What kind of critter does this?

[Fid]

Hunting last night this is what it looked like below my stand. These marks were everywhere for about a 20 x 20 yard area. It looked like someone had taken the heel of their boot and scraped the leaves away down to the soil underneath. Anyone know what kind of critter does this?

 

[Fid]

Wow, sorry for the huge picture. I'll try to download a smaller one next time.

 

[264Magnum]

Armadillo

 

[jbarnett]

Those nasty suckers can tear up lots of ground.

 

[Fid]

Lame. I was hoping someone would say a turkey, deer, or hog Something I could shoot and eat!

 

[crg1372]

Nah....looks like an armadillo to me too. What you see there is nothing compared to what a pack of hogs would do.

 

[EFsDad]

Lame. I was hoping someone would say a turkey, deer, or hog Something I could shoot and eat!

Shooting part I can't help you with, but a nice Armadillo meetballs with a lot of ketchup makes you warm on a cold day!

http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zarmadillo.html

Armadillo Meat Balls
From "Complete Fish & Game Cookbook" by A.D. Livingston. © 1996


~ 1 lb cooked armadillo meat, ground
~ 1 egg
~ 2 tbsp minced celery
~ 2 tbsp minced onion
~ 1 tbsp minced parsley
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 1/2 tsp pepper
~ flour
~ oil

In a bowl, mix together the meat, egg, celery, onion, parsley, salt and pepper.

Form into 1 inch balls and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In a skillet, heat 3/4 inch of oil.

Roll the meat balls in the flour.

Fry the meat balls until brown.

Serve and Enjoy!

 

[264Magnum]

No....

 

[dennishoddy]

Armadillo

this...

 

[ez bake]

Lame. I was hoping someone would say a turkey, deer, or hog Something I could shoot and eat!

The good news is that you can shoot them anytime you want to since they're not a "game mammal".

Once shot, scoop it up with a shovel and put it out in a pasture and then begin coyote hunting (have a call handy).

Bad news is... you can't eat coyotes either (well, I guess you could, but then you might as well eat the dillo).


BTW, if an Armadillo is touched (or smacked) on its back, it will bounce - you can make a game out of it by smacking it with a stick or your rifle-butt-stock and see how high you can make them "buck".

Yeah... I grew up in the country and we didn't have a lot of money for toys...