This is a new one for me.

[Jack Terpack]

I've been planting foodplots for about 50 years. I thought I had seen it all. Today I walked out to my plot behind the home for the first time in quite a while. I can see it from my back door but the heat and COPD have been keeping me housebound.

The plot is very overgrown with tall grasses and needs bushhoged badly. I started walking towards the feeder and almost broke my ankle. I stepped in a hole about 6 inches deep. I carefully walked around and found dozens of these holes throughout the whole plot.

I called a friend locally and he laughed about it. He explained I have been invaded by armadillo's. I really thought he was kidding. I have never seen a live armadillo. He knew I have been trying to get fireants under control and, apparently, armadillo's like to eat fireants by digging up their hills. I don't like their table manners though. Anyone have any suggestions? The plot is way too rough now to run my mower over it so I have to get out the bushhog and the tractor.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Glad you didn't break a leg! I have no armadillo advice because there's none around here, but I hear they taste just like chicken.
Possibly the key is to get rid of the ants first. Or is that an impossibility?
If you have the bigger tractor I'd suggest getting it mowed asap, and taking the cover away from them.

 

[cutman]

They are the worst. Go out at night and shoot them all on sight. Little bastards.

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Possum on the half shell.

 

[SwampCat]

Mow to clear your field of fire and shoot them. Some dogs will mill them. They taste nothing like chicken.

 

[Fishman]

Take a shotgun (#4 or #6 shot) and strong flashlight out at night. They have very poor eyesight, so it is easy to sneak up on them if you are quiet. After blasting them, do not touch them as they can carry leprosy.

 

[Drycreek]

You sure it’s not hogs ? I’ve never seen an armadillo root out a hole that could make me stumble. We have plenty of them in Texas.

 

[Jack Terpack]

You sure it’s not hogs ? I’ve never seen an armadillo root out a hole that could make me stumble. We have plenty of them in Texas.

I have hogs occasionally but this was different. I could not find a single fire-ant hill anywhere in the plot. That just never happens. Also, several of the holes were were only about for or five inches wide but six inches deep, I really don't know what caused them but my friend has been farming this area his entire life. He claims the armadillos have been here forever but in recent years they have really exploded. I'll just have to take his word for lit until I can put out a couple cameras. Have to mow the area first but not till this heat comes down some.

 

[Drycreek]

Probably was armadillos then if that’s as big as the holes were. They do like to eat fire ants and especially the eggs when they are close to the top of the hill.

 

[TreeDaddy]

You sure it’s not hogs ? I’ve never seen an armadillo root out a hole that could make me stumble. We have plenty of them in Texas.

Yep

Armadillo world headquarters.......along with fire ants,goatweed, and feral hogs

bill