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Hi all, my property in FL and has become overrun with iguanas. It is not unusual to have 5 giant ones within 100 feet of me at any given point. They are burrowing into the home, into the sheds, swimming in the pool, coming onto the porch, etc. My goal here is to find a way to ethically take them out. The good news is my friend LOVES eating them so I’ve been getting them for him for dinner on a somewhat regular basis.
Currently, I have a Gamo Swarm Whisper with .22 H&N hollow point pellets. IF I make a pristine head shot they are done for, but if the shot off even a half an inch I am often getting them stunned and forced to take follow up shots. It is frustrating, because I hate seeing any animal suffer and I don’t like having to take 4-5 shots to put them down. I also run the risk of wounding them and one leaping into the lake presumably to die shortly after.
I am using the stock scope and setup. I have zero’d in at roughly 40 yards using targets and I am quite accurate from a rest. But when I am forced to move to get new angles and hold the rifle by hand I can have a spread as much as an inch or two, which is not good. I am wondering if I should 1. get a new gun that is more powerful or semi auto(.25?), or 2. get some sort of tripod to rest on so I can ensure stable, highly accurate shots or 3. get a better scope than the stock one that came with the Gamo rifle.
I am also somewhat concerned about dumping presumably toxic lead pellets into the lake/yard but there doesn’t seem to be any ethical pellets in .22 that are lead-free. Any thoughts on that concern? I have lots of wild life around the area- exotic birds and whatnot, that I would like to keep safe from lead exposure.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks all.
However, it is important to consider the ethical and legal implications of your actions when dealing with wildlife. In Florida, iguanas are not considered a protected species and can be taken year-round on private property with landowner permission. However, it is recommended to use humane methods and to avoid causing unnecessary suffering to the animals.
I see it’s been a while, but I want to chime in. It sounds like a challenging situation, but it’s great that you’re looking for ways to take them out and ethically minimize suffering.
Regarding your rifle setup, stability and accuracy are key. A tripod could help with stability, as could a better scope. It may be worth investing in a higher-quality scope that allows for more transparent and precise targeting. I’ve stumbled upon an article, ‘https://pocketpetcentral.com/are-marine-iguanas-dangerous/ ,’ which might also be informative for you. I hope that helps you. Good luck!
