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Thread: Iguana Airgun Devastator?

  1. #1
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    Iguana Airgun Devastator?

    I chanced watching a couple/three YouTube presentations of persons in the state of Florida shooting Iguanas, all using air rifles! I was unaware that these critters have multiplied so greatly and are such a severe problem -- more than a "nuisance" -- that professional Iguana-killers are making a living reducing the population.
    Of those I viewed, all seem to have BIG-scoped arms. One used a pump air rifle, and the others may have employed PCP's? One arm may (?) have been a large calibre DayState?
    My curiosity is piqued (yup: "curious george") as to perhaps the make, model, calibre, and 'scope these Iguana hunters are using?
    I'd surely be appreciative if any of the arms employed, as well as their complementary 'scopes -- might be i.d.'d?
    THANKS MUCH!!!
    geo

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    Boolit Master Castaway's Avatar
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    Interesting post. I was stationed in Panama 86-89. Somewhere there’s a video of my boys sitting on the dining room table arguing over the last drumstick from the iguana I shot with my RWS 48 springer with a 0.177 pellet.

    Please post Recipes for Iguana Dishes. I understand they taste like Chicken?

    Randy
    Last edited by W.R.Buchanan; 11-26-2022 at 05:38 PM.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    It's difficult for me to work up much ire toward the iguana, when I think about how many bugs they eat.
    For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18
    He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool become servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:29
    ...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40


    Carpe SCOTCH!

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    The video I watched showed the lady using a MTC Copperhead 3-12x44 AMD2 Scope.

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    Boolit Bub 2manyguns's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    I chanced watching a couple/three YouTube presentations of persons in the state of Florida shooting Iguanas, all using air rifles! I was unaware that these critters have multiplied so greatly and are such a severe problem -- more than a "nuisance" -- that professional Iguana-killers are making a living reducing the population.
    Of those I viewed, all seem to have BIG-scoped arms. One used a pump air rifle, and the others may have employed PCP's? One arm may (?) have been a large calibre DayState?
    My curiosity is piqued (yup: "curious george") as to perhaps the make, model, calibre, and 'scope these Iguana hunters are using?
    I'd surely be appreciative if any of the arms employed, as well as their complementary 'scopes -- might be i.d.'d?
    THANKS MUCH!!!
    geo
    keith warren has a show called the High Road , some of his hunts are on U-Tube using 22and 25 cal rifles , him and his daughter shooting iguana in peurto rico , also jim chapman(American AirGunner) U-Tube also in PR
    How come there is so many more horses ***** than there is horses

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Champion choice or Champion Shooters Supply will have what you are looking for ??

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    Quote Originally Posted by BLAHUT View Post
    Champion choice or Champion Shooters Supply will have what you are looking for ??
    Frankly, what I am "looking for" is no more than, "An 'A' brand such and such air rifle in 'B' calibre, with "C"-power 'scope made by "D" attached." Yes, sellers do have in stock airguns to sell, and surely will tout those they presently have in stock. To my thoughts, instead, would be the simple i.d. of the airgun so successfully used on these critters.
    Again... anyone able to i.d. the rigs employed?
    THANKS!!!
    geo

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    check out UtahAirguns.com. You can call them and talk with someone who knows what they are talking about.

    Rich

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    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    Frankly, what I am "looking for" is no more than, "An 'A' brand such and such air rifle in 'B' calibre, with "C"-power 'scope made by "D" attached." Yes, sellers do have in stock airguns to sell, and surely will tout those they presently have in stock. To my thoughts, instead, would be the simple i.d. of the airgun so successfully used on these critters.
    Again... anyone able to i.d. the rigs employed?
    THANKS!!!
    geo
    I have a Daisy 753, .177, one pump that will go clean through a tree rat at 10 meters with a flat nose target pellet. Champions Choice has the scopes and rings so does Champion Shooters Supply. Some of the heavier dome pellets will do the same further out. Then you can also look online at other air gun supplier's ?

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    If you go back to the video, under the description you may find a link to the equipment they use. Many You tubers post links to the products they use in the video.

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    Quote Originally Posted by NyFirefighter357 View Post
    If you go back to the video, under the description you may find a link to the equipment they use. Many You tubers post links to the products they use in the video.
    Thanks for suggestion! I'm probably far from the only person to which YouTube has become the "How to do it!" for most anything I am in need of building or fixing... And... I pretty much always check descriptions. Often, the YouTube poster earns a penny or two if one clicks on their provided links -- which I look at as a teeny 'thank you' for sharing their wisdom.
    Sadly, on the Iguana hunting videos I watched what appeared were links to legal issues of taking Iguanas as well as booking info (in some cases) for their services. The actual gear employed was not specified.
    Hence, my inquiry to the brilliant members of this forum...
    geo

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    Boolit Master
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    In the videos I have seen, a young woman was using Brocock air rifles and sponsored by Airguns of Arizona (?). Different models. "Iguana Solutions" was the channel on YT. Seems kind of sketchy shooting even airguns around houses, apartments.

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    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cuzinbruce View Post
    In the videos I have seen, a young woman was using Brocock air rifles and sponsored by Airguns of Arizona (?). Different models. "Iguana Solutions" was the channel on YT. Seems kind of sketchy shooting even airguns around houses, apartments.
    It all depends on how bad the homeowners want to get rid of the pests.

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    All these people are licensed Pest Removal Companies. They are hired by Apartment Complexes, City Parks, Golf Courses, and similar places, to remove 'Invasive Species" of which Iguana's are the most prolific. The biggest one I've seen so far was right at 17 lbs. and 6 feet long. It was a Stud Male. Males all have spikes on their backs, Females don't. But the females can lay 30,000 eggs in one season which makes them a difficult population to control

    The problem with these critters is that they Crap everywhere and their crap contains "salmonella," which can be pretty dangerous stuff. They also dig holes and burrow under houses and around river banks which erodes those banks and causes problems like other burrowing pests create.

    I personally would love to make a living shooting them. It looks like loads of fun. They are something I would have no sympathy for as they are essentially leftover dinosaurs. Plus that they are not the only Invasive species they shoot down there. Egyptian Geese which are the brown ones with the white necks and heads are not supposed to be there either, and they run off all the good birds.

    A good high powered Air Rifle and for these varmints seems to be the hot tip, and I see a PCP Repeater in .22 or .25 cal to be the way to go.

    I have been looking at the Air Venturi Avenger and I finally got to see one in person and shoot it last Saturday. It was a wood stocked .25 cal. version and was powerful and super accurate I saw the guy hit a CO2 Cylinder at 275 yards with it and I was blown away. I wouldn't have thought it would even shoot 150 yards but the guy did it 3 shots in a row. He was shooting Slugs at @1000 fps instead of pellets and the gun had a 6x24X scope mounted which seemed a little much for that gun. But a $450 gun that will do that shouldn't be dismissed, since most of the guns used in the videos we've all watched are in the $2000 range. (Brocock and FX)

    Anyway here's a link to the one I shot https://www.pyramydair.com/product/a...d-stock?m=5307

    I'm probably going to wait til the SHOT Show in January where I can see the other models before I make up my mind.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

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    Boolit Bub 2manyguns's Avatar
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    Randy i shoot the FX royal in 25 cal , i put a 34 gn. pellet through an old discarded aluminium stop sign at a measured 87 yds and about a 1/2 in low of my aim point , i was very surprised , so i did it 3 more time and ended with a .85 group ,i would really like to test it on iguana , but sadly all i have are tree rats and other flying vermin
    How come there is so many more horses ***** than there is horses

  16. #16
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    It seems that people in southern climates have all the fun.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by elmacgyver0 View Post
    It seems that people in southern climates have all the fun.
    Youall want fun youall can move down there.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    You know Randy, i was just about to write the same as i read your post.

    An "entry level" PCP as the Air Venturi Avenger. A PCP thatīs got basically great revues no matter where you look, and the Avenger ranks right up there.

    @georgerkhan
    IMO a PCP will beat a springer 7 days a week. If nothing else for the vast difference in potential out the snout of it. For pest control you can dial power down indoors and in turn up as you get outside and distances opens up.
    To be aware of though, and sorry to say this is still essential, is that ALL PCP guns crave service. ALL of them. O-rings take a set and ..develops a leak due.. and so forth.
    Whatīs more be aware that the gun will need add ons.
    Like a scuba tank or compressor to fill it up. Yeah yeah... hand pumps.. all to aware, but that grows old real fast.. So a 300bar scuba tank or a compressor it is.
    I run a small n simple chinese made Yong Heng since a good while back and have no complaints. To my knowledge you even pick them up at Walmart these days. Spring for at least the version that carries a temp gauge and make sure that never goes beyond like 60-65degC (140-150degF) and service the thing with fresh oil on a given basis.. and itīll hand what you ask with longevity.
    Do NOT buy one of the chinese made copies of it!
    Yes. Thereīs copies of the chinese Yong Heng... LOL. So make sure it states Yong Heng in letters on the side of it. I even use mine to fill scubas, and this on a regular basis.
    Be aware that no matter if a scuba or compressor some sort of "whip" that holds the fitting used for your particular rifle will be needed.
    Such a filling station for a scuba costs a few dollars too, while with the Young Heng an inline filter and whip is provided. Mine i end in an industry standard so called Foster fitting.

    The Avenger mentioned by Randy above, check various forums and what have you. It is a relatively cheap little gun holding great accuracy and by now with aftermarket parts for it you wonīt believe. Highly regarded by many.

    Were it me iīd do 25cal. Why?
    Because it hands me a greater power span of USE. Yep. Even though the 22īs come in 40 grains these days.. issue is that takes a souped up BUILT gun to happen - yet.
    A 25cal you "lean on" can easily be pushed into 80fpe territory and beyond, which can not be said for a 22. In turn the same 25 can easily be turned down to 12fpe or less.
    Not that itīs my cup of tea but thereīs plenty folk on YT that uses 25cal PCPīs to down hogs even. Pill right around the ear...

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    Btw.
    If you havenīt already, albeit even more money.. *sighs*... pesting at night can be a real game changer.
    IRīs and/or thermals tho... is a chunk a cash no doubt. So? What to do, what gives?
    I canīt speak for the US but around here night time hog hunting has become sorts of a thing and these boys upgrade.. some put their hog sticks on the shelf in turn... and what not, why we see a reasonable flora of USED IRīs in a never ending flow.



    No. It doesnīt have to be the latest of the latest to go ratting or the likes, Racoons and what have you (which a 25cal will handle with ease) will sure be on "the menue" too.

    Although iīm spoiled enough to campaign several IR setups of newer type/generation.. That there is an older Yukon Photon XT in 6 powers. Fixed.
    I bought that one used at approx 150$. Of course the picture quality (all these IRīs are to be regarded as a digital camera with crosshairs really) isnīt on par with my ATN Pro or my Pard NV-008LRF.. but night time pesting to most is what happens within 100 yards/meters and that these old war horses will handle with ease, just you set them up right.
    In contrast to MOST "last generation" IRīs these older ones often require that you limit amount of light into the front lens to get the contrast you need.
    To much light (ambient or IR doesnīt matter) and itīll hand contrast to a point where youīll be hard pressed to tell what youīre looking at.
    In MY case there on that 25cal Reximex Daystar (Which btw is a 120+J gun - approx 90fpe) what i did was limit light in by decreasing the opening of the front lens to 14mm flat. I bet i could have gotten away at 1/2" just as well.

    The thing runs off of regular AA batteries and eat them up fast why i strongly recommend you while at it get yourself a 4 (8) pack and a charger at your local hardware store or the likes. Such a set is after all about dirt cheap these days.

    It sports an adjustable IR light, right there on the unit. Is a stand alone "needed" (extra IR light that is). No.
    Is it a benefit? Yes.

    In turn thereīs "One leaf", where you buy the scope and IR unit in tandem dirt cheap, really. From what i hear like 300 total..
    Me iīm allgeric to anything "add on" as far as scopes so to ME theyīre out... then again, suits some just fine so might be worth checking out at least.

  20. #20
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    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2manyguns View Post
    Randy i shoot the FX royal in 25 cal , i put a 34 gn. pellet through an old discarded aluminium stop sign at a measured 87 yds and about a 1/2 in low of my aim point , i was very surprised , so i did it 3 more time and ended with a .85 group ,i would really like to test it on iguana , but sadly all i have are tree rats and other flying vermin
    I bet you have Rock Chucks too and lots of other critters that need execution. Rat's Maybe or Barn Pigeons? The Iguanas are just fair game because there are so many of them and they aren't all warm and fuzzy like Tree Rats. They look like they need to be shot. Add to that the fact that they reproduce at a rate well beyond the most prolific pigs and you've got a target rich environment that is ripe for the plucking.

    I am looking at a trip to FL to see my Brother and Maybe hiring the Python Cowboy and Otto to take me hunting these dinosaurs. You might consider a similar route? I am just about as far from FL as you are.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

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