Posted on 03/05/2022 5:04:11 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
Standing in a boat in suburban Fort Lauderdale, Chris Whitaker aimed a .25-caliber air rifle at a large green iguana on a canal bank and squeezed the trigger.
Whitaker and his girlfriend, Krissy Garcia, had paid $500 to Hunting Iguanas LLC for four hours of iguana hunting in Broward County, where the nonnative reptiles have found a congenial home along canals lined with a lush variety of trees.
Hated in many neighborhoods for consuming flowers, fruit trees and vegetable gardens, green iguanas have become a business opportunity for several companies that lead guided hunts along South Florida canals. While many residents cheered on the iguana hunters on a recent excursion, the air rifles required several shots for a kill, subjecting many iguanas to lingering deaths.
Whitaker, 29, an experienced hunter, had flown to Fort Lauderdale from Tyler, Texas, with his girlfriend just to try his hand at shooting iguanas. “I saw it on Facebook, and I thought, ‘Man, I gotta do this,’” he said.
They shot 26 iguanas off trees and off the canal banks, moving slowly through the network of canals that have kept the neighborhood dry in what used to be the Everglades. Krissy Garcia brought down a couple of large ones, their skin a combination of orange, brown and green.
Along the canals, residents cheered on the hunters for taking down reptiles who consumed their gardens and fruit trees. The iguanas’ industrious digging also damages power lines, sidewalks and seawalls.
“Thank you for doing this, man!” James Mathew shouted from his backyard on the canal bank. “I was happy when I see you guys doing this.”
He said the iguanas have devoured all his attempts to grow things.
(Excerpt) Read more at union-bulletin.com ...
[[They are all very old and mostly drive around with their turn signal on]]
LOL AND turn when you least expect it
“Geez, they’re harmless enough....”
They’re not harmless. They are an invasive species and are doing real damage.
L
/s
Mot enough people to,hunt them. Not a lot of hunters these days compared to times past. Used to be lots of kids hunted. Not so much anymore. Plus folks just don’t have time if they work.
It’s probably safer having pro,hunters do it as they know where and when to,take the shot, and are almost always cognizant of where other people are and when it is safe to take the shots. Inexperienced hunters will shoot without thinking, and a ,ot of times pellets will pass right through and ricochet, so,you have to be aware of where you are shooting at all times. Inexpeirn3nced hunters get too excited to make the shot without considering these things sometimes. Thougn thatnis changing as more states now require hunter safety courses before one gets a license to,hunt, but with pellet rifles there is no requirement as it is not considered and regulated like a firearm is.
Iguana go hunting too please.
The .25 cal is the gun to get. The .177 is too light and prone to wind causing misses, and at that speed the pellets tend to pass right through. 1400 is too fast. Better down around 850-950 and pellets in .25 cal and hollowpoint or a hunter expansion pellet. A .22 cal,is,ok, but doesn’t have the knockdown of the .25, especially if you get a less than absoltuely perfect shot- the .25 still,has the energy to bet th3 job done where the .22 might just wound the Amimal. There are so many variables that you c ant always bet a rock solid shot (animal moves at last second, or right after the shot, tree branch moves in wind, branch or twig deflects pellet slightly, wind moves lighter pellets off target slightly (gotta know windage for windy days). The .25 is a beast for small game and pest control- though the .22 does have a slug called ultra shock or something liek that. I’m gonna try them- thye say they are pretty accurate and hit hard-
Perhaps you could make iguana slickers outta iguana hide for them, unless thats too Ed Gein-ish??
Given their personalities, they would probably really dig that.
I got the Seneca Eagle Claw .25 (its a lever action- looks cool, and has massive energy for a .25)
Your daystar is quite a gun. They are top notch.
We watch that stuff on YouTube. Its highly entertaining.
There’s a girl,hunter on YouTube who is quite a shot. She has a bunch of videos of hunting igis. Can’t remember the name now.
Not,everyone,is down with hunting them in florida- the hunters often run into violent people who attack,them even when the hunters have permission from the motel,or hotel owners to clear the lots out of iguanas. And folks off in the distance Will see a “rifle” not realizing that they are pellet guns, and call the cops the king a crime is being co mitted, when the hunters have every right to be where they are hunting the pest lizards
—”You have had them in DuPage?”
I was joking...
But we still have elm trees and because of the elm sap, I traded my C-8 to a friend.
I doubt the coating can take many cleanings...
He poured cash into some very nice eyepieces and I can still visit.
—” Some don’t like scratchy wool”
But I love wool, my favorite fabric.
Very nice sweaters can be had cheaply at the resale shops.
I felt them in the washer and make quilts.
The best sweaters of my size, go into my closet.
Found a NEW WITH TAGS Neiman Marcus cashmere!!!
Our son scooped it up and wears it.
Yes, we watch her show.
I've always said that if there was ever a SHTF scenario, one weapon I would have in my possession would be a pellet rifle. They're quiet and you can easily stock up with 5,000 pellets for a hundred bucks.
And PCP's are deadly accurate too. With a suppressor on mine, I use it to shoot the starlings and sparrows under my bird feeder.
I think you are referring to Jessica of Iguana Solutions. I think I've seen all her videos......
Pan fried rattlesnake is Great with a Bottle of
Jack Daniel’s!!!
.
I’d hit It.
BBQ’S IGIS,
Interestingly Summertime
Fun with a Corona n’ Lime.
Do you have some instructions about making quilts out of old sweaters? That sounds interesting. (Not for the iguanas, of course - for me.)
It took 50+ posts for this to show up? We’re slipping, people.
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