Iguana Airgun Devastator?

[Abert Rim]

Randy, that is a good-looking outfit you have put together. I'm considering an Avenger in .25 as well. What's this about a $24 moderator??

[georgerkahn]

Randy -- another question: You wrote you have a Czech-made scope on your outfit; in addition to ME being "Czech-made" (both parents, grandparents, etc. ) -- but if you might share the make/model and perhaps even your source of the 'scope (as well as ring height) -- I'll surely be apprecative!
geo

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I did see one of the u-tube videos, but otherwise speak from total ignorance. It looks like great sport to shoot these homely critters, but you won't find me arguing over the last drumstick. Or the first one either. Guess you advanced air gunners will laugh at this, but I've got a Benjamin 383 (?) pump air rifle in .22 cal. that I wouldn't trade away for almost anything. Advertised velocity with 4 pumps is supposed to be 725 fps which is getting into .38 Spec. wadcutter velocities. It is highly accurate, but I can't say as to how far as I've only used it up to about 75 ft. I had a good amigo back in the late '70s who had a barn full of pigeons. I bought him one exactly like mine and he cleaned them out in short order. The barn was used for horses and the pigeons were loosing their bombs into the hay, etc. I would think that my old Benjamin would puncture iguanas satisfactorily, but I bet CB caps would also work well. Probably a prohibition against actual firearms.

DG

[chutesnreloads]

Won't anybody be laughing at a good old Benjamin. It'll still get the job done

[georgerkahn]

I did see one of the u-tube videos, but otherwise speak from total ignorance. It looks like great sport to shoot these homely critters, but you won't find me arguing over the last drumstick. Or the first one either. Guess you advanced air gunners will laugh at this, but I've got a Benjamin 383 (?) pump air rifle in .22 cal. that I wouldn't trade away for almost anything. Advertised velocity with 4 pumps is supposed to be 725 fps which is getting into .38 Spec. wadcutter velocities. It is highly accurate, but I can't say as to how far as I've only used it up to about 75 ft. I had a good amigo back in the late '70s who had a barn full of pigeons. I bought him one exactly like mine and he cleaned them out in short order. The barn was used for horses and the pigeons were loosing their bombs into the hay, etc. I would think that my old Benjamin would puncture iguanas satisfactorily, but I bet CB caps would also work well. Probably a prohibition against actual firearms.

DG

From what I've viewed and heard, pretty much any and all powder-propelled arms are very much prohibited in the Sunshine State. Hence the use of pneumatic arms. In one of the videos I viewed the Iguana hunters were stopped by LEOs who had been called -- report of men shooting the iguanas with firearms. Upon arrival, the LEOs acknowledged that their arms were air-powered, and seemed to be most friendly in wishing them the best! NOT a Floridian, I do not know if this is 100% accurate -- but, I believed it...
geo

[Abert Rim]

Hmmm. It is a 22-hour drive to Broward County from my house ...

[Finster101]

You are correct only airguns are allowed in the harvesting of Iguanas. As to why I am unsure. May be due to them being in more populated areas.

[dverna]

When I got my first PCP I was impressed with the power of a .22 cal pellet. After a few teething problems, I was even more impressed by their accuracy.

No, they will not deliver the punch of a .22LR, but they are not toys.

[georgerkahn]

When I got my first PCP I was impressed with the power of a .22 cal pellet. After a few teething problems, I was even more impressed by their accuracy.

No, they will not deliver the punch of a .22LR, but they are not toys.

Shortly after getting my first .22 PCP -- an Arm Arms S200 -- I took it to camp where I had two pieces of 1/2"EMT hammered in ground, roughly two feet apart, over which I'd drop a cardboard box (recycling ) sum'thin I had ordered had come in. Of course, I'd have a few 8.5" x 11" targets cellophane-taped on. With my .177 10 meter airguns the pellet would go through the front of box and some of the time -- generally after quite a few shots -- barely make it through the back.
Much was my surprise when I noted early on that the .22 pellets sailed al the way through!
You are

[akajun]

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

It doesnt take much,. my moms old home in Ft Lauderdale was loaded with them and shes a big gardner. THey devastated her plants, especially anything with fruit. My stepdad killed well over 100 with a gammo 177. Theyre not very tough.

He also tried live traps, didnt work, I tried to get him to do conibear and leghold traps but they were worried about neighborhood pets. Also tried to get them to bait hooks with fruit but again they were worried about pets.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I live in South Florida and my friend and neighbor who live across the street on a canal has dispatched 98 iguanas in the past year from his dock. He’s using a break barrel pellet gun. Don’t know which one but it works for him.

The reason for the PCP Airguns for hunting Iguanas is faster follow up shots. I have 4 Spring Operated Air Guns and all of them are much nicer than my AV Avenger Looks wise. However the AVA is way more powerful which translates to larger effective envelope for hunting and like I said before it is a Repeater so follow up shots (like for when you miss?) are faster to get down range.

My two .177 Springers would be great for small lizards like the 18-24" versions and they are so accurate that perfect shot placement is only affected by my ability to generate a solid shooting platform. (Trigger Sticks!) I have a Trigger Stick Bipod, but have found it difficult to operate when shooting standing up. I need a 3 legged version which will stand up by itself.

My .22 cal. Springers are HW 77 and HW80/Beeman R1. Both are very powerful airguns, but not as powerful as the AVA, however they are sill powerful enough to take any Iguana that has ever walked this planet as long as the shot placement is there. The target and direct path to the On /Off switch, is just below the ear. Accuracy and perfect shooting position is the key to success.

If I was you I'd be looking at a good quality Pellet gun like an HW 30 or 50 (Beeman R7 or R8) and see if you couldn't join your friend across the street for some good productive Hunting right at Home!

From all reports, they aren't even making a dent in the Iguana Population down there, and the only thing controlling them is Airgun Hunters. I see a full time source of $ that would be so much fun it would pass for a Criminal Enterprise!

Randy

[chutesnreloads]

Add to that mix, I keep seeing reports of the pythons spreading too

[georgerkahn]

Add to that mix, I keep seeing reports of the pythons spreading too

I just -- yesterday -- read a report on a captured eighteen foot long Python; I do not recall its weight, but I do believe it was well over two hundred pounds! Sadly... I doubt if airguns might be of any worth against one...
geo

[chutesnreloads]

I just -- yesterday -- read a report on a captured eighteen foot long Python; I do not recall its weight, but I do believe it was well over two hundred pounds! Sadly... I doubt if airguns might be of any worth against one...
geo

Oh, I don't know. They don't usually move real fast so a surgically placed pellet should do

[dverna]

I am not getting near an 18 ft snake with a pellet rifle. Seems like the time to break out the Mossberg 500.

[W.R.Buchanan]

The Bounty paid on that 18 footer would have been about $400, but the skin is worth probably 5X that. The bounty is $50 for the first 4 feet, and $25 a foot there after.

So $400 total on a 200 lb. 18 footer doesn't seem very generous considering that an 18 foot Python can KILL YOU and EAT YOU WHOLE !!!. They find them with Deer and Pigs in their gullets, all the time, and all the smaller animals they used to eat are mostly gone now. .

The only payment for removing Invasive Iguanas is how ever much you charge for removing them and whatever you can get for the Skins. The Big Orange Males can yield a skin big enough to complete a Back Pack from one Lizard. Smaller ones get given to Puerto Ricans and Cubans who have good sounding recipes for them or to fishing boats who use them for bait in their crab traps or chum or whatever. They reproduce much faster than the hunters are able to shoot them and they run all the native species off.

Geo: that Czech made scope is made by IJK Optics, Model; 2-6x28C R4Regular. It was $88.00 at a gun show. Website is www.ijkopticscompany.com and the guys name is Jarka@ijksales.com.

I just used the mounts that came with the scope. and the glass is excellent!

Randy