pepi.gets.it.done
HAM Shooter
I wanted to share my most recent findings on my last iguana hunt, but let me begin with my previous experiences.
The first time I went, I took a .30 cal and shot iguanas both in the head and in their vitals. On that trip I noted that body shots did not seem to phase the iguanas, even multi body shots just didn’t seem to put them down. I guess I expected them to react as mammals when they get hit in the vitals but I was getting totally different results. I concluded that iguanas HAD to be shot only between the eye and the ear.
On my following trips, I chose to test the most appropriate caliber for hunting iguanas. I knew that as tough as iguanas are, .30 caliber isn’t necessary and in fact intimidating to use given where most iguanas hunting takes place (in city limits). I tested .22 caliber in the 25-30FPE and of course that worked out well with headshots. However, I was still getting pass throughs and felt uneasy about their use. Next I tried .177 in sub 20FPE. Most shots were 30-40yds. I continued to have pass throughs on iguanas sub 3’ but I can tell that the pellets lost a lot of their energy after passing through. I wouldn’t get pass throughs on larger iguanas. After this trip, I concluded that a .177 sub 20FPE was the optimal caliber for iguana hunts due to:
1. Quietness of the caliber
2. High shot count
3. Size of the rifle (tend to have shorter barrels)
4. Their effectiveness on headshots
In my most recent trip, I wanted to test an old theory: can iguanas be harvested with shots in the vitals with a sub 20FPE? For this test, I used a HW110 that produces 40 shots per fill at 18FPE and I was surprised with my findings. The answer is YES! I harvested over ten iguanas that were strictly shot in the vitals (not all could be collected as some fell in the water). I will say that some large iguanas did require a second or third shot, and most iguanas ran about 10 yds before expiring.
Now the question to be answered is why? Why is it that a .177 body shot seem to be more effective than a .30 cal? My initial thoughts are that since there is no pass through, all the energy is dumped into the iguanas vitals, where pass throughs carry still a lot of its energy outside of the iguanas. Thoughts?
The first time I went, I took a .30 cal and shot iguanas both in the head and in their vitals. On that trip I noted that body shots did not seem to phase the iguanas, even multi body shots just didn’t seem to put them down. I guess I expected them to react as mammals when they get hit in the vitals but I was getting totally different results. I concluded that iguanas HAD to be shot only between the eye and the ear.
On my following trips, I chose to test the most appropriate caliber for hunting iguanas. I knew that as tough as iguanas are, .30 caliber isn’t necessary and in fact intimidating to use given where most iguanas hunting takes place (in city limits). I tested .22 caliber in the 25-30FPE and of course that worked out well with headshots. However, I was still getting pass throughs and felt uneasy about their use. Next I tried .177 in sub 20FPE. Most shots were 30-40yds. I continued to have pass throughs on iguanas sub 3’ but I can tell that the pellets lost a lot of their energy after passing through. I wouldn’t get pass throughs on larger iguanas. After this trip, I concluded that a .177 sub 20FPE was the optimal caliber for iguana hunts due to:
1. Quietness of the caliber
2. High shot count
3. Size of the rifle (tend to have shorter barrels)
4. Their effectiveness on headshots
In my most recent trip, I wanted to test an old theory: can iguanas be harvested with shots in the vitals with a sub 20FPE? For this test, I used a HW110 that produces 40 shots per fill at 18FPE and I was surprised with my findings. The answer is YES! I harvested over ten iguanas that were strictly shot in the vitals (not all could be collected as some fell in the water). I will say that some large iguanas did require a second or third shot, and most iguanas ran about 10 yds before expiring.
Now the question to be answered is why? Why is it that a .177 body shot seem to be more effective than a .30 cal? My initial thoughts are that since there is no pass through, all the energy is dumped into the iguanas vitals, where pass throughs carry still a lot of its energy outside of the iguanas. Thoughts?
Though, I would love to hunt them!
