GTA

All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Hunting Gate => Topic started by: Orion on September 01, 2018, 10:32:33 PM

Title: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 01, 2018, 10:32:33 PM
These are not the first one I put down but are the first I put here in the forum. These two went down in a quick succession, before having my Taipan Veteran I was shooting them with the TX200, initially the TX was ok until they start to keep the distance and the TX was not as good as the Taipan is now.

Also I don't think I'll be able with the TX to take 2 as quickly as I did with the Taipan.

(https://s33.postimg.cc/aq8juq1bj/image.jpg)

(https://s33.postimg.cc/l0aytyywv/image.jpg)

I was not sure if sharing this images or not, this is my first post here in the hunting gate so be gentle :)

Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: cgish on September 01, 2018, 10:50:42 PM
Nice shooting!

We don't have Iguanas here in the Midwest, so I am having trouble getting a grasp on their size. How long are these two?

Eighteen inches or so and about 6-8 inches of belly circumference?

Thank you,
Cody
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: dk1677 on September 01, 2018, 10:56:37 PM
Nice shooting Erlis!
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Rico14 on September 01, 2018, 10:58:29 PM
I was curious as to their size also, they look pretty big. Do you eat them? I read somewhere that they taste good.
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Habanero69er on September 01, 2018, 11:06:21 PM
Nice shooting Erlis!

I don't think we've had an iguana sightings this far north in Florida yet.
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 01, 2018, 11:09:42 PM
The one on top was big, a male that has already changed colors (they start green and males turn red-yellow when they are old), he was around 3-4 feet, the other one was smaller but not juvenile. These can grow up to 6 foot (if you measure the tail) and live up to 20 years.

Next time I need to put something near to have a reference for the size. But watch the size of the head on both and you can tell the difference.

I don't eat them, some people do and they say the meat is excellent but I won't have the stomach for it, not while I can buy a steak in the grocery store.

Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: cgish on September 01, 2018, 11:13:28 PM
Wow - that is a lot bigger than I thought.

How far away are you shooting from?

Can you get close to them, or are they skittish?

Thanks,
Cody
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 01, 2018, 11:19:04 PM
Wow - that is a lot bigger than I thought.

How far away are you shooting from?

Can you get close to them, or are they skittish?

Thanks,
Cody

Initially they let me get close enough that I even bought a 4ft animal control pole to capture them, I almost capture one like that but got frustrated and then bought my first airgun just for them.

I start shooting them with the springer from 10 to 30 yards, but they are smart, now they see movement and they run, the problem is that now they cannot run that far. These were taken at 36 yards, they didn't see me.

I'm shooting them now between 35-60 yards but if the opportunity presents at 15 I take it... some times I just have to look really close at the tree I have in the backyard because they are there, just really quiet...
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: accu fan on September 01, 2018, 11:41:59 PM
Erlis, you have good taste for air rifles. That looks
like fun hunting. Nice shooting! :D
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: ranchibi on September 02, 2018, 02:34:46 AM
Erlis, excellent hunting on those iguanas! Congratulations on your new Taipan..they don’t stand a chance now as long as you can spot them :). Oh, and nice photos!
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: A.K.A. Tommy Boy on September 02, 2018, 04:29:26 AM
Good Shooting Erlis !         You got a couple of big ones there.                 Best Wishes - Tom
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Wayne52 on September 02, 2018, 05:00:45 AM
Great shooting on the iguana's Erlis !!!  I think you guys are allowed to shoot iguana's all year round there because of being an invasive species so that fits well into the hunting gate.  Its the stuff like shooting pests in your back yard I think that are out of season you can't post from what I've seen.
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 02, 2018, 10:23:17 AM
Great shooting on the iguana's Erlis !!!  I think you guys are allowed to shoot iguana's all year round there because of being an invasive species so that fits well into the hunting gate.  Its the stuff like shooting pests in your back yard I think that are out of season you can't post from what I've seen.

You are right, we can hunt them all year, it is actually illegal to capture one alive an release. But it is also ilegal to kill them in a way they wil suffer, pellet gun is ALMOST ideal, I said almost because it’s not just take the gun and shoot at it. Shot placement is crucial, this iguanas are tough, did I said though? You have to hit a few cm behind the eye to be one shot one kill, or in the spine, anywhere else and they will live, a shoot in the vitals and they will walk away like nothing, they may die in a bush 2 hours later but then that’s illegal.

Once I remember reading someone that cut open one after the iguana was death for an hour and the heart was still moving.

When I said I wasn’t sure about posting, it was because I’m not hunter, I’ve never looked into that before, but the iguanas here at home forced me to take action, I used to see one here, two there, but this last year, with no natural predators their numbers are out of control. In total I know I’ve dispatched more than 100, but I wasn’t counting... until now... If you guys agree, I can keep counting here at the forum.

I was thinking in investing in the side shot to make videos of the hunt.

What app do you guys recommend for recording the videos and a nice slow mo footage?

Thanks all for the nice comments
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Rico14 on September 02, 2018, 03:07:59 PM
What do you do with them once you dispatch them? Do you have friends who will eat them? It's not like they're a tiny animal that you can just toss in the bushes. I have a side shot, I use the slow mo that is built in to my iPhone 6S
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 02, 2018, 03:32:15 PM
most of them are by a canal, if they drop in the water, well they stay in the water and the turtles take care of them, if not I got them and I buried them in a huge compost pile I have in my property, they feed my plants after a few weeks later
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Habanero69er on September 02, 2018, 06:36:19 PM
Erlis, how far south are you?
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: selittle on September 02, 2018, 06:47:05 PM
Taste "just like chicken." Actually iguanas are kept and raised like poultry in some countries. I'd eat them!
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 02, 2018, 07:06:22 PM
Erlis, how far south are you?

I live in Broward county
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: screwwork on September 02, 2018, 07:07:15 PM
Ijuana tacos sound good to me.
Nice shooting & cool photos too. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: ratzapper on September 02, 2018, 09:19:59 PM
This is great! ...Keep up the great work! ...Invasive species need culling. ...
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: bucho96 on September 04, 2018, 05:42:32 PM
Erlis, how far south are you?

I live in Broward county

Same here!   The iguanas in my backyard canal aren't that big yet...  Been trying to keep them under check.
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Orion on September 04, 2018, 05:47:55 PM
Ohh they will grow, and if you do nothing about them, and 10 iguanas this year can be 700 next, remember they can have up to 70 eggs in a year..

Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: bucho96 on September 04, 2018, 06:19:36 PM
I know it!  2 years ago we had a bad infestation at our community pool.  I setup camp for 2 weeks and plucked 12 that year at the pool alone. 

   This year it's been only 2 dead ones at the pool with signs of a third.   
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: Mod90 on September 04, 2018, 09:08:03 PM
Welcome to the fold, fellow lizard slayer. Nice kills. Don't let the meat go to waste, if you won't eat them I'm sure someone else might.

Our GTA lizard hunter troop is growing, slowly but surely.
Title: Re: Iguana #1 and #2
Post by: smellslikepeople on September 05, 2018, 05:44:35 AM
I have a soft spot for iguana because I had one as a pet growing up named stony  she was a big girl but I understand these things are taking over some areas and are a big problem. I'd like to give iguana a taste. Good shooting !