# Pellet Gun for Iguanas



## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

My condo in Key Largo is trying to reduce the number of Iguanas on the property.

They are smart enough to see you coming. If you have a weapon, they know. So looking for the best choice for a 30 to 40 yard shot.

Some big 4 foot black iguanas.. Some smaller green iguanas too.

We use them in bait traps.

Yes, it is legal to shoot them in the keys.

I might try one on the grill too.

Jim


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## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

feed them to the chinese.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Gamo makes some hammer .22 cal air rifles. Look at some of the videos online.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

Hard to beat a Beeman .22cal....... Unless you just use a 10/22 Ruger. 

http://www.beeman.com/store/product.asp?ret_id=1240879&pid=122465


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Got a Ruger .22 air rifle at Wally Wurld a few years back. Does pretty well on tree rats.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/benjamin-titan-gp-22-caliber-air-rifle#repChildCatid=498706


I know someone that bought this gun and let me shoot it Iguana Killer for sure and Super Quite to boot......


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Whats your budget?
-$100 $100 $250 $500 $1000+
A high quality air rifle is every bit as well made as any regular firearm, and worth every penny.

Do want a el cheapo or a quality air rifle?
There are cheap Springers capable of doing what you need, but would recommend a quality Springer or PCP that'll last a lifetime.

Do you want a Springer, Pump, CO2 or PCP?
I suggest either a quality Springer or a PCP that'll truly have the velocities you need for clean kills out to 25+ yards.

What caliber do you want, .177, .20, .22, .30, .357, .45 or .50? 
I wouldn't go any smaller than a .22.
.22, .25 and .30 are very good choices.

Just like with any firearm, you'll want to hunt ethically and make clean kills.
This requires the same thing, Accuracy (1" or better at 25 yards)+ Muzzle Energy (minimum 12 foot #s at muzzle) = Clean Kill
minimum 12#ME is a .22-caliber air gun shooting a 14.3-grain pellet at 615 f.p.s. at the muzzle.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks, probably a $250 budget.

One problem is ricochet. These guys hang out near the coral rocks at the water edge. I won't shoot them on the rocks, but the ground beneath the grass is pretty damned hard. But OBVIOUSLY I won't shoot with people around.

So nothing too powerful.

Jim


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## doradohunter (Aug 8, 2010)

I have Benjamin Nitro Trail XP in .22 and shoot a 32 grain Eunjin pellet. It will take out a ****. It will shoot 1200 fps with the lightweight ammo and about 800 fps with the heavy stuff, but they won't walk away with the heavy stuff.


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

i aint gonna lie, this sounds fun!


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

Gamo


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## stewart_fish (May 13, 2009)

:whistling::whistling::whistling:Gamo .177 and hit em in the dome done deal. Buddy killed a deer with one but that aint any of my business's


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## finfever61 (Oct 5, 2007)

I've got a Gamo Bone Collector .177 caliber pellet gun you can borrow for a few weeks or so. It's 1300 FPS and is bad ass.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

How much are you charging for a key largo iguana charter?


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## Desert Eagle (Apr 25, 2012)

I live in the water, so I have a varmit now and then. I also have a pecan tree that bears some very good pecans. To control the squirrels, oppossum, and racoons, I use a .177 caliber Crossman Storm. It's a break barrel and it really does the trick. I've had it about 5-yrs and have shot at least 2,500 rnds thru it and it just keeps on doing a fine job. It came with a 3X9 scope that I zero in at least twice a year. I use standard lead pellets that have a "pointed" tip. I find that the "blunt" tip pellets are not as accurate.


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## BrakeTurnAccelerate (Jul 1, 2012)

#IguanaLivesMatter


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## Hot Reels (Oct 3, 2007)

RWS dianna in .22 cal and a quality pellet.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Here's the deal,... I don't know what "RWS dianna in .22 cal and a quality pellet." means...

Well ".22 cal" I get.

Jim


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## DLo (Oct 2, 2007)

Here's what you do,
1. go to Wal-Mart
2. buy the nicest (most expensive) one they have, 
3. kill iguanas
4. Don't shoot your eye out, it's awfully close to Christmas!


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## doradohunter (Aug 8, 2010)

I'd be willing to exchange a few days stay for eradication of your iguana population. I like September in the keys.


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## JT Powell (Jun 20, 2012)

Not trying to derail here but everyone seems to forget these, just a thought.


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## capt.joe (Feb 2, 2011)

Iguana is tasty! Try it stewed with butter, coconut milk, taters and onions over rice


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## k-dog (May 15, 2013)

Not sure if it would work but might try some traps. I have some leg traps that work great for **** or a live trap they walk into then all you have to do is knock them in the head


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## catfever24 (Dec 26, 2011)

capt.joe said:


> Iguana is tasty! Try it stewed with butter, coconut milk, taters and onions over rice


Now that sounds tasty. :thumbsup:


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## bowdiddly (Jan 6, 2010)

doradohunter said:


> I have Benjamin Nitro Trail XP in .22 and shoot a 32 grain Eunjin pellet. It will take out a ****. It will shoot 1200 fps with the lightweight ammo and about 800 fps with the heavy stuff, but they won't walk away with the heavy stuff.


If you use the heavier pellets they should not break the sound barrier (1,123fps) and are much quieter, if that matters to you.
The light pellets will probably exceed the speed of sound and you will get the loud shot like a firearm.:thumbsup:


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## Brett (Apr 18, 2011)

Hot Reels said:


> RWS dianna in .22 cal and a quality pellet.




That is a good choice 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Brett (Apr 18, 2011)

jim t said:


> Here's the deal,... I don't know what "RWS dianna in .22 cal and a quality pellet." means...
> 
> Well ".22 cal" I get.
> 
> Jim




RWS air rifles. Very nice but heavy. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)




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## daniel9829 (Jan 31, 2009)

http://www.pyramydair.com

Go to this website these are the pros. with lots of information.. Sounds like fun. I was in the Keys last spring and those things are all over the place.


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## Burnt Drag (Jun 3, 2008)

daniel9829 said:


> http://www.pyramydair.com
> 
> Go to this website these are the pros. with lots of information.. Sounds like fun. I was in the Keys last spring and those things are all over the place.


While it is legal to shoot them, they'll never be eradicated for this reason, they inhabit all of the small islands in the keys that are not inhabited by humans. They breed like rabbits. When my wife and I began making the annual pilgrimage in the mid 80s, they were very scarce... now they're like roaches and I don't have to ask what happened to the bird population.:whistling:


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Jim just wants to get in on the hunting contest. He will petition for extra points for an exotic species, and win. Ol Espo will have to figure out how to make a damn iguana call.


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

I realize there are a lot of them there and they are a nusiance but me personally would have a problem shooting them. I used to do iguana rescue and rehab so they are kinda special to me. Definitely would never eat one

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## halo1 (Oct 4, 2007)

I think Someone in the hunting section last year, that will remain unnamed ,used a pellet rifle last year to deer hunt. I think it was a cough 556 caliber cough! Prob Put a hurting on iguanas !:whistling:


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## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

Not to derail the thread. but will a pellet gun work on armadillos? I'm infested lately.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

All this chatter is not killing any Lizards......


http://www.airgundepot.com/fx-airguns-boss-30-caliber-big-bore-pcp-air-rifle-walnut-stock.html 

http://www.airgundepot.com/airforce-texan-air-rifle-exclusive-combo.html


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

stc1993 said:


> Not to derail the thread. but will a pellet gun work on armadillos? I'm infested lately.


They make some pretty powerful .25 calibers that will work. Some of the .22 will work too or you could pony up and get one of those .357 ones.


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## Big Red (Oct 1, 2007)

Snagged Line said:


> http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/benjamin-titan-gp-22-caliber-air-rifle#repChildCatid=498706
> 
> 
> I know someone that bought this gun and let me shoot it Iguana Killer for sure and Super Quite to boot......


My son used this rifle to help clear his property of gophers in the peoples republic of California.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)




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## Hot Reels (Oct 3, 2007)

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Diana_RWS_34_Breakbarrel_Rifle_T06_Trigger/402


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

*Iguana*

Here's one that watched us every time we launched at Sigsbee Marina Key West. We called him Iggy. They are all over the Navy Base there.


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## markbxr400 (Jul 23, 2013)

jim t said:


> Thanks, probably a $250 budget.
> 
> One problem is ricochet. These guys hang out near the coral rocks at the water edge. I won't shoot them on the rocks, but the ground beneath the grass is pretty damned hard. But OBVIOUSLY I won't shoot with people around.
> 
> ...


For that price, you can almost get a PCP. However, I use a Browning Leverage air rifle. It stays pretty accurate as it is not a break-barrel rifle like most these days. Comes with a scope for longer distances, but I put a red dot on mine so I can quickly acquire those pesky armadillos over here.


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## BreezeWay (Jul 18, 2019)

*Iguana hunting in Florida*

Yeah man I have been watching all these videos on youtube of them hunting iguanas in FL. It's crazy. Look at the crazy air guns they have too!


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

That's a accurate air rifle !!

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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

Teleport them away. Just this morning I teleported back to November 2016........


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## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

I'm in Little Torch Key right now and they are all over!


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## Walton County (Aug 23, 2016)

This looks like enough fun to get me to go down to South FL.


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## reel_crazy (Oct 1, 2007)

i see that tiger sharks will eat them... chum up your canal/water get a small drone and use it to chase the rock-huggers into the water....


you could also call ICE...i heard that they have experience with invasive species...course then your neighbors might start setting up iguana sanctuary condos..


rich


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## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

10/22 with subsonic rounds and a Sparrow suppressor


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## DoubleD (Oct 2, 2007)

Talk to Jon down in KW - he goes through them pretty good with a pellet gun.


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## BreezeWay (Jul 18, 2019)

*Airguns for hunting iguanas*

Yeah, you can also check out their website https://palmbeachairguns.com/

They have some cool high end airguns like the Brocock Bantam Sniper, FX Wildcat, and FX Crown.


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## Geno (Mar 23, 2017)

A flower on a treble hook seems to be the most efficient way to harvest them according to some folks. Never killed an iguana so I'm not much help. They're all over the islands and I'm the one who brings fruit for them when on vacation. They meet me at the car en masse.


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## lugerdog (Jan 21, 2019)

I know a lady in miami that catches them in a have a heart trap. She has a rope tied to it. she just throws the trap in her canal to drown them and burns them in her fire pit in her back yard:yes:


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

All this talk of air rifles gave me a hard-on for a new one.
I've a nice mid-level Diana and an entry level Beeman, both steel spring break barrels.

Shopping around and I finally settled on an underlever with a gas piston, Hatsan Torpedo 155 Vortex .22 Walnut.

.22 caliber max velocity lead pellets 1000FPS and up to 33 FPE
So a heavy >18gr lead pellet will probably be around 800FPS and 25.59FPE+.

No iguanas round here, but anything up to around ****/Poodle size and a helluva a lot of soda cans are in dire trouble.











.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Iguanas are tougher than squirrels.*

I doubt seriously if you will kill one in its tracks with any .22 Air Rifle. Even a head shot with a .22 pellet and they will probably get away. If you are just interested in eliminating them, though a .22 pellet will kill one if it is placed right. 

My dog would have a field day with them. She kills Armadillos within a few seconds--maybe 2-3 seconds or so. She grabs them by the head then shakes. 

I'm glad we don't have Iguanas this far north. I've seen them on Weedon Island in St. Pete, though. Possibly a breeding population.


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

captken said:


> I doubt seriously if you will kill one in its tracks with any .22 Air Rifle. Even a head shot with a .22 pellet and they will probably get away.


 Gotta wholeheartedly disagree with ya on that.

Take the Hatsan I just ordered .22/1000fps, or even your average Gamo or Benjamin.
The average 14gr pellet at 900 fps generates 25.fpe, that absolutely does the trick with any vitals shot.
Heavier pellets 
18gr, 800fps, 25.59fpe
25gr, 600fps, 19.9fpe

Hitting the vitals (kill zone) is paramount just as with powder burning firearms.
Penetration is the key, a strong pellet that doesn't deform easily delivered with enough energy to knock'em on their asses.

_*Minimum acceptable caliber is based on suggestions from the experts in the field and my personal experiences. It’s critical that you check your local hunting regulations for their various requirements for taking game animals with airguns.
**Kill zone size is determined by either an effective head shot or shot to the vitals that should facilitate a clean, 1 shot kill. The kill zone size will vary based on the size of the game and these values are given as a very basic guideline._

*Minimum Acceptable caliber***Kill Zone****Minimum Energy*
Small Birds .177+.5″5 FPE
Medium Birds .177+.75″7 FPE
Large Birds .22+1″11 FPE
Squirrel Sized Game .22+1″9 FPE
Rabbit Sized Game .22+1″9 FPE
Raccoon Sized Game .22+ (.25+ recommended)1.5″25 FPE
Possum Sized Game .22+ (.25+ recommended)1.5″25 FPE
Fox Sized Game .22+ (.30+ recommended)1.5″35 FPE
Coyote Sized Game .30+2″50 FPE
Javilina Sized Game .357+2″90 FPE
Small Deer .357+2″100 FPE
Medium Deer .40+2.5″150 FPE
Larger Deer .45+2.5″200 FPE
Hog .45+2.5″200 FPE


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## low tide (Feb 11, 2015)

Boardfeet said:


> 10/22 with subsonic rounds and a Sparrow suppressor


That was going to be my suggestion. Just as quiet and has 3x more ft/lbs of energy behind it.


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## Nuts and Baltz 08 (Aug 6, 2021)

I agree a .22 pellet well placed will put them out in one shot. I love the gamo whisper and the gamo swarm. Make sure you buy the generation 2 series though. They come with a ten shot magazine. So instead of having to break your rifle and load one pellet all you have to do is break the barrel and it automatically loads the pellet. I prefer using a pellet that is called the “terminator” it is a hollow point pellet with a steel tip. I find it easier to take down the bigger iguanas then the smaller ones. Obviously the entry hole is small but if you miss the vital point of the iguana the pellet comes out the other side with a diameter of about a dime. It slows them down for sure and then you can get another shot off to the head. I love the gamo gen2 guns. I work on fort Lauderdale beach in a large condo building right next to the mangroves. They were every where, the docks, the flower beds, they even crapped on a few boats in the marina. When my boss gave me the go ahead to take them out with a pellet gun I was excited. Started with a single load .77. Then I bought the gamo, the prices aren’t bad you can buy a referbished one for $200 new one close to $300. I love the ten shot magazine. If I miss a shot I can reload so quickly that I can still hit the iguana before it runs away. Buy a few extra magazines so you can have them ready to go, this gun also lets you store an extra magazine near the butt of the gun. I have lived in SFL all my life I live fishing and hunting. I don’t like wasting anything or killing unnecessarily. But the iguanas are bad, they do destroy everything. I’ve been at it around my work place for about 6 months and now it is to the point we’re we rarely see an iguana. They are smart and catch on. I would have to hold my keys when I would look over the railing because it was like an alarm to them. I usually just kick them into the water for crab food but I’m wondering if they would make good shark bait, I have a 22 foot dusky, but sometimes I like to hang out at Dania beach and kayak the bait out as far as I can with a lighted float. Mostly catching butter sharks but decent size. If iguanas worked it would save me a lot of money on bait!


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