View Full Version : Anyone here successfully trap armadillos?
They have been digging the perfect size holes in my yard to break an ankle. I’ve woken my neighbor the last 2 out of 3 mornings between 4-4:30am. One was two shots with my G19(missed first shot and nailed it on the second), and the other was a 12 gauge. I know he doesn’t mind because they are doing the same damage to his yard. But he’s retired and I’d really rather not wake him and his wife if possible. A 22lr is out of the question because I don’t want to wound one and have it go die someplace out of sight and stink to high heaven.
So that leaves me thinking about trapping. I know where some burrows are and I have placed cage traps there with zero results.
So has anyone here successfully trapped them? If so, please share how. Until then I’ll continue to do perimeter checks at 4am.
FWIW, sig v-crown puts a gnarly exit wound on them.
P2Vaircrewman
12-06-21, 21:21
Get a lawn chair, a shotgun with a light taped to the barrel and a cooler of beer and sit out at night waiting for them.
eightmillimeter
12-06-21, 21:34
Aren’t suppressors legal in all states where dillos live? Kill them
I know he doesn’t mind because they are doing the same damage to his yard. But he’s retired and I’d really rather not wake him and his wife if possible. A 22lr is out of the question because I don’t want to wound one and have it go die someplace out of sight and stink to high heaven.
So that leaves me thinking about trapping.
You sir, are a good neighbor.
:)
Can't say I've ever trapped one, but pretty much anything that walks or crawls loves peanut butter. I'd recommend live traps and gassing them later just in case the a neighbors pet gets after the peanut butter.
Nothing messes up neighborly relations like a three legged cat.
I've only taken armadillos in the true Texas fashion. They are hell on front end alignment though.
ETA: a little flex pipe hooked to the exhaust and a tarp over the live trap does the deed.
Peanut butter will definitely attract rats, mice, groundhogs, raccoons, skunks and opossum. Armadillos? eat grubs, which is why they dig.
Recommendations found here include guns and/or traps: https://georgiawildlife.com/sites/default/files/wrd/pdf/management/Armadillos.pdf
A box trap with long guides to funnel the varmint into the trap should help.
Conibear 220 is supposed to be effective, set at a burrow. Stake it down well.
Could you borrow a crossbow?
triggerjerk
12-06-21, 23:45
I have caught them using bananas for bait. Set trap facing burrow. Used 2 long boards to make a funnel for them to follow into mouth of trap as mentioned above. I was told you can just fill the burrow with a water hose, and they are too stupid to come out and therefore drown. Ran A LOT of water into a burrow before realizing, "How do you know if you got him?" Guess the joke was on me.... Good luck, and lemme know if they really do taste like chicken!?
Apparently there's quite the 'dillo problem in western North Carolina. Wildlife folks say they are next to impossible to trap, and recommend just shooting them. Me, I haven't seen any outside of Texas and southwest US.
Chased one down with a hatchet one time when I was really hungry. FYI, those little guys jump about 3 foot straight up in the air when they are startled.
Chased one down with a hatchet one time when I was really hungry. FYI, those little guys jump about 3 foot straight up in the air when they are startled.
Yes they do. The last one I shot took a load of #7-1/2 shot to the head. It was getting at least 24 inches of air as it was thrashing about in the middle of my front yard.
1_click_off
12-07-21, 08:22
Just remember these things carry Leporsy. So don’t handle with bare hands.
Just remember these things carry Leporsy. So don’t handle with bare hands.
They go straight into the front end loader with the help of a shovel, and get dumped in the bayou behind my property. Makes for some good gator food.
We've caught armadillos in our live traps before, but they're one of the least likely critters to be trapped, railing behind racoons, possums, squirrels, and cats by a significant margin. If you really do what to dispose of up-armoured possums, you'll probably need to just watch the yard and fire when a target appears.
And yes, they do jump ridiculously high when you open fire.
1_click_off
12-07-21, 09:32
The ones I had you could set a clock to. Very predictable. A game camera works great for finding the schedule.
Broadside from about 25 ft #4 lead buckshot, 12 guage, pellets don't penetrate the thickest portion of the body but do perforate the very front and back.
Made me believe #4 Buckshot is inadequate vs humans if it cant penetrate through a 6 or 7 inch wide 'dillo.
WillieThom
12-07-21, 15:22
They were all over Benning.
We have them here in Middle TN. I’ve yet to see a live one but I’ve seen a few dead ones here in there on the highway and way out on some backroads.
They were all over Benning.
We have them here in Middle TN. I’ve yet to see a live one but I’ve seen a few dead ones here in there on the highway and way out on some backroads.
I've been in North Alabama for probabably 20 years combined and could count the number of live ones I've seen on one hand. The dead ones surely over 1000, though.
Andy
Broadside from about 25 ft #4 lead buckshot, 12 guage, pellets don't penetrate the thickest portion of the body but do perforate the very front and back.
Made me believe #4 Buckshot is inadequate vs humans if it cant penetrate through a 6 or 7 inch wide 'dillo.
I was surprised as well when I shot it with the shotgun. The head, tail, and legs had shot holes, but the body looked untouched. I’m switching my load to 00 buck.
Averageman
12-07-21, 20:23
The ones I had you could set a clock to. Very predictable. A game camera works great for finding the schedule.
When I drove my motorcycle to work I used to see the same armadillo every morning.
One day I met him in the rode. If you've never hit an armdillo on a motorcycle it's quite and experiance. I sped up, he sped up, I slowed down and so did he, eventually he ended it all by going under almost exactly where my oil filter is.
Kind of like hitting a 20lbs walnut shell filled with pus and blood.
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