I can't see anywhere your original question was answered, (maybe need specsavers). Badgers are routinely killed in France using various means - shooting, digging out and stabbing, even illegally poisoning. Large organised digs occur and even competitions and can take place at any time of year with authorisation. However the reason in France isn't given as Bovine TB although cattle here do have it, (less and less as increasingly dairy herds are kept in buildings), the reason is because they are supposed to eat the crops and I suppose just for fun. Chris