, and cut a spot out so the jaws will clear. I usually use a couple of 3/8 rebar stakes to pin the trap down, and make sure it's not touching the ground so it won't freeze down.

Square mouth shovel is your best freind when using 220's at badger holes. Perfect size to kind of make a trench for them to follow right into the 220.

Often when a badger comes out of a hole he is bulldozing dirt in front of him and will close the snare before he gets there. A 160 or a 220 is big enough for badger. Bigger isn't always better.

Camoman,
You could take a couple wooden fence posts center them along the sides of the hole, paralleling each other. Now you have a 'natural' funnel going two directions and a place to set 2 snares or conibears.
I didn't explain myself very well on what I meant by 'right over the hole'. I meant set far enough for the trap to fire, right in front of it. I was thinking more of a bank hole, which is what most of the ones I trap are, rather than the one in the middle of a harvested field. I have never laid a snare horizontal. I make a primarily horizontal set (90 degrees) to the slope of the ground for all mine and most of the time I think I am catching them when they come back to the hole rather than leaving it but the set would be the same for going either direction.

Some good ideas here. Thanks I'll figure something out. I've caught lots of badgers in 220's set in dry coon trails so I think I'll try to funnel them into my coni's and also try pinning the coni close to the hole. thanks again.