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Thread: Are Armadillos Hard to Kill?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    DonMountain's Avatar
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    Are Armadillos Hard to Kill?

    Here in Mid-Missouri we are starting to get a lot of land damage and erosion started by Armadillos digging holes all over the fields and woods, and my wife's gardens. Occasionally I see them out digging just as its getting dark, but still light enough to shoot at them. I have only shot at a couple so far, but wondered what is needed to kill them? Are they a super hard shell that bullets bounce off of? Will a 223 that I use for ground hogs kill them easily? Or should I get out a 30 caliber with a 180 grain gas checked bullet?

  2. #2
    Boolit Man
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    The only ones I have shot was with a Marlin 1894 in 44magnum, 240 grain lhp. They were all DRT. robin

  3. #3
    Boolit Master rondog's Avatar
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    Criminy, I'd think a .223 should do the job......

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    Just don't drop kick one with jungle boots on.....don't ask how I know...….
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  5. #5
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    I accidentally found that if you treat your yard for fire ants, wild life stops visiting. To clarify, we wanted to kill the ants. Anyway we stopped getting the flights of white Ibis birds and the armadillo that lived in the culvert in front of the house went away. It did not seem to inconvenience the ants much though.
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  6. #6
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    I dispatch them from my yard with a 12 gauge loaded with #4 shot. I wait till they start to go into the woods then I let them have it!

  7. #7
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    I've killed hundreds with .22s to 12ga. and yes your .223 with varmint bullets will kill them best of the two choices you mentioned. They are tenacious of life and seem to contain 5 gallons of blood- which they will spray everywhere as they run away from a .22LR unless you head shoot them. In the yard at night, a shotgun with plain dove loads gets it done with the least fuss and seems the most humane way. They aren't hard to sneak up on. I only shoot them in the yard with a flashlight mounted .410 H&R single shot. Those out in the fields I leave alone.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    Just don't drop kick one with jungle boots on.....don't ask how I know...….
    I never wear "Jungle Boots" when working out on the farm this far North. I like my Red Wing Steel toed lace up high top boots. Those steel toes are a must when trying to hitch up equipment on a tractor. But, on the other hand I have no protection above them, like leather chaps? Instead of shorts in the summer time (no air-conditioned cabs)?

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    As a kid I killed hundreds of them with a .22. They’ll usually run off but that can be a good thing. I don’t shoot them these days unless they’re being a nuisance.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I've killed hundreds with .22s to 12ga. In the yard at night, a shotgun with plain dove loads gets it done with the least fuss and seems the most humane way. They aren't hard to sneak up on.
    Ok, good information. I always have a 12 gauge standing by to shoot squirrels with. I'll have to get a bag of #4 shot special for the Armadillos. I keep several hundred #5 shotshells loaded for the squirrels. Armadillos are next.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy nelsonted1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DonMountain View Post
    I never wear "Jungle Boots" when working out on the farm this far North. I like my Red Wing Steel toed lace up high top boots. Those steel toes are a must when trying to hitch up equipment on a tractor. But, on the other hand I have no protection above them, like leather chaps? Instead of shorts in the summer time (no air-conditioned cabs)?
    Do you make a point of dropping equipment on your feet? We've always worn sneakers. One more thing we didn't think of that we now have to worry about

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by DonMountain View Post
    I never wear "Jungle Boots" when working out on the farm this far North. I like my Red Wing Steel toed lace up high top boots. Those steel toes are a must when trying to hitch up equipment on a tractor. But, on the other hand I have no protection above them, like leather chaps? Instead of shorts in the summer time (no air-conditioned cabs)?
    When one is in the Army one must do what the Army does...….
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  13. #13
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    They're built like a armor plated o'possum.
    However; the shell is more like leather than a turtle shell. It's no big deal to penetrate it.
    Hitting them with anything that can go through the side of a cowboy boot will work.

    Also, they're almost blind.
    If you are quiet, it's easy to sneak up on one,
    or stand still in front of one, and it'll sniff & root along & come right up to you.

    I've chased them, and even caught a couple.
    Don't worry about getting bit-- they don't have teeth.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 02-10-2020 at 02:15 PM.
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  14. #14
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    Cool

    ....Don't worry about getting bit-- they don't have teeth.
    Technically they do have teeth, but as stated I wouldn’t worry about the animal biting me.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  15. #15
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    A .22LR will take em out. I've done it many times.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy firebyprolong's Avatar
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    Don't stand too close when you pop them with a 22, I had one do the jumping death roll three years ago absolutely cover me with blood. Thing looked like a soccer ball under its own power spraying blood. I got diagnosed with Q fever about 3 months after that, unpleasant to say the least. A 410 or a center fire is my choice for armored opossum knocking now.

  17. #17
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    Several years ago I had shot an armadillo with a 22 and it ran underneath the house through a hole that was still open from some repair work. Looking under, I saw him hunkered up right in front of the air conditioner supply lines but very much alive. Not wishing to endure the rath of the wife for either damaging the ac or leaving him to die and stink, I recruited my 10 year old son to assist in finishing the task. With my son crouched by the opening holding the light I headed under prepared for battle with a rake in one hand and a pistol in the other. The instant that rake touched that thing, all heck broke loose. Dillo proceded jumping and thumping around in the tight crawlspace and all of a sudden we were in total darkness. I covered my face and braced for an impact that did not come and after several minutes I could see again! My fearless helper had hauled tail as soon as that dillo jumped and went inside, where my wife had to bring him back out so I could finish the job!

    Moral is, buy a head lamp to hunt armadillos.
    "In God we trust, in all others, check the manual!"

  18. #18
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    Many years ago, in the piney woods of Fort Polk, we would shoot them from foxholes with M-16, a blank, and a section of cleaning rod. Wouldn't do it now, but it was great entertainment for young soldiers.
    "EXPERT= Ex is a has been, spurt is a drip under pressure" Unknown

  19. #19
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    The only one I've shot was when I was hog hunting in Fla. I had a muzzleloading .54 pistol and it looked like I hit it with a grenade. The post mortem didn't indicate anything complicated.

  20. #20
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    They wont bite you, but they can claw you as bad as a gator or iguana. And they carry nasty blood borne diseases. Hit them hard with something that digs a furrow such as a shotgun so they dont go off squirting Leprosy everywhere. Larry, I kicked one ONCE as well with jungle boots and had the same result as you. I bought my boots for $4 at the Army Navy- just the thing for a big footed farmer boy in Texas heat.

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