how tough is an armadillo?

kevin_heffernan_armadillo_hat.jpg

But I digress...
Brent
 
I use a H&R Handi-Rifle in .357 Magnum,,,

I really hate to wound an animal and have it die slowly,,,
So when my lady friend asked me to help her,,,
I chose something I knew would drop em.

I've shot more of those danged critters in the last few weeks,,,
Than I have ever shot in all of my previous years,,,
They are/were decimating her truck garden.

So I go over there in the morning before dawn on my way to work,,,
I usually get two or three before the rest of them leave,,,
A 125 grain JHP out of that H&R Handi-Rifle,,,
They don't even twitch.

.
 
'dillos are good for sumptin'

At a craft show near me I saw a knifemaker with his display. I picked up one particularly unique knife. The handle was the darndest looking thing. It looked like intricately carved ivory. Large at the guard but tapering to a point at the end. Really very beautiful even if a bit hard to hold. I finally asked what it was. He said it was the tail bone of an armadillo. He makes many of these. He actually carries rubber gloves and plastic bags in his car to retrieve dead 'dillos when he sees them on the road. I'll let him do it. I have no desire to handle ded 'dillos.
 
shot plenty

Their surprisingly tough, but not overly so. I've shot a bunch, mostly w/ .22 lr HP, and they don't go far if solidly hit. They are hard on turf, very destructive, and not necessarily native to the area.

target of opportunity
 
Friend was assigned to LA. He came back to TX for a visit. He said "dont hit (w/ vehicle) an armadillo" as they are like hitting a basketball sized rock.

I neve hit a live/dead one.
 
Yep! Straddle 'dillers with a vehicle and near 50% of the time tou will kill it... They rare up and you bonk in the head with the crossmembers...

They won't hurt any vehicle design I ever knew of...

Now a 6 foot gator will do some damage to the under carriage and/or knock the front end out of alignment.

Brent
 
I shot one with a Marlin in .35 Remington. No twitches. Same result on another with a .30-30. My brother-in-law was shooting at a running diller with a .22 and hit his rabbit hound by mistake. Bad day in the woods.
 
Now a 6 foot gator will do some damage to the under carriage and/or knock the front end out of alignment.

Yea, my wife hit a 9 footer with her mini van years ago. Blew a massive hole in the tire and threw off the alignment.
 
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