[john917v]

Has anyone hunted armadillo, and is it good?

[critter]

I have not 'hunted' 'dillo's, but I have dispatched a few. Examples were duely done in with .357 mag's, .44 mag's, 30-06, etc. All worked well against the lil 'living tanks'.

Is it good? Do you mean, as in EATING? I know some folks do or have eaten them. I am not nor am I going to get THAT HUNGRY! They are the only critters known to man (other than mankind) that can carry leprosy!

[skinewmexico]

Well..............I don't know. Only animal that can carry leprosy.

[john917v]

Oh. Never mind. Out of curiosity, what would be a good .22Lr bullet for them? I figured Remy. Vipers would do well against the shell, but am not sure.

[Stinger]

I think they do much more good for the environment alive than dead.

[MCgunner]

I've shot a few with CCI mini mag when I was a kid. They're not bad eatin', but I ain't real up on 'em. Kinda porky tasting. I didn't know about the leprocy thing when I was a kid. I really don't have a reason to shoot one, not high on my table fare list. Things were different when I was in college, though. I'd eat anything that was edible. LOL

We had a lot of dillers around where I grew up up the coast a ways toward Galveston, south of Houston, but I don't see many down here. Not real sure why. Might be the sandy soil vs the clay up there. Dillers dig for grubs and such.

[telecaster1981]

I ran across this dude digging up a tree in our woods. First armadillo I'd ever seen on our farm (Missouri), but I took him out of the gene pool anyway...

http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=76485&stc=1&d=1208220400

[john917v]

I wouldn't kill one (or any nonthreatening animal, for that matter), but am curious as to which bullets would work best against them.

[PotatoJudge]

Often when you come upon an armadillo in the woods you can grab a stick, sneak up on it, and poke it/scare it out of it's wits. Still, they won't run far. If it wasn't for that armor they could never survive- they're loud, slow (relatively), they're blind and deaf as far as I can tell, and aren't very predator-savvy in the least. In short, hunting them wouldn't be much of a challenge. I don't remember hearing from anyone how they taste, but I'm sure tons of them are eaten every year.

[telecaster1981]

I think they do much more good for the environment alive than dead.

Perhaps...

I've been told they're migrating north due to global warming. I'm hoping if I can shoot a few and drive them back to Texas where they belong I can effectively reverse global warming.

[whistler]

I've hunted them years ago with a bow.they are not very hard to find and most active early morning and afternoons just look for them on the edges of fleids.

[atomchaser]

We ate a few when I was in survival training about 25 years ago. Not bad, but kindy chewy -- kind of like tough pork. The preparation probably left something to be desired. I think you kill them with a 22 shot to the head. We ran ours down and killed them with heavy sticks.

[Husker1911]

Armadillo sightings have just started in Nebraska, for the past maybe ten years. Most along the Kansas border, but one found near Ord, Nebraska. It was a carcass, and was found in a haystack. It had frozen, and was seeking the internal warmth naturally produced within the haystack. I've not seen one, yet. FYI

[MCgunner]

delete

[Double Naught Spy]

Time to bust some myths.
They are the only critters known to man (other than mankind) that can carry leprosy!

Untrue. Mice can carry leprosy as well.
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761578788/leprosy.html

Funny thing is, there is no record of leprosy in the New World before European conquest. So if anything, invading Old Worlders gave leprosy to the 'dillos, who carry it, but are not affected by it.
http://books.google.com/books?id=j1XEGFIOYgwC&pg=PA266&lpg=PA266&dq=leprosy+in+the+new+world&source=web&ots=2ghpaVugNE&sig=0etmJHcpyskMb-owW2oYQEW2Weo&hl=en

If it wasn't for that armor they could never survive- they're loud, slow (relatively), they're blind and deaf as far as I can tell, and aren't very predator-savvy in the least.

While 'dillos have relatively poor eyesight, their hearing is good enough. They are predator savvy in terms of being as savvy as they need to be. With armor, they don't have to be terribly fearful of many critters. Just like most game, they don't understand rifles. Hell, most humans don't either, however. Simply put, armadillos have few natural pretators in North America.

So sure, without their armor, they would not survive. It is their advantage. Without claws and big teeth, would bears and mountain lions survive? All animals have an adaptation or adaptations to give them advantages. For humans, we are pretty much soft underbelly all over. We have good sight, moderate hearing, poor sense of smell, no armor, no real fur, no claws, no big canines, and we are awfully slow with bipedalism. Our big advantage is culture. Without culture, we are nothing but prey.

I've been told they're migrating north due to global warming. I'm hoping if I can shoot a few and drive them back to Texas where they belong I can effectively reverse global warming.

No, they are not migrating as a result of global warming. Their migration has been natural and cultural and has been traced back into the 1800s. They didn't cross the Rio Grande until around 1870s-1900 (as I recall, and where they stayed for a few years) and then spread across Texas which was well mapped.

In 1922, they started turning up in Florida with no connecting reports between Texas and Florida. Either they came overland in trucks or entered via seaports and shipping. They didn't show up in Louisiana until 1925.

Pretty much the warm months are fine for armadillos anywhere in the lower 48. The question is then one of surviving the winters. Humans create a lot of micro habitats that are great for armadillos to survive in northern clines such as cellars, barns, abandoned buildings, etc. They can burrow under a house and be quite happy even in fairly cold climates. They don't do as well there, but they can survive. The house radiates heat to help keep the ground warm and the 'dillos stay happy. No, global warming isn't why the armadillos have come north anymore than it was the reason they moved into Texas in the first place from Mexico.

Simply put, the temps haven't changed enough in the last 200 years to matter. Animals sometimes do spread for a variety of reason and the armadillo is one of those animals.

[telecaster1981]

No, they are not migrating as a result of global warming. Their migration has been natural and cultural and has been traced back into the 1800s. They didn't cross the Rio Grande until around 1900-1915 (as I recall) and their spread across Texas was well mapped.

That was meant purely as a joke on my part...I really don't worry at all about global warming. And Al Gore can take a flying leap for all I care!

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I think they do much more good for the environment alive than dead.

I'm curious - how do they help the environment?

[jimmyraythomason]

I just wish they wouldn't help so much in my front yard!

[qajaq59]

I've had them literally walk right next to my feet when I'm on stand for hogs so I don't think it would be much of a challenge to hunt one. They sure can dig holes in the yard though which can make them a pesty critter.

[Double Naught Spy]

I'm curious - how do they help the environment?

They are actually good with turning over topsoil and hence aeriating and getting surface seeds planted subsurface (needed for some grasses, for example).

They also turnover deeper dirt, bringing it to the surface which can bring better soil to the surface.

While they can do nasty things to a person's yard, if they are eating your yard, then you likely have a grub issue.

[XDKingslayer]

In the 8 years I've been in Flordia I've seen thousands of armadillos. All of them dead. I've yet to see a live one.

I'm pretty much convinced their born dead on the side of the road.

[qajaq59]

I'm pretty much convinced their born dead on the side of the road.
Good one.......... :D

[StrawHat]

38 Wadcutter works pretty good on them.

Most other varmints also.

[dogrunner]

Possum on the half shell.

[NRA4LIFE]

"I've yet to see a live one."

XD,

You just gotta get there earlier! Seriously, I haven't seen one live either! All dead on the side of the road. As far north as Springfield Missouri about 15 years ago. My buddy outside of Wichita is infested with them too. They are eaten in Mexico and South America I know.

[Harley Quinn]

They used to be all along the highway in certain locations, sort of like rabbits going to Vegas. I like them they are one unique animal.

:uhoh:

[leathermanwave]

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To prove to the Armadillo it could be done.:p

[MCgunner]

30 years ago, you'd see a dead armadillo on the road, some joker would normally stop and roll him onto his back and stick an empty Lone Star long neck in his mouth. Had to do with a running Lone Star commercial back then.

[Clipper]

30 years ago, you'd see a dead armadillo on the road, some joker would normally stop and roll him onto his back and stick an empty Lone Star long neck in his mouth. Had to do with a running Lone Star commercial back then.

I dunno, MCgunner...I tried Lone Star once when I was in the service at Ft. Sill. That stuff WAS nasty enough to kill and embalm a 'dillo!

All the Lawton bars served in those days was Lone Star, Coors, and Old Milwaukee. That's how I developed a taste for Old M. I didn't know there was anything nastier than Coors, until I tasted a Lone Star...

Gave me a new respect for Texans, though. Anyone tough enough to drink that stuff and live...

[MCgunner]

Lone Star was champaign compared to Pearl. ROFL! Sort of a Shiner Bock guy, though, myself, for Texas beer. Lone Star got sold, shut down the brewery in San Antonio. I never did find out what happened to the "hall of horns" there, a museum of big deer and such.

Shiner used to be worse than LS, but it went big time and ain't bad, now, though I drink Michelob Ultra Amber mostly for the low carbs. :D Diet beer.

I can remember actually LIKING Lone Star from a long neck. Even when I was in college and measured my daily intake by the six pack, I couldn't stand it out of a can. Now days, I don't drink a six pack a month. I don't know, just rather have tea or coke most times. Not much of a beer drinker anymore. Maybe it's an age thing.

</thread jack>

[Art Eatman]

Lone Star? Sent a sample to a vet. He told me my horse had kidney trouble.

An armadillo is the world's most vicious animal. The reason they're lying in the road, upside down, is so they can catch a car.

[Smokey Joe]

While they can do nasty things to a person's yard, if they are eating your yard, then you likely have a grub issue.Yep, and further north, the striped skunks take over on the grub control.

It's like that all over--if you have centipedes in yr basement, then you also have some sort of critter the centipedes want to eat--the centipedes aren't there to pester YOU, for heavens' sake. Neither are the 'dillos nor the skunks--leave 'em alone and let 'em help you.

[qajaq59]

An armadillo is the world's most vicious animal. The reason they're lying in the road, upside down, is so they can catch a car. ROTFL

[XDKingslayer]

XD,

You just gotta get there earlier! Seriously, I haven't seen one live either! All dead on the side of the road. As far north as Springfield Missouri about 15 years ago. My buddy outside of Wichita is infested with them too. They are eaten in Mexico and South America I know.

My dad keeps telling me I need to come up and shoot the armadillos in his yard and keeps saying he's got a bad armadillo problem. He shows me all the triangle shaped holes in his yard but just walk out the road, show him that there are no dead armadillos and tell him that obviously armadillos aren't making those holes in his yard.

[G17Steve]

Hate them they will destroy a garden. Me and my meibhor have probly accounted for 50 them over the years.

But anyone who has eaten one deffinalty deserves a man card.

[JShirley]

For humans, we are pretty much soft underbelly all over. We have good sight, moderate hearing, poor sense of smell, no armor, no real fur, no claws, no big canines, and we are awfully slow with bipedalism. Our big advantage is culture. Without culture, we are nothing but prey.

Well, that's certainly sounds true, doesn't it? By "culture", do you mean "tool-using"? If you do, there are a few different animal species that can do this too, including crows. Man DOES have some natural advantages:

1. We are pack animals. Working in concert we can take on virtually anything even with simple tools.

2. Endurance. Man can run down ANY land animal over time. A fit human can run down any of the grazing animals on flat terrain. (Not sprinting, but over distance.)

3. The biggie: intelligence.

[mike724]

Tank Rats taste like pork, so I'm told. I decided to never eat one after seeing one crawl out the rear end of a dead cow. Carrion eaters! However, I've seen children catch them by the tail by simply sneaking up on them It's that easy to do. No gun nessesary.

[ArmedBear]

A fit human can run down any of the grazing animals on flat terrain. (Not sprinting, but over distance.)

How much time are you talkin', here?

And have you ever tried to tire out a herd of antelope, or buffalo, in open country? How about a bighorn sheep in the southwestern desert? You'd die before the sheep tires out, that's for damn sure, in our desert heat without water anywhere, going up and down near-vertical rocky slopes.

I'm betting that the way we have succeeded as hunters is intelligence, tool use and teamwork, combined with our complex communication ability that make our pack hunting more effective and our roles in the pack more specialized than other species.

I don't think that canines, for example, have a chat and say, "Well, Thrug is smart and has really good eyesight, but he can't run worth crap. Post him on top of the hill and let him use flags to signal the others. Moowoowoo is a great runner, but he's dumb as a stump. Let him do the chasing, where Thrug tells him to. And Fmurfle is really big, strong and fast, but can't run for very long. Have Thrug tell him where to wait, and he can pounce on the animal as it runs from Moowoowoo."

Humans, absolutely. Wolves, which are pack hunters extraordinaire, still don't have this level of intelligence, reason, communication, or specialization.

[JShirley]

It can take a while. You'll notice the best distance runners are from Africa, with its many grazing animals and flat plains.

[ArmedBear]

Actually, nearly half of the distance races in the world are won by humans from a tiny part of East Africa, with a population of 1.5 million. 20% are won by humans from a smaller part of that part, with a total population of 500,000. They have 70-75% slow twitch fibers, and they are not good at, say, sprint racing or powerlifting.

West Africa, on the other hand, produces world-class sprinters, not endurance racers.

So you can't even generalize about Africa.

And some parts of Central Europe produce world-class powerlifters, but not Boston Marathon winners or Olympic sprinters.

Only some human populations are optimized for what you're talking about; it doesn't matter how fit an individual may be, as there are differences in what "fit" means.

Hence, I still think that, on the whole, the factors I listed above are what have made us successful. The Inuit, for example, needed to be clever survivalists, fishermen and hunters; they didn't need the endurance to run down plains game over long periods. Put a Kenyan in Alaska, and he wouldn't last a year without modern technology -- ditto if you put an Inuit in Kenya.

[MCgunner]

2. Endurance. Man can run down ANY land animal over time. A fit human can run down any of the grazing animals on flat terrain. (Not sprinting, but over distance.)

Speak for yourself I can't even run an Armadillo down anymore. ROFL! I'm still pretty danged fast on a TZ250, though. :D

[JShirley]

I certainly agree with your statement I'm betting that the way we have succeeded as hunters is intelligence, tool use and teamwork, combined with our complex communication ability that make our pack hunting more effective and our roles in the pack more specialized than other species.

I do recall seeing a film of San track a giraffe for three days until they caught up to and killed him, but I'll accept your point that specialization for region is a likely result of evolution.

[Vern Humphrey]

We generally see 'em on the road next to a possum here in Arkansas. We figure they're star-crossed lovers whose parents (having something like good sense) wouldn't let them marry and they committed suicide together.;)

[Art Eatman]

I luv thred drif'.

The Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico would run and walk deer in relays until the deer finally quit. For some idea of their endurance, they visit back and forth across canyons--some of which are said to be as deep as our Grand Canyon.

A non-smoker in good shape in fairly open and hilly country can ruin a mule deer's day, but it does take some understanding of a deer's behavior. When spooked, mulie bucks run uphill and upwind. So, spook the deer up and over the mountain, but circle around on the contour. Go toward where he's most likely to be and spook him back the other way, returning via the contour. At some point in this rodeo, Ol' Bucky stands there with his tongue hanging out. So do you. I was quite satisfied to take my father's word for all this happiness...

[Vern Humphrey]

The Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico would run and walk deer in relays until the deer finally quit.
Men in general, have more endurance than most animals. During the War with Mexico, Alexander Doniphan set out from Missouri to capture Sante Fe. There, his army split, part of them going into northern Mexico to join other American forces there, the other part west to capture California.

It was one of the epic marches of all time -- and the infantry beat the cavalry to Sacremento by two weeks.

[stevereno1]

"Are they good?" I hope you don't mean in the eating of armadillo! If not, then yes!, thay are good to hunt and shoot.

[Double Naught Spy]

Well, that's certainly sounds true, doesn't it? By "culture", do you mean "tool-using"?

No, I mean culture which encompasses the whole variety of facets by which humans adapt to nature. For examples, tools, complex communications, clothing, medicine, shared knowledge, etc. We enhance our ability to survive in the environment by artificial means (culture).

As far as tools go, several animals use tools and some even fabricate tools, but hominids and now humans are the only ones to use tools to make tools. You won't find a crow sharpening a stick with a rock so that the pointy end of the stick can be used to stab some other object. You won't find a chimpanzee fabricating a spear even though they will use rocks as weapons.

Man DOES have some natural advantages:

1. We are pack animals. Working in concert we can take on virtually anything even with simple tools.

That is culture.

2. Endurance. Man can run down ANY land animal over time. A fit human can run down any of the grazing animals on flat terrain. (Not sprinting, but over distance.)

I have seen the video of Louis Leakey running down, killing and tearing apart a small artiodactyl, all without tools, but I would not claim that humans can run down ANY land animal. I don't see humans outlasting bison, pronhorn, moose, etc.

3. The biggie: intelligence.

Yep, humans do have intelligence, some anyway. So do many other primates, elephants, cetaceans, and even some birds. They don't build houses, engage in free market economies, etc., however.

[leathermanwave]

engage in free market economies, etc., however.

The economy's current state does not indicate intelligence.:scrutiny:

[qajaq59]

The economy's current state does not indicate intelligence.You beat me to it.....

[Master of Arms]

I kill nothing that I`m not prepared to eat so I guess I`ll sit this one out.

[Harley Quinn]

I tried to get one from a pet store in CA years ago.
They told me it was against the law to have one in this state.
I have always like the little roller balls ;)

[Grayrock]

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Send1.Jpg
Number One with his catch (after I imported it during dove season)

[Art Eatman]

They go totally nutzoidal over earthworms...

[sixgunner455]

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To prove to the Armadillo that it could be done.




Edit: Dang, somebody else already told this joke.

[Harley Quinn]

Grayrock,
Great picture, you are causing me to want to get one and break the law :) I have no pets now.

If I get one early (young) will he learn to do tricks:D Roll up in a ball is one I can start with:rolleyes:

[CliffH]

On a more serious note, and closer to the OP;

I've got a 'dillo not only digging up the yard but also burrowing into the low side of the 1/4 acre stock tank.

I'm not going to try to run him down and beat him with a stick. Been sitting out with a .22LR with hollow points, but it almost sounds as if I'll need something with a bit more punch.

Don't really want to use a higher powered rifle due to relatively close neighbors. So I'm thinking maybe a 16 or 12ga with at least #4 shot??

And it sounds like early morning is better for finding them than late evening??

Other research seems to indicate that a live trap isn't very effective. Since they have multiple burrows, even setting the trap (with wings) at the entrance to the one burrow hasn't worked. Still have the trap set out....

[Vern Humphrey]

I've killed a lot of armadillos with a .22 hollowpoint fired from a pistol. Sometimes I hike with my M1927 Argentine with the Colt Service Ace .22 Conversion kit mounted, and draw down on them when I hear them running through the leaves.

[dogrunner]

Just about as challenging as shootin' a barnyard chicken...........yeah, they're edible, but frankly I'd rather eat a rabbit.

[bigun454]

All I know is they tear up my garden and as to the question of which bullet to use I have had great luck with 22shorts,and longs but the shorts don't wake the neighborhood.

[Grayrock]

Armadillos are so nearsighted they have bumped into my feet while I was standing out in the field. .22 LR is plenty- just choose your shot (but don't shoot off your toe!!) Hit him in the ear when he is 10 feet from your cooler or chaise lounge:evil:

[blkbrd666]

I usually see them late at night...midnight or later when working in the garage. They will wander right up the driveway and into the garage. The only time I have ever tried shooting one was one year when they were tearing up the front lawn. I cornered one and shot him just behind the left shoulder from about 2 feet away. (If you have your mouth full, swallow now!) I shot him with a 9mm Beretta at a bit of an angle, as I was standing over him. The bullet sent him flying/rolling six feet away and into a chainlink fence...the bullet had glanced off him and blew a hole in the lawn bigger than the ones he had been digging. The army just got up and ran off...not a drop of blood. I guess it was nature's way of telling me I really didn't need to shoot him. He never came back though. If I have problems with them again, maybe I'll just grab a belt and whip them...would probably be just as effective.

One thing though, they aren't really "slow". They may not be able to run far, but I chased one about 50 yards once and I wasn't able to get in front of him. A big one will clear at least 8 feet in a single bound and they sound like a granite rock hitting the ground on each landing. Surprised me!!!

[JShirley]

I hit one with a reduced recoil slug at close to 25 meters. The slug did not penetrate through! It left the gawdawful-est impact wound you could imagine, though, about the size of half an orange around. I finished him off with Tamara's .45 Colt rifle.

John

[Jason_G]

In the 8 years I've been in Flordia I've seen thousands of armadillos. All of them dead. I've yet to see a live one.

I'm pretty much convinced their born dead on the side of the road.

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To prove to the armadillo that it could be done. ba-dum-dum

Seriously though, there ain't too much that I won't eat, but I draw the line at scavengers and/or disease reservoirs. Especially if that disease can rot your face off. I'm honestly not sure how leprosy is spread, but I'll pass on the 'dilla for now.

Jason

ETA:
Why did the chicken cross the road?

To prove to the Armadillo that it could be done.




Edit: Dang, somebody else already told this joke.
Oh well, that makes two of us, LOL. I should probably read all of the posts instead of the last few... :o

[3pairs12]

at the deer lease this year we were catching them with fishing nets.

[Jason_G]

A big one will clear at least 8 feet in a single bound and they sound like a granite rock hitting the ground on each landing. Surprised me!!!
They will jump straight up when spooked sometimes. Me and an armadillo had a mutual almost-crap-your-pants moment one evening as I was walking from my deer stand. I must've walked right up on him, and he jumped straight up in front of me. I don't know who was more startled, me or him. He took off when he hit the ground, and left me catching my breath from being spooked.

Jason

[alsaqr]

BTW: Armadillos are the only creature besides humans to carry leprosy.

Link: http://www.dilloscape.com/leprosy.html


Do armadillos have leprosy?
Armadillos CAN have leprosy, but that does not mean that they all do.
In Texas, about 4% to 10% of armadillos seem to have it.
In Louisiana, up to 53% have been found to be infected.
In Florida, 3 thousand armadillos were examined over 12 years. None were found to be infected, but the method of examination used was not very accurate.


Why are they susceptible leprosy?
Humans and armadillos are the only animals known to be susceptible to leprosy. This is because the disease needs a cool body temperature to develop.
Leprosy attacks the cooler parts of the body such as the nose and ears. Armadillo body temperatures range between 82.4 and 91.4 degrees F, compared to 98.6 degrees F for Humans. Because of this, leprosy in armadillos is more severe than in Humans.


How many people have gotten leprosy from armadillos?
Not very many. In the USA, leprosy is rare in Humans. People who have gotten it from armadillos are suspected to have eaten under-cooked armadillo meat, or handled armadillos frequently.


Are armadillos dangerous?
If they are treated with respect, no. If dillos in your area are infected, it's a good idea to avoid touching them. If one shows signs of infection, definatly avoid contact. Also, armadillos do not bite, but they may claw if handled wrong.

[grimjaw]

I wasn't there to witness the act, but I did see the carcass of one all over the side of a trailer. It had been shot with a .22-.24 caliber centerfire (can't remember exact type, it's a wildcat cartridge used by a friend). The armor might do well against predators but level IIIA body armor it ain't. I figure most centerfire rifles will do the trick on a body hit, and rimfire would probably do for headshots.

I don't have much interest in shooting them, though. They can be interesting to watch as they trundle about.

jm

[Okiecruffler]

Man, I've seen threads go off on tangents, but how did we get from 'dilloes to where in Africa do the best sprinters and long distance runners come from to the free market?

FWIW, if dilloes are tearing up your turf, I'd bet dollars to donuts the grubs are doing more damage underneath than the dilloes will ever do up top. And still, I have yet to see a "Which caliber for grubs?" thread. (I'm almost afraid to do a search on that one).

I used to sneak up on them and throw a laundry basket over them and I'm an old fat guy. If you really want to take them out I suspect a pointy stick would do just fine.

[John828]

I've seen them at all hours but early morning is good and late afternoon into the evening is better.

If you're going to eat them, soak the meat in buttermilk for a day, then cook it--that'll make the meat more tender. I prefer barbq because the smoke and sauce covers for you if you get a bad piece of meat or two.

[Owens]

Want an exercise in futility? TRY to pull one out of a hole. Man...can they anchor in.

Oh the things we try when we are young!

As to the OP, I have heard of folks eating them, never tried it. A few have said it makes a pretty fair chili.

Any .22 will work fine.

[Guillermo]

If you have dillos rooting in your yard it is proof positive that you have grubs. Go to your nearest organic gardener and get some “beneficial nematodes” and spray them on your yard. Works like a charm.

Grubs will be gone, so will the armadillo.

[High Planes Drifter]

I hit one with a reduced recoil slug at close to 25 meters. The slug did not penetrate through! It left the gawdawful-est impact wound you could imagine, though, about the size of half an orange around. I finished him off with Tamara's .45 Colt rifle.

John

There's a reason they are sometimes refered to as "uparmored possom's", or "Rhino rats".

[Double Naught Spy]

BTW: Armadillos are the only creature besides humans to carry leprosy.

BTW, see post #15. Armadillos are not the only creature besides humans to carry leprosy.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

What damage do these awful grubs (that dillos eat) DO? And to what or whom is the damage done?

[bowl443]

If you decide to take one out with a smaller caliber, try not to get too close.

They "bounce" and "jump" around quite violently.

Several years ago pops took one out with the 22 and it hit him in the hip with a big bounce. It was a good laugh, but the old man didn't enjoy washing the blood off.

[Jason_G]

What damage do these awful grubs (that dillos eat) DO? And to what or whom is the damage done?
They are beetle larvae, and they eat up the root systems of plants, like your expensive St. Augustine or Bermuda.

Jason

[langenc]

When I was in the army a buddy left San Antonio and went to LA. He came back couple months later and advised NEVER to hit on on the road- live or dead. He said it was like hitting a basketball sized rock.

[blkbrd666]

I have lots of grubs in the lawn but they have never harmed the Bermuda. They will cause a mole to go on a tangent from the woods and make a mess of the lawn though. The absolute worst creature on a lawn is a "mole cricket". It doesn't even really look like a cricket...they are damn ugly and up to 2 inches long. They can destroy an entire lawn in 3-4 weeks. By the time you see the first blades of grass dying, they have alredy eaten the roots off 25% or more or your lawn. Now, if you REALLY want to get off target...you should see a Kenyan with mole crickets in his underwear chasing an armadillo who's had too much Lone Star to drink!

[borntwice]

How about cockroach hunting in New Mexico? You talk about some big suckers...

[blkbrd666]

What caliber for cockroaches???

Do armadillos eat cockroaches???

Can you kill a cockroach hiding behind an armadillo with a Saiga in .308???

And, do you have to drag it inside afterwards to stay out of trouble???

...Sorry!!!...couldn't resist.

[blkbrd666]

Seriously, I saw a show on cable last year (with Andrew Zimmern) where he was in some South American country to eat armadillo with the native people. If I remember correctly, he said it was pretty good. It did take a lot of special preparation. In North America, it would be easier to find someone in an "older" generation who could tell you how to prepare opossum correctly...this would be pretty similar to "Possum on the Half Shell". I know my grandmother could barbeque/bake opossum and everyone loved it, but she's gone and I can't ask now. Only reason I would hunt, kill, eat, either now would be in a survival situation...in which case, it would probably be pretty good.

[Harley Quinn]

"Tabasco" the sauce was made, just for this kind of meat:D

[Shawnee]

When I lived in rural Florida N. of Sebring I shot a bunch of them with a .22 revolver or semi-auto pistol. Have also saved the bullet and just picked them up by the tail and carried them off.
I think they are manufactured by Caterpillar - thay can sure wreck a LOT of landscape in a short time.

:cool:

[Art Eatman]

Greenskeepers at golf courses hate them. Seriously hate them. It's foam-at-the-mouth hatred!

[Cypress]

I spent A LOT of my childhood hunting armadillos and probably killed over 100 of them. They were bad back in the day and the holes were rough on farm equipment. I shot all of them with .22's or shotguns with birdshot. A 22LR will penetrate the shell anywhere you hit them. Birdshot will penetrate the shell at 20-25 yds. After we thinned them out I stopped shooting them and started catching them by the tail. Pretty easy with 13 year old lungs. If you need to get one out of the yard they are pretty easy to trap. My grandfather use to put homemade traps in his garden. No bait!!! It's just a rectangular box that they wonder through and hit a trip to close the doors.

[ColeK]

They are non-indigent varmints; therefore they are targets of opportunity. That means if you get the opportunity you shoot the sucker.
Yes, they are eatable but I’m not eating one. And I’ve eaten opossum.

[Grayrock]

How do you figure they are non- indigent? Do they have a trust fund or something? I believe they are an "INDIGENOUS" species. And those of us who have hunted those nocturnal supersized rats call them possums. No "o"- even though that is the dictionary spelling. They taste like chicken, right?

[Okiecruffler]

They taste like chicken, right?

If you think so, you've obviously never eaten possum, or maybe never eaten chicken.:neener:

[Harvster]

Perhaps I missed it but did not see it. So I'll have to recommend armor piercing rounds for dillos.

[yongxingfreesty]

fired 3 rounds of .308 soft point into a dillo. followed by my friend 4 rounds of .223 FMJ. safetys on, friend goes and checks armadillo. "it's still alive" and runs back to the dirt road.

i fire one more .308 as it is crawling back towards the fence and is now officially dead.

them dillos are tough.

[Cougfan2]

I've only seen one alive down in Oklahoma, but a lot of dead one's. Apparently their own natural reaction to being surprised is what does them in. Their natural reactioin when surprised or threatened it to jump straight up in the air where they either jump into the undercarriage of the car or truck that just went over them or they end up bouncing off the grill.

[Grayrock]

Their natural reactioin when surprised or threatened it to jump straight up in the air where they either jump into the undercarriage of the car

EXACTLY RIGHT- there was an excellent picture in National Geographic many years ago of a 'dillo jumping. That image has stuck with me since then.

[Quoheleth]

Caliber isn't so important, as bullet construction.

You must use...(drumroll, please)...arma[dilla] piercing bullets.

It would take large, copious, and vast quantities of bourbon, tequilla, or beer to get me to knowingly, willingly, and intentionally eat either possum or 'dillo.

And, FWIW, Lone Star Beer ain't all that bad. It fits the three criteria for "good beer:" ice cold, cheap, and IN MY FRIDGE!!!

Q

[Funderb]

any .22lr bullet will do.

[Grayrock]

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Photography/Images/POD/f/flying-armadillo-123992-sw.jpgHere it is.

[TexasRifleman]

I've yet to see a live one

Who the hell would want to?

Let alone eat one...... NO THANKS :)

It would take large, copious, and vast quantities of bourbon, tequilla, or beer to get me to knowingly, willingly, and intentionally eat either possum or 'dillo.

Brother that's putting it mildly. I'm with you 1000 percent on that one. I've NEVER been that drunk.

[longdayjake]

I ate one bite in Brazil. They cook them and then chill the meat in the refrigerator. It had a strong smell and it just wasn't right eating cold meat. I think it would have been better if it was hot but Brazilians aren't exactly known for doing things the way I would like.

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

Well, if you drive down any highway in Texas, you'll probably end up hunting dillos. :)

[Double Naught Spy]

They are non-indigent varmints; therefore they are targets of opportunity. That means if you get the opportunity you shoot the sucker.

I take it that by non-indigent, you mean that they are not indigenous and hence are not natural, one of the definitions of indigenous being ...

1 : having originated in and being produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment

I have news for you. They occur in Mississippi naturally. They are a natural historic migrant animal. They are just a recent natural migrant, one that we have been able to document.

[ltetmhs]

One day I was on a drive to a friends house when I realized I was going by some public land. I decided to see if I could get a few quick squirrel. Drove in, grabbed 12 ga. with number 5, and headed in, couldn't find any squirrels, but couldn't walk anywhere w/o stepping on an armadilla. killed about 10 then went back to the truck for the 9mm just for a little extra challenge. by the time I left (45 min?) I had killed 17. They are the dumbest, most helpless, creatures to walk the earth. Armadillos can also hurt your turkey/ quail population, as egg eaters they are no different than possums. They are quite an invasive species here in ga. they must be controlled and there alot of fun to stack up. wouldn't dream of eating them but I saw on tv they go for about 80 dollars US in mexico. I think I should start an export buiness.

[Pigspitter]

I've seen thousands of dead dillos. However, I've only seen one live dillo, and it was dead within the next minute. BTW, a Sierra Match King .308 JHP will do the trick.

[publiuss]

I've shot them w/everything from a bow to a .30-06. Mostly w/a .22. Any bullet works fine. As far as helping the environment, they dig holes; not to the extent as say prarie dogs, but still a threat to the legs of livestock. to turn over the dirt to help the environment, I have several tractors w/subsoilers and disks that work just fine. Global warming:rolleyes:.

[aguyindallas]

My wife is of the belief that they have a TERRIBLE alergy to pavement and the reaction is so strong that it kills them the second they come in contact with it.

I have seen only ONE live

[gtmerkley]

armadillo thats like a turtle with hear right?

[Art Eatman]

No, gtm, think of them as a hard-shelled possum without teeth.

:D:D:D

[Vern Humphrey]

My wife is of the belief that they have a TERRIBLE alergy to pavement and the reaction is so strong that it kills them the second they come in contact with it.
I was with a neighbor when we saw a possum and an armadillo smashed on the pavement right next to each other. He said, "Star-crossed lovers. Their parents wouldn't let them marry, so they committed suicide."

[XDKingslayer]

After 8 years in Florida I have finally witnessed a live armadillo. I was up at my fathers house watching the fights and went to take my dog outside so he could pee and there at the bottom of the stairs was a live armadillo!

Unfortunetly he wasn't alive for very long and the dog shredded him quickly and easily. Max was on him before he could ball up or do whatever they could do. Dad did cook him a steak for killing it though.

Is it just me or do those things stink to high heaven?

[nickE10mm]

In SW Missouri where my Dad and Grandparents live, I used to "hunt" them alone when I was younger and my step brother and I still "hunt" them at night around our rural "neighborhood" away from houses. We've shot them with almost every type of firearm from .22 to shotguns to pistols and big bore rifles. I typically either use a .22 rifle or any good rimfire or centerfire pistol. Lately I've been using my 10mm Razorback since its fun practice. Its fun to kick around quietly in the summer evenings out in the country... eventually you will hear them noisily rumbling through the hills and woods and you can flashlight them and put a 10mm slug through them at high speed. :) Never seen one walk away from one yet.

They are a real nuisance to my step-mom and neighbors in that they basically destroy their gardens. Plus, they are food for coyotes which are a problem as well around where my Dad lives.

[Jason M]

My .17HMR with Hornaday V-Max ballistic tips absolutely destroys them. A .17 cal entry wound and a grapefruit size exit wound. It kind of looks like a bowl of raw beef stew... :barf:

[Zip7]

We have too many of them in Louisiana, but not even hardcore cajuns eat them that I've heard of.

I've never hunted them on purpose, but based on the evidence I've seen, the best weapon would be any sort of modern automobile.

[BAT1]

Don't they transmit leprosy?