Alright, my father owns a landscaping company and one of his clients is a location that does weddings/receptions, banquets, parties, etc.





There is a creek that runs through the back of it and he is having awful problems with armadillos digging up and eating the roots/bulbs of plants.  He's tried live traps and catches racoons, poison with no result, and has now called me asking to set out with a pellet gun (it's in the in city) to pop the little boogers off.  I looked it up, and shooting a pellet gun in this particular city is a noise violation (hence the need for quiet) but no other offense.





I haven't shot pellet guns with the intent of killing things since i kid, picking squirrels off with my pump daisy.  I'm trying to stay moderately low on price (under $100), but get something that can handle the hide on those buggers and get good enough penetration to kill 'em.




 

Armadillos are most blind. They have decent hearing. They are not all that fast. Try a sharp point stick, hoe, or axe.  I personally know a hammer to the head also works-but you need to be holding them by the tail first.  My brother has enjoyed punting them with his boots - not sure if it kills them, but they fly nicely.

Point taken, and that actually gives a better idea.  Dust off the old compound bow.  Not sure i've got any arrows sitting around, but i'm craigslist can aid me there.



 

Lost a few arrows trying that. Shaft ruined when the tried to go in there hole.  Spear worked better.

Remember be careful when handling them as they apparently can carry leprosy and transmit it to humans.

Learned it here, so it must be true

Since armadillos are primarily insectivores,  the damage done is probably by them digging up bulbs in search of grubs, worms, beetles, etc.

Your father's landscape company and the customer would probably be best served with an application of grub-b-gone or other insecticide and follow up treatments.

No food source = no armadillos.

The quietest, reasonably affordable, and available pellet gun capable of taking armadillo humanely, would be the Benjamin Marauder in .25.  The .22 version would also do, but IMO not quite as effective.

You would be looking at ~$700 for a complete set-up with pump and scope.

Since I've had 22LR BOUNCE off an armadillo before,  a pellet gun may be marginal.

If you can see the dillo in the first place, no need to shoot it, just walk up and bash it with the implement of your choice.

I suggest a halberd.

Get a blow gun and dip the tips in poison.
Hitting a telephone pole at 50 feet with one is easy.

Head shots with heavy dome pellets.  Crosman Premier Magnums, for example.  These are very accurate yet inexpensive.
 

Isn't an armadillo an up-armored possum?  

my grandfather stands in the middle of his yard what a shovel and waits for them to come walking by.
I have seen him whipeout whole dillo families like that.

He's doing it wrong.  Trapping armadillos is accomplished by "guiding" the dillo into the trap.
I assume he's trying to "lure" the animal into the trap and getting "non target' results.

Examples of armadillo trap sets:

Works the same with skunks that are rooting in the yard.





I would be shooting 22 CB Longs before I used a high power air rifle. The few high power air rifles I have seen (Gamo) have been LOUD.



 

Exactly.  I have a trap with a fence on one side and a few cinder blocks on the other to act as a "funnel".  Very effective.

Satipo: [picking up poison dart] The Hovitos are near. The poison is still fresh, three days. They're following us.
Barranca: If they knew we were here, they would've killed us already.

Accuracy with CB caps, even longs, is less than adequate for head shots.  Dillos are tough to kill with body shots and use of high velocity ammo.  Which is why the air rifle is superior, the Benjamin Marauder has accuracy sufficient for 30 yard head shots plus the power needed.



I've tested mine in .177" using  Crosman Premier magnum pellets against CB caps for penetration, the  Marauder has a trifle better performance, penetrating 6 aluminum cans full of water, CB caps stop in 5.  





 

Gamo Whisper, love mine - I feel like Tier 1 using it