Mr. Rancher and I are farming a new field this year and part of our lease agreement is to trap gophers.

Ty, Tanner, Lexcie, and Trayce have set about a hundred traps and within the first 24 hours of trapping the crew caught 40 gophers.  At about $2.00 per tail, gopher trapping could be lucrative business for us!  I’m so thankful for Henley–she gets me out of so many unpleasant chores, trapping included.

But gophers aren’t the biggest or meanest varmint in our new field.  Mr. Rancher also found a badger den.  A big, reeking badger den.  He called his cousin Keith, who is an expert trapper, to bring a badger trap for us to catch the nasty thing.  Gophers, badgers, and all other burrowing rodents cause huge problems for farmers.  The holes made by their incessant digging divert irrigation water from where it needs to be and their sharp teeth will cut through just about anything.  They eat the roots out of plants and can quickly destroy an entire crop.  Not to mention their ability to reproduce verrrrrrry quickly.  Badgers are particularly nasty.  They are ferocious and vicious.  They’ll chase dogs and people if they feel threatened.  Obviously, the badger had to go.

Mr. Rancher and I checked traps on our way to feed last Saturday and found the badger!  Ty took care of him and we were on our way.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think this little guy was cute.  Even so, I’m so glad he’s not going to be a bother any more.  I think my cows are cuter and they need the hay we will grow in this field to keep them fed during the next winter.  Life on a farm or ranch teaches you to do what needs to be done regardless of how “cute” an animal may be.  And he’s only cute because he’s not hissing.  Or growling.  Or snorting.  Or chasing me.