Oklahoma State football coach Eric Morris said an early-morning trip into his yard ended with him killing an armadillo that he blamed for damage to his lawn and flower beds, the Associated Press reported (via ESPN).
Here's what to know
After waking at about 2:30 a.m., Morris said he went outside and came across the animal in his yard.
He explained that the armadillo had been "tearing up" the lawn and flower beds, and the encounter ended when he shot the animal.
Morris maintained that the shot was legal where he lives because he is "in the country," though he added that he texted his neighbors to apologize for the gunshot.
Morris did not say if he first took efforts to call a pest control company to capture the animal, and he made light of the situation by referencing Oklahoma State's "Pistols Firing" slogan, a well-known phrase and hand sign associated with the school's fans and teams.
What can be done?
Wildlife encounters often happen in and around homes. The first step is often to identify what is drawing animals into a yard in the first place.
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It is also important to check local wildlife laws.
In many situations, reducing repeat visits before they escalate is the most practical path, though armadillos are notoriously difficult to prevent completely without pest control expert assistance that typically involves relocation or killing.
Morris emphasized the extent of the damage the armadillo had been doing and told the outlet the animal "was crushing my yard, my flower beds, digging everything up."
While there were non-lethal avenues for stopping the animal from doing this and Oklahoma State has a page dedicated to this topic that advises trapping and working with a nuisance wildlife control operator, the page does note that shooting armadillos is legal in Oklahoma.
Where can I learn more?
For more on how conflicts between people and wildlife play out around homes and in other areas, these articles cover rabid javelina encounters and illegal elk and osprey killings.
• Arizona officials warned that rabid javelina encounters near homes escalated after troubling attacks.
• In Tennessee, a man was convicted after illegally killing an elk in protected habitat.
• Idaho authorities said a man killed a protected osprey with a pellet gun in retaliation.
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