Why shoot an armadillo?

People don't like them digging in their gardens. I suppose if they're growing something fantastic, I relate to that, but most of the time, it does seem unreasonable.

I was in my teen years a keen rifleman; very basic .22 stuff; playing out of my Saturday job earnings, walking 3 miles to the range and back... I was bloody good, (98/100 ave), but got absorbed by chess and sports which were also much cheaper. I borrowed a friend's air rifle and shot a bird. I've never felt worse than that. Taking life or sport is not acceptable in my book. And you guys in the USA are insane to not licence and track guns; for a start adequate security and competence is essential. I don't have any knowledge but I lay odds that accidental deaths with firearms far outweighs other shootings in the States? Freedom to drive is a right, and you need a licence for that, why the hell not do the same for guns which are designed to kill?

"but I lay odds that accidental deaths with firearms far outweighs other shootings in the States?"

No, not even close.

Is freedom to drive a right?

Blimey, that many gun murders! Dear Lord

Suicides outnumber the murders IIRC

Steephie, unfortunately, nobody has been able to twist the words of our long-outdated constitution to say that driving is a right; rather, they did so with firearms.

This dude is a fucking moron for shooting an armadillo. Unless you live on top of a cloud, nature is gonna exist around you. A bullet to the face for needlessly shooting at a harmless creature that didn't threaten him at all is precisely what he and others that would do the same deserve.

I think these figures speak for themselves: gun homicides:
USA 2011: 8,583
UK 2011: 44

@Steephie Yes, if you pass the driving test obey the laws, you have a right of passage in any legally permitted vehicle on any public right of way on which said vehicles are permitted. Not all of us can get around on a bike, least of all skating on a canal!

Exactly, you pass a test, and you take a course. In my case, the course was fairly easy but taught what it should. Once you do that, keeping your license is dependent on your cooperation with the law - ergo, a license is a privilege.

Shooting an animal that is a nuisance is fine. I don't live in Texas, so I don't know what armadillos do. If it was a "varmint" of some kind, why is it wrong to shoot it? I shoot chipmunks and red squirrels because they chew through our barn and plug up our gutters. I leave the other squirrels alone because they live in trees.

@Chumbles,

" I think these figures speak for themselves: gun homicides: [...]"

Yes, and that's the problem. Statistics never speak for themselves.

Despite having ~200 times as many "gun homicides," the US's murder rate is only about 4 times that of the UK. That's actually still appalling, but it's the largest number the legality of guns could possibly have to answer for. In fact, there are enormous social differences between the two countries as well, notably the ongoing social distress still being caused by our prior slaveholding, which rule out facile attribution of causes. Anyway, I have to go, but we can talk more later. The point isn't that this isn't a valuable question to ask, but you do have to do more than just post a simplistic statistic and reach some big conclusion.

KC, how is it okay to kill something simply because it is bothering you?

Obviously you have never seen a mosquito

Yes, I have. I flick them off. Something else eats them. I see no point in killing them and even less of a point of getting someone else's blood all over my skin.

Besides, a parasite is different. That's defense.

Defending my house is defense. Castle Doctrine and all ;)

"I shoot chipmunks and red squirrels because they chew through our barn and plug up our gutters. I leave the other squirrels alone because they live in trees."
Sorry, KC, your attempt to be nuanced just won't fly here. You need to just put that gun down, dontcha know.....and slowly walk away.

"Besides, a parasite is different. That's defense."

Is that why Cheney shot a lawyer?

Ha!

Amatuer, you need to aim for the eyeballs

Castle doctrine only applies if your safety is at stake. The convenience of a clear gutter does not apply. Don't shoot things needlessly. It's part of the problem.

Destruction of property is reason to kill a nuisance animal.

Solid argument. So much evidence, so little time...

Summary of arguments:

Cyrus: Destruction of property

Bo: But... But... Animals are people too....

"It's part of the problem."

"So much evidence, so little time..."

Brilliance. Criticize others for not providing evidence while making assertions that don't even bother to make themselves clear, let alone back themselves up.

How hard is it to understand that a clogged gutter isn't "destruction of property?" It's a clogged fucking gutter. Your house isn't crumbling, so poke the thing with a stick, don't shoot it.

"they chew through our barn"

*Yawn* Cherry-picking is so boring

Is holes in my barn not enough reason to shoot two chipmunks a year?

"How hard is it to understand that a clogged gutter isn't "destruction of property?" It's a clogged fucking gutter. Your house isn't crumbling, so poke the thing with a stick, don't shoot it."

He said they were chewing holes in the barn as well. Please feel free to continue misrepresenting what other people say and making unexplained and unbacked statements while demanding asymmetric burdens of proof for problems you won't even consciously identify, though

@KC: I would say no it isn't but hey..

You can shoot the mosquitoes though :-)