[ronto]

I've had it with these things trying to relandscape my yard. I have an old 12GA. pump bird gun,full choke, 28" barrel, 2 3/4" chamber. I took the screen off my bedroom window to get ready for some night time, dim light, 30-40 yard range Armadillo target practice.

What's a good shot size for maximum coverage, since
I can't see the sight in the dark, and large enough to kill with a minimum number pellets hitting the target?

P.S. Nearest neighbor is 1 1/2 miles away so noise is not an issue.

[JohnBT]

"Shooting is an effective and selective method. The best time to shoot is dur-ing twilight hours or at night by spot-light when armadillos are active. A shotgun (No. 4 to BB-size shot) or rifle(.22 or other small caliber) can be used. Good judgment must be used in determining where it is safe to shoot. Check local laws and ordinances before using shooting as a control method"

- http://hgic.clemson.edu/PDF/PCWDARMADILLOS.pdf

[Oldnamvet]

With no one around, I'd use a .22 with a spotlight. Ammo is cheaper too.

[Fred Fuller]

Armadillos are tough little suckers, but not bulletproof. If you use a shotgun for 'dillo control, you will want to use larger shot, as a previous post suggested. You want to kill them on the spot if you shoot them, if only wounded they have a tendency to leap straight up several feet in the air and take off like turpentined cats- right under some inacessible place, where they then die. And stink. Hoo, do they stink. So use #4s if you have 'em, or bigger. A good accurate scoped .22 is a good idea too, if you have one, again as was suggested previously. I've shot through them end to end with a .22 shooting solids, good hits with a .22 will definitely do the job.

I learned that the hard way though, when they first showed up at home in Alabama several years back my dad complained that he couldn't kill one. Shot 'em with his shotgun, he said, shot 'em with a .22 and just couldn't kill 'em. So next time I came home from NC I brought along a little scoped .223 with 55 grain softpoints. Ol' dillo showed up the first night I was home, mom got all excited cause it was digging up her flowers. So I sallied forth and shot it for her.

Well, I can tell you a .223 is too much gun for dillos. That sucker positively EXPLODED. There were dillo bits scattered all over a 10 foot radius, and I had to scoop up all the dillo parts with a shovel and bury them. And blood? Dillos have more blood per ounce of body weight than any other critter on the planet. Dillo blood stinks too, by the way.

When you blast one, scoop the carcass up with a shovel and bury it promptly, they are nasty critters.

Good luck,

lpl/nc

[sm]

I find using an older F150 and older full size Chevy Blazer works quite well.
Best to get 'em on the blacktop/ hard asphalt 'cause crunches for sure - then again on the dirt road, off the dirt road, especially with the hubs locked never had a problem.

Tip: Them old Co-Op tires - gets em on the sides of ruts and ditches you got one side driving in.

Ya'll making this 'dillo and gun picking just too dang hard. Lever Actions and shotguns on the floorboard ( or wherever ) and wearing 1911s and K frame are comfy to drive in. Of late if I shoot one, use hardball out of a 1911.

"Fore!!" ..."Its a hole in one!"

Oh, them old throw-nets for catching bait? Patch 'em some what, and toss one over a 'dillo. Then yank r-e-a-l hard and fast. :)

Want a Rodeo some more - try doing that with a Raccoon :D

Beats the heck out of watching TV.

[swampgator]

Well, I can tell you a .223 is too much gun for dillos. That sucker positively EXPLODED. There were dillo bits scattered all over a 10 foot radius, and I had to scoop up all the dillo parts with a shovel and bury them.

We shoot them here on the farm. They dig holes and the cows step in and break their legs. One day a buddy and I were out shooting. We burned up all our shells leaving slugs only.

12 ga slug + Armadillo = 'Dillos on the half shell.

Nasty little creatures. And they're totally deaf. I once walked up on one and kicked him in the ass just to see what would happen. Quite funny.

[45crittergitter]

I'd agree with the large shot advice, generally in the range of buckshot to BB size, depending on range and pattern. My most effective loads, however, have been relatively high velocity rapidly expanding bullets, like .223 softpoint or magnum revolvers with lighter weight JHPs. Don't stand too close. The armadillos in Mississippi can hear quite well, but are commonly making so much noise themselves, that they don't (rather than can't) hear you coming.

[slzy]

have these things gotten north of the ohio river yet?

[NAK]

No such thing as overkill on an armadillo, if it is at least 10 yards away from the house and cars.

00 buck, 1 oz slugs, .223, .243, 30-06 are all viable options (bet a .50 would be cool). Don't be afraid to use a spotlight. The tend to freeze instead of running when the light first hits them. Just don't take too long to do the dead.

If you use a .22, stick with a jacketed bullet. I have seen one hit at 25 yards with a .22 soft point that barely broke the shell...no real blood loss or internal injury. Jacketed seem to kill 'em most of the time.

The jumping straight up in the air part is for real...kinda funny too, unless they get under the house to die.

If going for massive overkill (which is my plan), don't forget to hose the area down afterwords, else it will get ripe in a day or two.

[telomerase]

1. They smell really bad when they're dead.
2. They grow leprosy bacteria on their skin.
3. .22 Stingers work just fine... you guys that claim that .22 will "bounce off" a little armadillo leather must be boiling the armadillo first :neener:

[Geronimo45]

A .22 short will do the job, from my experience - though it might've been with one of those remington low-velocity .22 shorts (done at close range... five yards or less). Squirrel shot (don't know the number) has worked on another 'dillo or two.

[hillbilly]

First, where in the Ozarks are you in Arkansas?

I'm in Crawford County, myself.

Second, while sm is correct that probably the best dillo medicine ever created on God's green earth is a 1/2-ton pickup truck, I do know, for a fact, that both golf clubs (especially the irons) and your average Yeager's Hardware splittin' maul are themselves quite effective dillo medicine.

The things are really, really nearsighted, and not that hard to walk up on, provided you stay fairly quiet.

I have also seen a Rem 700 in 30-06 used to great effect on dillos in a cow pasture, too.

hillbilly

[ronto]

hillbilly,
I'm in Marion County (North Central) across the road from Crooked Creek.
ronto

[JShirley]

Buckshot at close range works well.

Shot another at about 20 meters w/ reduced recoil slug- the shell distributed the impact, and made an enormous, shallow hole about the size of half an orange- 'dillo was still (barely) alive!

John

[ronto]

Out of a 12 GA 28" barrel, full choke, 2 3/4" shell at about 25 yards:

# 4 SHOT..........2
ARMADILLOS....0

Thanks to everyone for your input.
ronto

[Mannlicher]

CCI Stingers and my 4 inch barrel S&W Model 63 revolver is good Armadillo medicine. If you want to use the shottie, use BB shot. Works great.