I’m currently in south Florida killing iguanas. AMA
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Anonymous
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I figure I’m probably the only DCUM’r who’s ever come to Fort Lauderdale for the sole purpose of killing as many giant lizards as I can in a long weekend. That seems worthy of an AMA.
Some background: Iguanas are an invasive species in Florida. The state encourages people to kill them wherever and whenever possible. They damage native vegetation, vegetable gardens, eat bird eggs and their burrows undermine sidewalks and canal walls causing erosion. Got here earlier today, just came back from our first hunt. Wife killed 9 and I killed 6 in 2 hours. Tomorrow we have a full day hunt, and then Sunday we go to Big Cypress to do a python hunt. Then more iguanas on Monday and Tuesday. AMA! |
Anonymous
| How does one kill iguanas? Where do you put them? Who commissions this? Did you fly to FL just to do that? |
Anonymous
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Are you killing them in like, a residential area, or in wildlife?
Do you get paid to do this? If so, how much? What do you do with the dead bodies? Do you get paid by the hour or by the dead body? How do you know when you're "finished"? |
Anonymous
| I hear Iguanas taste good. Are you selling them to a restaurant? |
Anonymous
| What do they taste like? |
Anonymous
We’re using a couple different means. High-powered air rifles (not Red Ryder Carbine Action Range Model Air Rifles, lolz). Big, powerful air rifles. A headshot is almost always instantly lethal to even large (5ft) lizards. Blowguns which fire darts connected to fishing line (for places where it’s too close to buildings/homes for air rifles). You dart them, reel them in, then club them. There is a guy down here who is a fish market buyer who buys them. $.50 pound. Yes, came here just to kill iguanas and hopefully a python or two. |
Anonymous
| As someone who recently moved to Florida- thank you for doing this! I had no idea they were an abusive species and found them kind of cute. I'm not sure i'll start killing them but this is good to know i guess |
Anonymous
Yes, residential areas, parks, everywhere. State of Florida is 100% supportive. Even publishes weekly hotspot locations they want people to hunt. No going on private property, public space only. Tomorrow we’re hunting by boat on the canals. We’re finished when it’s dark. There’s no end to the iguanas or ammunition. $.50/pound local buyer. |
Anonymous
Seafood buyer locally. |
Anonymous
Chicken. Yes, really. In Panama we called them “pollos de los arboles”, for good reason. |
Anonymous
| How do you kill them? Club them over the head with a rock? |
Anonymous
We’ll do our best for y’all! I’m really hoping for a python on Sunday. Fingers crossed. There’s a cold front coming Saturday night, so Sunday morning will be cool, meaning the snakes will try and get out and bask in the sun early in the morning to get their body temperature up. Nothing would make me happier than to kill a python big enough to make nice purse for my wife! |
Anonymous
Shoot them just behind the eye with a high power airgun, or harpoon them with a dart and then beat them to death with a small club. The darts are for places where it’s not safe enough to shoot an airgun. |
Anonymous
| South Floridian here. When it’s cold the iguanas are stunned and drop from the trees. |
Anonymous
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Before everyone starts freaking because 'Florida', please know that this is a south Fl thing. I live in the Tampa Bay area and have never seen an iguana. They are in S. Fl and are invasive, and I'm glad you got some OP!
In fact, I've never even seen an gator in the wild (those are there though). |