What is digging these holes?

[Niamh]

Does anyone know what kind of animal dig these?
They are in the back of our pasture. The grass was getting very tall so my husband decided to mow it - to "help" our goats - we have only two
These are newly made. My husband was walking and checking there 2 weeks ago and they weren't there yet.
There are 2 holes like an entrance and exit!? And it looks like a very large one to me - I put my boot next to it for comparison and it's deep into the ground.
I'll upload pics in just a second... the app won't let me upload

EDIT
First hole

Here is the distance from one to the other hole

Second hole

My boot as comparison - Size 10 Mens

 

[eggbert420]

Smoke them out to find out what it is.

 

[centrarchid]

Looks like a badger hole.

 

[Niamh]

Looks like a badger hole.

I was afraid of that...
Should we trap and relocate or kill it?

 

[eggbert420]

I would smoke them out and shoot them. If you relocate it. Then its somebody else's problem, or worse it could bite you.

 

[centrarchid]

Badgers have a large home range and likely more than one burrow within that range. Relocating not legal. Smoking likely to get badger out of that burrow but not out of area. I would beef up defenses of coop.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

yup looks like a badger hole to me, we have a few in are horse pasture that were trying to trap and get out, (where using a special live trap for them and then will shoot them)

 

[Red5]

That could also be an armadillo. I have one that moved in on me over the Winter. Have you noticed any smaller holes that would be done by grubbing?

 

[centrarchid]

Should be too far north for armadillos. They have only recently moved north past me with northern limits just now getting into northern part of my county well south of Iowa.

 

[woody1]

IMHO doing anything now would be a waste of time. These holes aren't currently in use. Note the fresh vegetation growing in and around the holes and lack of tracks. I'm also seeing crusted soil around the hole from what I'd say was a recent rain. A hole being used would at a minimum have a trail of uncrusted soil leading into the hole. FWIW That's what I see. If I'm seeing sign that isn't there, well carry on.