This story is 30 years old but it is the only time I have sighted the state animal: a Badger. I was on my way to teach summer school at Kiel,
WI driving on rural backroads when a commotion on the high end of the ditch caught my attention. Four black labs had a badger "cornered" and were trying to get the best of it. After leaving black skid marks on the pavement, I backed up to watch. It didn't take me long to decide that the dogs were losing. Yes, losing. The badger was a formidible opponent more than able to defend itself against the dogs. Not only was it terribly fast, but it had a set of teeth and claws that would have ripped the dogs apart if they made contact. Just before I had to leave to make it to work on time, I realized the badger seemed to be digging an escape hole at the same time it was keeping the dogs at bay.
