My neighbor, Lonnie and I, went out for a coyote hunt this morning just north of our houses and had a great day.  We saw a total of nine coyotes, but couldn't call them in close enough for a shot, but what a day it was! 

I think we saw about 3,000 pronghorn out on the prairie this morning and the geese were in full flight, but the most incredible sight was a lone golden eagle sitting on the ground in the Pawnee National Grasslands.  He must have been about 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall.  For those that don't know that much about eagles or birds of prey, the golden eagle is the largest of all the eagles and can have a wingspan exceeding 7 feet.  I've actually seen golden eagles come in and pick up a newborn calf and fly off with it just minutes after birth.  Unfortunately we did not have a camera and my cell phone camera was not good enough to capture this regal bird at a distance of about 100 yards from us.

Now for the good part!  Lonnie and I were watching this bird when all of a sudden it starts running across the ground and flapping it's wings to try and take flight.  For a moment it looked like a large turkey on the run, then we realized that it was being chased by a badger.

I have hunted on these lands for quite a few years for pronghorn, mule deer, coyotes and prairie dogs and I have come across many large holes that could pass as either coyote or badger dens, but I had never seen a badger out in the daytime.

Lonnie suggested that I should harvest the badger due to the havoc that they present to all of the cattle ranchers in the area.  The badgers, as do the prairie dogs, make so many holes in the pastures, that the ranchers are always having to put down livestock that break their legs.

So, I dialed in my scope and put him down.  I will have him mounted to honor this little guy of course.  I have never seen such a small package of dynamite!

Any critter that will try to take down America's largest bird of prey is aces in my book!