# Armadillos



## Mandella1099

Just wondering if anyone had opinions on shooting armadillos.  I have shot a few, but in my opinion, they are the absolute easiest thing to hunt in the woods.  I thought possums were dumb, but I have had armadillos run right up to me at night with a white light on them.  They were close enough to kick if I had wanted to put 'em through the uprights.  I thought I would check on here for similar stories or to see what the going opinions were....


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## king killer delete

ever tried to trap one? They are had to trap.


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## Barehunter

I trap upwards of 100 a year.  Just removed number 14 between two adjoining houses.  They are easy to trap...just gotta know how to set it up.


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## king killer delete

yep I got one and It works.


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## frdstang90

I shoot them in bow season.


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## ilbcnu

nasty things will decimate your turkey eggs.


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## Wild Turkey

And trash your lawn. I kill everyone i see.


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## SlipperyHill Mo

Well, share your trapping secrets.


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## king killer delete

wooden  trap  scented with another dilla.


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## Barehunter

SlipperyHill Mo said:


> Well, share your trapping secrets.



I buy 100 foot rolls of orange mesh construction fence and cut them into thirds...rougly 16 inches high, then cut them to 25 feet long.  I set double door Comstock cages in areas they are likely to travel and make an "X" funnel with the construction fence.  If you can place this against a retainer wall, fence etc then all the better.   Also I locate dens and set trap in front of den and block it off so he has little option but to go in the trap.    I recently set a double door trap in the middle of an Armadillo trail with no blocking other than natural vegetation and have caught 10 Dillers and 2 Possums.


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## Hammer Spank

ilbcnu said:


> nasty things will decimate your turkey eggs.



That is a completely false statement.


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## The Longhunter

I don't see any reason to shoot armadillos in the woods.


Unless you're really really hungry.


Seriously, they aren't bothering a thing in the woods.


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## dh88

They are fun to shoot with trad bows but they are tough as nails.i will shoot everyone I see,they are a nonnative invasive species that need to die.


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## shakey gizzard

The Longhunter said:


> I don't see any reason to shoot armadillos in the woods.
> 
> 
> Unless you're really really hungry.
> 
> 
> Seriously, they aren't bothering a thing in the woods.



Just like coyotes, they are non native and invasive!


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## The Longhunter

dh88 said:


> They are fun to shoot with trad bows but they are tough as nails.i will shoot everyone I see,they are a nonnative invasive species that need to die.





shakey gizzard said:


> Just like coyotes, they are non native and invasive!



If you have the kind of personality that just needs to shoot something for the sake of shooting it, have at it.  

Saying that they are "non-native and invasive" as a justification for shooting them is a non-sequitur, as both species are here as the result of normal range expansion over hundreds of years, which is a normal biological process.  Right now, today, coyotes and armadillos are as "native" as anything else in the state.

Like I said, sort of, I don't get all butt hurt if you want to shoot armadillos for the sake of shooting them, that seems to feel a need for some people, but shooting them because they are "non-native" is thin, especially when they don't compete with any "native" species, or cause any damage to "native" species.


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## steelshotslayer

I have to go with the other guys on this they are definitely a varmint that needs eradicating.  They have very very few natural predators and do a number to the natural worm and insect population and more evident the quail population.  A study released by UGA showed armadillos the #3 predator to quail nests which already take a beating from fireants which also are non native.  If you don't want to shoot them more power to you, but just because people see the reality in situations with non-native species doesn't mean they are crazy just gotta kill somethin nuts that need a justification.


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## steelshotslayer

Barehunter said:


> I buy 100 foot rolls of orange mesh construction fence and cut them into thirds...rougly 16 inches high, then cut them to 25 feet long.  I set double door Comstock cages in areas they are likely to travel and make an "X" funnel with the construction fence.  If you can place this against a retainer wall, fence etc then all the better.   Also I locate dens and set trap in front of den and block it off so he has little option but to go in the trap.    I recently set a double door trap in the middle of an Armadillo trail with no blocking other than natural vegetation and have caught 10 Dillers and 2 Possums.



Guys I follow this gentleman on facebook and a close friend of mine Brett knows him very well he knows what he is doing when it comes to trapping.


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## JohnK

I saw one in the road just south of Adairsville last week. That's the first time I've seen one around here. Why are they moving north?


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## Rich Kaminski

*Armadillo's*

They are the only animal in North America to be carriers of Leporecy. Be careful.


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## The Longhunter

steelshotslayer said:


> They have very very few natural predators and do a number to the natural worm and insect population and more evident the quail population.



A third of earthworms are non-native, including the common ones used for fishing and they have a deleterious effect on deciduous forests. 



> In some forests
> earthworm invasion leads to reduced availability
> and increased leaching of N and P in soil horizons
> where most fine roots are concentrated. Earthworms
> can contribute to a forest decline syndrome,
> and forest herbs in the genera Aralia,
> Botrychium, Osmorhiza, Trillium, Uvularia, and
> Viola are reduced in abundance during earthworm
> invasion.
> 
> _Earthworm invasion into previously earthworm-free
> temperate and boreal forests_
> Lee E. Frelich Æ Cindy M. Hale Æ Stefan Scheu Æ
> Andrew R. Holdsworth Æ Liam Heneghan



I don't have space to list the non-native insect species, the grubs of which are prey to armadillos.



> â€œQuail are like chicken nuggets of the world. Everything out there eats quail. Ants eat quail. We have photographs of deer eating quail.â€�


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## flyfisher76544

All they are here are speed bumps. Dead ones all over the side of the road. Nothing worse than having one sneak in while in the stand. Sure makes you think a big buck is coming through.


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## shakey gizzard

The Longhunter said:


> *If you have the kind of personality that just needs to shoot something for the sake of shooting it, have at it.  *
> Saying that they are "non-native and invasive" as a justification for shooting them is a non-sequitur, as both species are here as the result of normal range expansion over hundreds of years, which is a normal biological process.  Right now, today, coyotes and armadillos are as "native" as anything else in the state.
> 
> Like I said, sort of, I don't get all butt hurt if you want to shoot armadillos for the sake of shooting them, that seems to feel a need for some people, but shooting them because they are "non-native" is thin, especially when they don't compete with any "native" species, or cause any damage to "native" species.



I don't!


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## Pate55

I kill em all ....but only because our native buzzard population is way to skinny


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## Barehunter

Again...I do nuisance wildlife control for a living.  I catch Armadillos by the truckload.   PLEASE NOTE THAT UNDER MY STATE LICENSE THE DNR REQUIRES FOR ME TO EUTHANIZE EVERY ARMADILLO I CATCH AS THEY ARE NON-NATIVE, INVASIVE SPECIES THAT CARRY LEPROSY.    Believe me...it would be easier for me to release them somewhere than to dispatch and dispose but the law says otherwise.  Furthermore WHERE should I release them?  In affluent neighborhoods and leave my cards in the mailboxes?

Some of the attitudes on here remind me of Washington D.C. where it is now ILLEGAL TO KILL RATS AND MICE.  They are to be lived trapped and moved to suitable habitat.....seriously.


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## Crakajak

Barehunter said:


> Again...I do nuisance wildlife control for a living.  I catch Armadillos by the truckload.   PLEASE NOTE THAT UNDER MY STATE LICENSE THE DNR REQUIRES FOR ME TO EUTHANIZE EVERY ARMADILLO I CATCH AS THEY ARE NON-NATIVE, INVASIVE SPECIES THAT CARRY LEPROSY.    Believe me...it would be easier for me to release them somewhere than to dispatch and dispose but the law says otherwise.  Furthermore WHERE should I release them?  In affluent neighborhoods and leave my cards in the mailboxes?
> 
> Some of the attitudes on here remind me of Washington D.C. where it is now ILLEGAL TO KILL RATS AND MICE.  They are to be lived trapped and moved to suitable habitat.....seriously.



Longhunters yard would be a good place.


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## Bennyhillbilly

Which House of Congress do they safely remove them to? Do they make any distinction with their fellow vermin?


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## Rich Kaminski

*How about releasing them*

at the houses of the President and all Democrat politicians..


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## The Longhunter

Crakajak said:


> Longhunters yard would be a good place.



Fine with me.  I've got a little bully pound puppy that thinks they are the best wind up toy ever.  Dillos don't seem to hang around.


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## southerndraw

dh88 said:


> They are fun to shoot with trad bows but they are tough as nails.i will shoot everyone I see,they are a nonnative invasive species that need to die.



They need you down on the border...


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## Crakajak

The Longhunter said:


> Fine with me.  I've got a little bully pound puppy that thinks they are the best wind up toy ever.  Dillos don't seem to hang around.


I have a friend with 2 jack russells that are the best armidillo chasers around the area.


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## Coastal Dad

My yard is being damaged by these varmints and the ones I can see doing it (even if in the middle of the night) are going to pay the ultimate price.


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## Scrapy

Crakajak said:


> I have a friend with 2 jack russells that are the best armidillo chasers around the area.


about the year 2,000 I ordered a Mountain Feist from Tennessee. ( I think it was a Jack Russel)  because she never treed a lick. Whenever I was working in the woods because that is what I do, I would take her with me. She would go in a hole and grab an armadillo by the tail and snatch it out and then proceed to snatch it backwards all the way to me. I could hear her coming for 50 yards.   A 20 lb feist snatching an armadillo backwards  fast as I could walk. > I'd kill it for her and she would be so proud. She was my truck dog and my boat dog till she jumped out the boat after a daytime coon and got gator ate.


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## Nannyman

Hammer Spank said:


> That is a completely false statement.



Yes. Replace the word decimate with eat. 
Research shows everything but a fox eats them.


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## Coastal Dad

Got the big one tonight that had been digging up my front yard.  A big, heavy female.  One less pest.


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## Scrapy

Coastal Dad said:


> Got the big one tonight that had been digging up my front yard.  A big, heavy female.  One less pest.



How do you know it was a female>?  Did she slap you?


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## Coastal Dad

She didn't slap me after going down from my 16 gauge shotgun blast.  She rolled over onto her back and kicked a few times before she went to armadillo heaven.  Her nipples were there, plain as day.

Two nights ago, I got the male.  Same thing, went over on his back and his junk was there.  He joined his companion in armadillo heaven.  I hope these two are it - haven't seen any more yard damage since I got the last one.


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## Barehunter

Good job!  I hope you are right about that being all that's there but I pulled number TWENTY from a job this morning....also number eight from another job so don't hold your breath!


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## GLS

As has been mentioned, armadillos are carriers of leprosy.  Here's something from the CDC on it. Basically no evidence of transmission to humans, but who wants to be the first?
http://www.cdc.gov/leprosy/exposure/armadillos.html


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## ilbcnu

Hammer Spank said:


> That is a completely false statement.


don't get out much do ya?


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## Scrapy

Coastal Dad said:


> She didn't slap me after going down from my 16 gauge shotgun blast.  She rolled over onto her back and kicked a few times before she went to armadillo heaven.  Her nipples were there, plain as day.
> 
> Two nights ago, I got the male.  Same thing, went over on his back and his junk was there.  He joined his companion in armadillo heaven.  I hope these two are it - haven't seen any more yard damage since I got the last one.



The first one my nephew saw he ran it down and caught it by the tail. It jumped and slapped him in the face , busted his lip and made his nose bleed.


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## chehawknapper

In regard to leprosy, many years ago I used to hold an annual primitive weapons only armadillo hunt. This was back when they first started showing up in S.W. Ga. The rules were basically if you killed it we were going to clean it , cook it and eat it. I was worried about the leprosy issue and contacted a friend with the CDC. He put me in contact with the lady over all 
leprosy in the U.S. She told me that leprosy had never been found in them east of the Mississippi. That was a long time ago and things may have changed.


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## Scrapy

An old Doctor in  the Community had just bought hisself a brand new Cadilac. He came apun  a armadilo and attempted to straddle it. The armadillo jumped up and hit his rear axle. In doing so it broke the "level Ride" hydraulic line.  From, then on old Doc looked like he was riding in a cyar that had been eating "simmon seeds " and dragging its fanny down the road. For years.


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## The Longhunter

chehawknapper said:


> She told me that leprosy had never been found in them east of the Mississippi. That was a long time ago and things may have changed.



No. It's the same. Only a small area in Miss., La. and Texas.

CDC has a hard time infecting them to use as study animals.

But if you just want to shoot one, it's  a good excuse, although there are several native animals in which rabies is endemic, and which disease presents much more of a threat to humans and their pets and livestock.


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## Big7

If you have cattle and get to put down a few cause they
broke a leg in two or three places, you will LEARN to hate them.

Non native is bad.

Flatheads have decimated the Altamaha River basin and
ALL it's tributaries. And now they are all over the place.
= BAD
They do eat good though.

Yotes = BAD

Dillers = BAD


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## NCHillbilly

Here's another thing I learned about leprosy from that CDC website: 



> Most adults around the world, however, might face no risk at all. That’s because evidence shows that 95% of all adults are naturally unable to get the disease, even if they’re exposed to the bacteria that causes it.


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## NCHillbilly

chehawknapper said:


> In regard to leprosy, many years ago I used to hold an annual primitive weapons only armadillo hunt. This was back when they first started showing up in S.W. Ga. The rules were basically if you killed it we were going to clean it , cook it and eat it. I was worried about the leprosy issue and contacted a friend with the CDC. He put me in contact with the lady over all
> leprosy in the U.S. She told me that leprosy had never been found in them east of the Mississippi. That was a long time ago and things may have changed.



How do they taste?


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## chehawknapper

The backstraps (usually the best) were a little tough and stringy. I might have over cooked them to be on the safe side of things. The hind quarters were juicy and tasted alot like pork. Not the greatest but that is alot of food running around out there if you are in need.


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## KentuckyHeadhunter

Yes I always heard they tasted like pork.  And unless you are a Native American, then you are non-native and invasive.  That's why animals and indians are better at woods-craft and survival than we are. Duh.


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## ryanh487

I had one scare me to death while I was trailing a deer at night one time.  Sounded like a large animal charging up behind me, whipped around with my Glock and flashlight and saw nothing.  Heard the noise again, found the dillo, and shot him with a 9 mil.  He jumped 3 feet in the air and then started running straight at my feet.  Jumped out of the way and shot him again. I would agree they ain't to bright.

We did have a baby one that lived under our camp wood pile for a while though, and he would come out and sniff the heels of your boots while you were standing in the yard.  Disappeared after a couple months though.


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## Barehunter

I've eaten one Diller in my life.  It did indeed taste like pork.  I cooked it with rice on a camping trip and it was quite good.  I caught numbers 81, 82 and 83 for the year today....anybody want to try Diller meat, I can provide.


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## BigD1Br

Short barrel 12 guage shotgun with buckshot and 1000 lumen tac light works quite well for getting rid of them.


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## Throwback

I miss my friend barehunter ?


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## chase870

I love shooting them at night with thermal. They are free bleeders and have a high body temp so it makes for a real good show.


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## Throwback

It’s about to get real in the armadillo game here. Got 2 Comstock 11x9x30 traps in today


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## OwlRNothing

I see the wokeness continues to work it's way into huntin' and fishin'. Shame, that.


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## NCHillbilly

OwlRNothing said:


> I see the wokeness continues to work it's way into huntin' and fishin'. Shame, that.


?


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## 2dye4

?x2


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## Lukikus2

I hit them behind the head with a cutting shovel. Lights out. Have at least six holes dug just on my and my neighbors yard. Under sheds and vehicles. Neighbors vehicle in shop where dillo chewed through air bag wiring and deployed all air bags. $6,500 estimated cost to repair. One night me and Jim Bean are going to get that rascal. With a shovel.


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## Doug B.

Throwback said:


> It’s about to get real in the armadillo game here. Got 2 Comstock 11x9x30 traps in todayView attachment 1151092


Go get em TB!!!!


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## 2dye4

You need to make an armadillo trap. I made the I have out of wood. Found an armadillo on side of road and smeared his gut contents in the roof of it and it is a catching machine. Lost count of them I have caught. Will take pictures and post tomorrow.


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## OwlRNothing

Awww, you could understand me -  but you choose not to, b/c you don't like me one bit. It's ok though. I'm ok with that. I've made a dad-gum internet career out of being loved and hated...

...and sometimes by the same people!


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## Doug B.

OwlRNothing said:


> Awww, you could understand me -  but you choose not to, b/c you don't like me one bit. It's ok though. I'm ok with that. I've made a dad-gum internet career out of being loved and hated...
> 
> ...and sometimes by the same people!



I wish I knew what you are talking about. This thread is about armadillos so I assume that's what you are trying to talk about?  But I'm not getting it. Maybe be a little more specific........at least until we can all see where you are going.............?


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## 2dye4

Think we dealing with a dummycrap. spell check


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## kmckinnie

OwlRNothing said:


> Awww, you could understand me -  but you choose not to, b/c you don't like me one bit. It's ok though. I'm ok with that. I've made a dad-gum internet career out of being loved and hated...
> 
> ...and sometimes by the same people!


Let me guess. 
Your meds aren’t working , or you ran out of them ?
We fail to see what this post means. 
Please do explain.


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## NCHillbilly

OwlRNothing said:


> Awww, you could understand me -  but you choose not to, b/c you don't like me one bit. It's ok though. I'm ok with that. I've made a dad-gum internet career out of being loved and hated...
> 
> ...and sometimes by the same people!


No, I absolutely don't understand what is "woke" about this thread about armadillos? And I don't dislike you, I don't know you and have no reason to dislike you. Your comment just honestly puzzled me?


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## Grizzly1775

I cut the bones out of the legs, pound the meat flat and deep fry it. Good with rice and gravy or on a sandwich.


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## 6lbSledge

I’ve eaten them. Meat is good, like most meat really. Pretty pork like as others have mentioned. I don’t have any problem with people killing them and I have killed a number of them that have been causing problems for peoples’ landscaping etc. What I don’t like is that people kill them for a shallow form of fun, same for feral hogs, and feel good about an almost video game like violence. I kill both, and lots of both, but do my best to show them respect just like a deer or any other animal, native or not. They’re here to stay no matter how ****ed about that fact we are or aren’t.


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