Hole in field!! Rabbit,Badger,Fox?

[charliesarmy]

How can you tell?? I have a hole in one of my horses fields..right on the boundary.Its a single hole disguised by long grass...and the entrance is about the size of a football..maybe not quite as big..any ideas?? and how can I get rid of its inhabitant?

 

[Spudlet]

Bunnies tend to have many holes all together in a warren. Badgers - look for evidence of bedding being chucked out, and there will probably be a few more entrances to the set around too. Foxes - I would have expected that you'd smell them!

 

[SpottedCat]

If is shaped like a D on its side, it could be a badger, and the short answer to how to get rid of it is you can't, not without a lot of faff and paying someone to get a licence etc- and you won't get a licence for a badger in a field. If you stick your arm down it and it splits into several smaller holes it is rabbits - find your local terrier man (ring the hunt) or ferret chap and they will deal with it. But TBH wildlife digging holes in fields will keep happening - is it that much of an issue?!

 

[Lippyx]

I would say a rabbit. If its a badger you cannot touch it, as I believe Badger sets are protected!
Why do you need to get rid? Why not fence it off if your worried about the horses falling in it? There is no point filling it, as if its a "live" burrow, the inhabitants well just dig it up again!

 

[Spudlet]

For the hassle of getting rid of whatever it is, I'd probably just lekky fence it off instead to be honest, especially if it's right on the edge anyway.

 

[charliesarmy]

I would say a rabbit. If its a badger you cannot touch it, as I believe Badger sets are protected!
Why do you need to get rid? Why not fence it off if your worried about the horses falling in it? There is no point filling it, as if its a "live" burrow, the inhabitants well just dig it up again!

Just concerned about accidents...I only have 3 1/2 acres so dont really want to lose any by having to fence off holes and then it gets out of hand..if this is going to be the only one not a problem...Yep know about badger rights..and thats the one which fills me with dread somebody on here lost 15 acres of land due to Badger setts!!!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

My guess is that OP is worried that her horse might well fall down this hole, or any others that its inhabitants will dig in the future, and break its leg. Get the local hunt/terrier/ferret/gun man out and get rid of as many of the b*ggers as possible. That's what we do.
The other day I found a hoof-sized hole in the field and realised that a horse had stood on a mole-hill and sunk. We filled that in but I am concerned now 'cos we have more mole-hills than usual this year, so I wondering now if we've got a local mole-catcher. If I have to choose between the local wildlife and my horses' health, I'll put the horses first every time!