Author Topic: What handgun for Armidillo hunting (Read 1277 times)

R.W.Dale · « **on:** November 27, 2005, 03:17:20 PM »

I cannot decide between using a slow moving cast wadcutter say .38cal or a very fast light HP in say 7.62x25. Accuracy isn't an issue since the little pasture destroying rascals are so dumb 5yds would be a long shot. The landowner wants me to shoot all of them I can. Heck the last time I went squirell huntin I shot 7 .

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2005, 03:22:04 PM »

My buddy in Texas shoots them with a 22 Mag Revolver.

SEVENTY · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2005, 04:08:45 PM »

I can't blame anyone for getting rid of these pests. My experience with them in Florida taught me to respect their armor. They can deflect a 44
magnum if you don't place a head shot. They are nasty creatures with a poison spur on their hind leg, so be careful when handling their carcass. They prefer nights rather than days and burrow large and deep nests. They have their litter of four in the Spring. Best of luck! Pat

Life Member of NAHC[/b]

Biscuits · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2005, 04:26:37 PM »

Wow sound like fun!
We don't have them in Oregon!
That 7.62x25(CZ52? Tokarev?) with fmj's should work just fine. I have heard they can shoot through a class II body army so it should take an armadiller. If they are that close you should just try for a head shot it would be the most humane
Have fun and don't catch any ricochets off one of those little guys!

MS Hitman · « **Reply #4 on:** November 27, 2005, 04:35:22 PM »

I have killed more armadillos with a 22lr revolver than anything else. Third band behind the front leg does it for me. Going up in power to the .32 S&W long, you can just about hit them anywhere you want to. I only dig out the big guns if I'm wanting to try a new bullet or load. They're tough, but not that tough. Out of the 200+ I've killed, don't ever recall richocheting a bullet.

SJPrice · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2005, 05:47:27 AM »

Try a 475 Linebaugh, 420 grain cast lead at 900 to 1,000 fps. Even if it does not penetrate the armor it will get em rollin fast enough to transport em into the next county. :-D

MS Hitman · « **Reply #6 on:** November 28, 2005, 07:29:06 AM »

Speaking form experience, the .475 load listed above will penetrate and penetrate and penetrate... well, you get the picture.

SJPrice · « **Reply #7 on:** November 28, 2005, 07:35:34 AM »

Speaking from experience, you are absolutely correct. That load will penetrate extremely well. It is a "mild" load in a 475, but would be considered to be pretty hot in most other calibers.

Mikey · « **Reply #8 on:** November 28, 2005, 07:45:45 AM »

Krochus - either caliber should suffice. The Tok will have no problem what so ever on Armidillos and neither should wadcutters. For that matter a 22 lr or 22 mag revolver or a 22 semi-auto will do. Mikey.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #9 on:** November 28, 2005, 09:33:23 AM »

I have encountered the creature, but know zero about it, how ever this weeks Newsweek has a article on Darwin is of note. "the armadillos made, he wrote, a most excellent dish when roasted in their shell" He went on to say that the portions were small. Anyone tried this fare?
Jim

Win 73 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 28, 2005, 10:17:13 AM »

Quote from: Jim n Iowa

I have encountered the creature, but know zero about it, how ever this weeks Newsweek has a article on Darwin is of note. "the armadillos made, he wrote, a most excellent dish when roasted in their shell" He went on to say that the portions were small. Anyone tried this fare?
Jim

Possum on the half shell!!!!!!

myronman3 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 28, 2005, 10:18:10 AM »

yep, once while in the army playing wargames at fort chaffee, arkansas. our resupply got raided, so we were without food. i killed an armidillo with a blank powered cleaning rod.

i also took the squad fishing. i instructed a few members downstream, then deep-sixed a percusion grenade into a deep pocket of the pool. the city boys were amazed.

we ate well, more fish than hoover hog (cleaning it was an adventure for this northern boy!), and my stock increased dramatically that day in the eyes of my squad members.

we also encountered a nice big southern blacksnake, but i didnt have the 'nads to monkey with it (it was trying to eat a toad-the toad was NOT giving up). never the less, the next ambush we pulled off, the #1 priority was taking their food.

playing the op4 down there was the most fun i ever had in the field.

as far as hoover hog goes, if you are starving and nothing else is around, it beats nothing. but that can be said of just about anything.

daddywpb · « **Reply #12 on:** December 04, 2005, 12:21:41 AM »

I've seen armadillos with their heads buried in a rotting carcass, just eatin' away. I'd have to be way beyond starving before I'd eat one. By the way, a .30/06 with a Barnes Triple Shock makes them explode nicely. A few of them can tear up a pasture in short order. It's suprising how destructive they can be.

Van/TX · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2005, 01:55:47 PM »

daddy, you might be thinking about possums

Dillers just don't do that. I grew up with dillers. A .22 handgun does nicely. That's really all you need. When I was a teen we killed 'em with .30-06's. What a blast. Keep at least 20 yards away. They go off like a bomb with a high power rifle cartridge and the shrapnel can be hazardous :-D ......Van

nomosendero · « **Reply #14 on:** December 04, 2005, 04:12:36 PM »

I have shot some with a 41 Mag with those Speer bullets that are basically
a half jacketed hollow pt. that looks like a semi-wadcutter. These would
punch a 41 cal. entrance hole, blow-up inside & make a huge exit.

I really like to blast them with my .223 Contender & AR with 40gr. Bal.
Tips.

S.S. · « **Reply #15 on:** December 05, 2005, 05:54:48 AM »

I had never seen one until about 5 years ago.
I live in west central Georgia and we are over run
with them now. I do know one thing about them,
They do not fare any better crossing roads than
opossums do. I never really believed in the
"Global Warming" Thing until I started seeing armadillos
this far north and east. In my experience, just about
anything larger than a .22 short will do them in with a head
shot. A good turkey load in a shotgun does not explode them
too terribly so they are easy to clean up the mess afterward.
(A shovel will work instead of needing the rake).
Bury them deep, They stink something aweful after a day or so.
A friend of mine's dog got hold of one in the backyard
and that armadillo gave a pretty good account of itself.
The dog had to go to the vet for some patching up. The
vet also said that the armadillo is actually a pretty clean
and disease free animal. (We were worried about Rabies).
I find that kinda hard to believe, but I am no vet.

Van/TX · « **Reply #16 on:** December 05, 2005, 02:52:15 PM »

Dillers are given a bad rap. They are clean animals. All they do is root around for grubs. They are not scavengers. They do carry leprosy I've heard but it's not transmitted to humans or any other animals. I'm not a vet so I could be mistaken ;-) I like dillers. Never killed one since I was very young. I don't kill much of anything that I don't eat these days......Van

John · « **Reply #17 on:** December 06, 2005, 05:10:22 AM »

I get a kick out of those critters myself, I like to sneak up on em, they can't see well, but they hear and smell pretty well to make up for it. They are fun to try to catch, and I've had my hands on a couple of em, but most manage to get away especially now that I'm old and slow.

Never shot one, but I have a big black Great Dane that does keep em under control around the place. His big jaws and teeth are pretty rough on em, and I find em around the place with holes on both sides where he bit through the armor. They do stink after a couple of days in the hot sun, I swear you can smell em 50 yds away.

Wynn · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2005, 11:41:01 AM »

At our hunt club, we choose up teams and each team picks a fluorescent color. Each team catches dillers and paints them with their color. The next night, each team tries to catch as many of the other teams dillers as they can. Teams include wives, kids, guests, etc. Watching the catchin is the best part and driving around and spotting a fluorescent orange or lime green Armadillo is a hoot.

Boxhead · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2005, 04:41:06 PM »

The 32 Mag in my SS Ruger's has proven quite effective on the little buggers. I think it is an ideal combo of velocity, diameter and portability. It's my pick.

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 11, 2005, 02:05:50 AM »

My first thought wasa Blackhawk in .30 carbine or maybe .32 magnum. Just a thought as we don't have those critters up here.

hillbill · « **Reply #21 on:** December 12, 2005, 01:43:00 PM »

best medicine for dillers is a 12 ga shotgun. stalk up real cose behind them, then get down on your knees and scooch up a little closer to maybe 10 yrds or less. then aim right under the tail when they lift it up. sure kill everytime.its harder than it sounds becuase they seem to have excellent hearing.

Hooker · « **Reply #22 on:** December 12, 2005, 02:30:38 PM »

Well if your not going to eat them, The 357 mag 110 gr SJHP loaded to the max will flat turn a diller inside out at 30 yrds.
The last one I shot looked like a big gray taco.
My favorite method is with a traditional muzzle loader it gives me an excuse to use it during the summer.
Hunting tip: If you've had dry weather run a lawn sprinkler to moisten to ground any dillers in the area will flock to the soft ground.
At night a maglite taped to the forarm of a 1022 works great. Where legal of course.
Dillers are also called Texas speed bumps

Pat

camsdaddy · « **Reply #23 on:** December 14, 2005, 06:51:37 AM »

I have a S&W 22A with velocitors have proven to be effective 12 ga for when all else fails. Also be sure to remove them from around the house if some are an armidillo in july in south ga is about as bad a smell as one will ever find.