Badger

Stocky, tough, and stubborn as the day is long, the badger is a small but fierce animal of the frontier. With their low bodies, powerful claws, and striped faces, badgers were common sights across the prairies and plains of the Wild West. They made their homes by digging extensive burrows, leaving telltale mounds of dirt scattered across the land.

Badgers are nocturnal hunters, feeding on small mammals, insects, and even snakes. Settlers respected — and sometimes cursed — them: respected for their courage and determination, but cursed for the holes their burrows left in pastureland, which could trip horses or cattle.

Despite their size, badgers are known for their fearlessness. Corner one, and it’ll fight with surprising ferocity, swiping with claws and teeth until the threat backs off. Because of this, “badger” became a frontier nickname for folks who were stubborn, scrappy, and unwilling to back down.

In Native traditions and frontier folklore, the badger often symbolized determination, protection, and grounded strength. On the land, it was both a nuisance and a marvel — a creature that mirrored the frontier spirit itself: small, fierce, and unwilling to quit.