These disgusting little critters are migrating north and are causing some maddening damage on my property. I have learned that several of my friends are also experiencing this you. How about you? Have you any suggestions or experience with them?
I remember when as a kid, they were not north of Texas. Then according to what I have found they made it north to Missouri in the 70s. Armadillos migrated to North America through Central America and Mexico, crossing the Rio Grande River in the late 1800s. Humans also introduced them to Florida during this time.
Now, I don't intend to start an argument about climate change, but they don't like the cold and they are mostly nocturnal, but they may be more active during the day when it's cooler. Researchers believe climate change is a factor in armadillos' northward expansion, as they prefer hot weather and sandy or clay environments.
There is a ton of information out there on them, so I am not going to bore you with cutting and pasting all of it.
Below is just a small sample of the damage they have been doing to my property.
Below is a picture of one I shot the other night a 3 AM. No, armadillos are not protected in Missouri, and are legal to hunt and trap year-round. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) allows residents to trap or shoot armadillos that are causing damage to their property.
Armadillos are considered a nuisance because they can: Damage lawns and gardens, Burrow into the ground, and Carry bacteria that can cause leprosy. [Reply]
There is no hunting or trapping season for the armadillo. However, the Wildlife Code of Missouri specifies that damage-causing armadillos may be trapped or shot to prevent further damage. Refer to 3 CSR 10-4.130 Owner May Protect Property; Public Safety of the Code for details and restrictions.
fuck those things, the buzzards eat their corpses after they suffer lead poisoning [Reply]
Originally Posted by Frazod:
12 gauge slug would do the trick as well. Would be therapeutic, too. :-)
This is what I used and still missed a couple times being half asleep in the middle of the night from about 120 ft. Its the only long gun I own besides the BB gun. Amazing those shells are over 60 years old, check the price, $3.19 for 25 of them. :-) [/url] [Reply]
Originally Posted by mr. tegu:
A quick search shows that there are real biological reasons that they prefer winters less harsh than what you get the further north you go.
Also there are a variety of species, some native to Argentina, so no surprise they do well there. Interestingly this article shows that the US armadillo is actually a different species than the similar one in Argentina, which apparently was typically thought to be the same due to the similar appearance.
Originally Posted by HemiEd:
This is what I used and still missed a couple times being half asleep in the middle of the night from about 120 ft. Its the only long gun I own besides the BB gun. Amazing those shells are over 60 years old, check the price, $3.19 for 25 of them. :-) [/url]
Originally Posted by HemiEd:
Four guns is plenty for this old man. I believe that 7 1/2 shot is a quail load IIRC. Probably have some bigger loads in the gun cabinet.
They say they have super strong lungs which is why they can cross wide rivers.
I was in okc where my son was stationed in the Air Force and he ran over one and it got caught under his car. It made a a horrible screeching sound for a couple miles until we pulled into a toll booth and he got out and took a ball bat and knocked it out of there.
sec [Reply]
Originally Posted by Abba-Dabba:
Send the grandkids to go out and chase them around the yard. Tell them you will give them a $20 bill for every one. Dead or alive. They likely won't catch or kill one. But it would probably be damn funny watching.
Seeing as they can run 30 mph those kids will need to be faster than any human on earth. [Reply]
Originally Posted by HemiEd:
Four guns is plenty for this old man. I believe that 7 1/2 shot is a quail load IIRC. Probably have some bigger loads in the gun cabinet.
I love my Auto-5s and other Brownings. I have a whole chest full of ammo and some of it has to be twenty years old. I used to buy a box of shells every time I'd walk into Walmart. Wouldn't be surprised if I don't have 1000 rounds of 12,16,20 and 28 gauge shells. A few hundred .22 rounds for the Buck Mark pistol which I haven't shot in several years. I have some .45s for the Colt 45 I used to have. The 16 and 28 gauge are my favorites. The 16 is a bird slaying machine. [Reply]
Originally Posted by philfree:
I love my Auto-5s and other Brownings. I have a whole chest full of ammo and some of it has to be twenty years old. I used to buy a box of shells every time I'd walk into Walmart. Wouldn't be surprised if I don't have 1000 rounds of 12,16,20 and 28 gauge shells. A few hundred .22 rounds for the Buck Mark pistol which I haven't shot in several years. I have some .45s for the Colt 45 I used to have. The 16 and 28 gauge are my favorites. The 16 is a bird slaying machine.
Very cool! How much does a box of shotgun shells cost now? You must have a large gun safe? I have a couple cousins that have walk in gun safes.
Did you notice the price tag on the box of shells in my picture? It was purchased in 1960 at Kidwell's hardware on Kellogg in Wichita that closed down about 71 when they widened Kellogg, lol. Crazy they still fire so well. [Reply]
I just checked my cabinet and I not only have a box of 6s that we used to use for pheasant, I have a box of 00 that I am going to use for these armored rats. [Reply]
Originally Posted by mr. tegu:
A quick search shows that there are real biological reasons that they prefer winters less harsh than what you get the further north you go.
Also there are a variety of species, some native to Argentina, so no surprise they do well there. Interestingly this article shows that the US armadillo is actually a different species than the similar one in Argentina, which apparently was typically thought to be the same due to the similar appearance.
They just burrow into the ground in the winter (opossums in shells). Many years ago I'd worked with somebody from Argentina and they were surprised to see these dumb pieces of shit (9 banded) loitering around. You don't see them where I live now because the soil sucks. But there's no reason they can't survive in a subtropical climate that has ideal soil (midwest). [Reply]
