Armadillo invasion

[HemiEd]

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.

[George Liquor]

I saw them smeared all over the high way last time I went to Oklahoma.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by George Liquor

I saw them smeared all over the high way last time I went to Oklahoma.

Yeah, until recently the highway is the only place I had ever seen them as well.

This spring there was a little one in the front yard during the day and the Mrs. alerted me to it. Not thinking I ran out there and the only thing handy was a BB gun. All that did was annoy him. When I came back in the house to get my Glock he was gone.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Yeah, until recently the highway is the only place I had ever seen them as well.

This spring there was a little one in the front yard during the day and the Mrs. alerted me to it. Not thinking I ran out there and the only thing handy was a BB gun. All that did was annoy him. When I came back in the house to get my Glock he was gone.

That's why you should always keep your Glock on your person.

Oh, and good shot on the one in the picture.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Frazod

That's why you should always keep your Glock on your person.

Oh, and good shot on the one in the picture.

⁶
Heck I can't even carry reading glasses and have over a dozen pair now staged in convenient places.

Thank you on the nice shot compliment but I missed two last night. It's like the suckers put the word out that I killed one of their buddies so let's go really tear his shit up!

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

⁶
Heck I can't even carry reading glasses and have over a dozen pair now staged in convenient places.

Thank you on the nice shot compliment but I missed two last night. It's like the suckers put the word out that I killed one of their buddies so let's go really tear his shit up!

Heh. This reminds me of the father of a girl I dated many years ago. They had a house in the woods in southern Wisconsin. The guy was a bird watching fanatic, and had several feeders around the house. Squirrels would constantly get in the feeders, and he hated the squirrels. He'd sit in the yard and shoot them with a pellet gun for hours. One day he ended up with a pile of thirty or forty dead squirrels. It was kind of a losing proposition, though; there were always more of them. But at least they're easy to kill.

[Hammock Parties]

these pieces of shit carry leprosy

keep your pets away

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

these pieces of shit carry leprosy

keep your pets away

They are also notorious for carrying rabies.

[Hammock Parties]

i know for a fact they've been all over the area north of springfield for years now

dad used to sit on the porch and snipe them so the dog wouldn't get into one

[neech]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

i know for a fact they've been all over the area north of springfield for years now

dad used to sit on the porch and snipe them so the dog wouldn't get into one

I've got my .22 ready for a couple raccoons roaming around the area. I should put my trap out.

[mr. tegu]

It’s funny you mention this. My dad and I have noticed over the past few years their northern expansion. We drive south from the Johnson County area to go fishing a lot down 69 highway or I-35 and he talks about how they you would never see them in the past. I don’t recall it either even 5 years ago. But we’ve noticed in the last few years we see more and more of them each year that have been hit on the road and they seem to be moving further and further north. It’s definitely got something to do with temperatures and probably dryness.

[Bob Dole]

I had one that kept burrowing in to my well house a couple of years ago and it was a pain in my ass. I caught it in a wire box trap one night/day and by 5pm it had bent the shit out of trap and escaped. Fixed the trap and caught it a couple of days later and moved it about 20 miles south. Haven't seen any on the homestead the past couple of years.

They apparently can't see for shit.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

I had one that kept burrowing in to my well house a couple of years ago and it was a pain in my ass. I caught it in a wire box trap one night/day and by 5pm it had bent the shit out of trap and escaped. Fixed the trap and caught it a couple of days later and moved it about 20 miles south. Haven't seen any on the homestead the past couple of years.

They apparently can't see for shit.

curious what you used for bait in the trap?

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

curious what you used for bait in the trap?

Nothing. took a couple of treated 4x4 posts and built a sort of funnel next to the well house and it just walked in.

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

I had one that kept burrowing in to my well house a couple of years ago and it was a pain in my ass. I caught it in a wire box trap one night/day and by 5pm it had bent the shit out of trap and escaped. Fixed the trap and caught it a couple of days later and moved it about 20 miles south. Haven't seen any on the homestead the past couple of years.

They apparently can't see for shit.

Why did you move it? They are rats with armor. If you caught a rat on your property, would you move it 20 miles away or kill it?