Florida iguana hunting

CaliFFL

Any of you Floridians participating? 

Green iguanas are not protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty laws and can be humanely killed on private property year-round with landowner permission. The FWC encourages removal of green iguanas from private properties by landowners. Members of the public may also remove and kill iguanas from 22 FWC managed public lands without a license or permit under Executive Order 17-11. Captured iguanas cannot be relocated and released at other locations in Florida. Homeowners that trap iguanas on their property may be able to obtain euthanasia services from local exotic veterinarians, humane societies or animal control offices depending on the location and availability of services. If you are not capable of safely removing iguanas from your property, please seek assistance from a professional nusiance wildlife trapper.



https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/green-iguana/

RugerFan

I've watched a hunting show before where the hosts were hunting them with air rifles. They were in Puerto Rico.  

CaliFFL

I did a lot of pellet gun hunting as a kid. Rabbits, squirrels, snakes, birds...very effective.

Six-Gun

As RugerFan pointed out, Puerto Rico has had this issue for years with invasive iguanas.  Stay in any hotel there and you’re bound to see feral iguanas.  They also has this kind of hunt and for the same reasons as Florida. Seems we’re doing a poor job of containing these warm weather pests. 

bullsi1911

I definitely think that would be fun as all get out whacking iguanas in the back yard with pellet guns.

breamfisher

I just let my attack racoon get 'em.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZKLdR8rCbw

CaliFFL

The tail is hilarious. 

Diver43

bullsi1911 said:

I definitely think that would be fun as all get out whacking iguanas in the back yard with pellet guns.

It is
I have taken out several with .22Calibre out of a old single shot boys rifle or a few with .22 VL.  The wife doesn't like it, but when you catch up against the house or on the patio a broom stick breaks their back.

My neighbor hates them, he keeps a spear, machete and throwing knives by his back door.

GunNut

Diver43 said:

bullsi1911 said:

I definitely think that would be fun as all get out whacking iguanas in the back yard with pellet guns.

It is
I have taken out several with .22Calibre out of a old single shot boys rifle or a few with .22 VL.  The wife doesn't like it, but when you catch up against the house or on the patio a broom stick breaks their back.

My neighbor hates them, he keeps a spear, machete and throwing knives by his back door.

The big ones in the pond by Bass Pro still there?

JasonMPD

A 17HMR, sun shade, and some some cold sodas... relaxing day blowing lizards up.

Diver43

GunNut said:

Diver43 said:

bullsi1911 said:

I definitely think that would be fun as all get out whacking iguanas in the back yard with pellet guns.

It is
I have taken out several with .22Calibre out of a old single shot boys rifle or a few with .22 VL.  The wife doesn't like it, but when you catch up against the house or on the patio a broom stick breaks their back.

My neighbor hates them, he keeps a spear, machete and throwing knives by his back door.

The big ones in the pond by Bass Pro still there?

They are not only still there, they have gotten bigger and there are more of them.

CaliFFL

I get they are invasive, but what harm do they cause? Competition with native creatures? 

Asking cuz I have no clue. 

breamfisher

Pooping everywhere, eating most any fruit, plant, or vegetable, eating bird eggs and snails. Some of the plants they eat are host plants for an endangered butterfly.

And they burrow under houses, seawalls, sidewalks, and driveways causing damage and possible collapse.

Lots of property damage. 

GunNut

Diver43 said:

GunNut said:

Diver43 said:

bullsi1911 said:

I definitely think that would be fun as all get out whacking iguanas in the back yard with pellet guns.

It is
I have taken out several with .22Calibre out of a old single shot boys rifle or a few with .22 VL.  The wife doesn't like it, but when you catch up against the house or on the patio a broom stick breaks their back.

My neighbor hates them, he keeps a spear, machete and throwing knives by his back door.

The big ones in the pond by Bass Pro still there?

They are not only still there, they have gotten bigger and there are more of them.

Damn!  Maybe we’ll go pay them a visit.  I liked their restaurant burgers 😁

Zee

Eat more lizard!

GunNut

Do they really taste like chicken? 🤔

breamfisher

Chicken of the trees.

Jermanator

Barbecued iguana.

GunNut

Jermanator said:

Barbecued iguana.

Got a recipe chef? 😁

CaliFFL

breamfisher said:

Pooping everywhere, eating most any fruit, plant, or vegetable, eating bird eggs and snails. Some of the plants they eat are host plants for an endangered butterfly.

And they burrow under houses, seawalls, sidewalks, and driveways causing damage and possible collapse.

Lots of property damage. 

I didn't realize they were burrowers. Thanks for the lesson. 

breamfisher

I didn't find out until they started airing it on the news.

I can't hunt them.  Live too far away, and they haven't made it this far up the state.  Yet.

Easy way to get them is wait for a cold spell.  When it gets too cold (40 to 50 degrees) they go into a state of topor - it's like a deep sleep.  If they're in a tree, they fall out.  They are easy to pick up.  Problem is, if they warm up, they get aggressive and might bite, scratch, claw, or whip you with the tail. 

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/iguana-invasive-reptiles-cold-weather-frozen-florida-spd/

CaliFFL

I snagged this from the video.

Holy **** they get huge!!

Jermanator

GunNut said:

Jermanator said:

Barbecued iguana.

Got a recipe chef? 😁

You need to go to Tijuana for that...

https://youtu.be/eyCEexG9xjw?t=122

Zee

CaliFFL said:

I snagged this from the video.

Holy **** they get huge!!

That’s a meal!!

Jermanator

Gator and snake is good eating. I don't see why iguana would taste bad.

CaliFFL

Jermanator said:

Gator and snake is good eating. I don't see why iguana would taste bad.

Agreed. I've watched one of the food shows (Bourdain, maybe) and they were preparing and eating iguana. Looked a lot better than muskrat meat. 

Fisheadgib

Jermanator said:

GunNut said:

Jermanator said:

Barbecued iguana.

Got a recipe chef? 😁

You need to go to Tijuana for that...

https://youtu.be/eyCEexG9xjw?t=122

I actually have that album. I think I got it around the early 80's.

bellcat

I saw a news interview where a lady claimed to shoot '12 to 15' every night!  

GunNut

CaliFFL said:

I snagged this from the video.

Holy **** they get huge!!

Oh yeah saw much bigger when I lived in South FL.   There are a few by the Bass Pro in Dania, FL that could eat that one in the pic.

Six-Gun

GunNut said:

CaliFFL said:

I snagged this from the video.

Holy **** they get huge!!

Oh yeah saw much bigger when I lived in South FL.   There are a few by the Bass Pro in Dania, FL that could eat that one in the pic.

Some of the ones by the Luis Munoz airport in Puerto Rico are also mammoth-sized.  My last work trip there featured one that had to be pushing 6 feet in length chilling on  one of the side roads on the commercial side of the airport.

GunNut

Six-Gun said:

GunNut said:

CaliFFL said:

I snagged this from the video.

Holy **** they get huge!!

Oh yeah saw much bigger when I lived in South FL.   There are a few by the Bass Pro in Dania, FL that could eat that one in the pic.

Some of the ones by the Luis Munoz airport in Puerto Rico are also mammoth-sized.  My last work trip there featured one that had to be pushing 6 feet in length chilling on  one of the side roads on the commercial side of the airport.

Yep, which is funny.  Not indigenous to the island!