From: Everglades Bound
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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Hi everyone, I'm looking to try my hand at shooting an iguana. They're by every canal around here. Most ppl who shoot them with archery tackle use a bowfishing rig since an iguana is very likely to get into the water after being hit. I want to use a bowfishing rig for that reason but I don't want to use a 1400 + grain fiberglass arrow as I want my arrow to weigh pretty close to what I use for deer and hogs. I would like to take one of my existing 600 spine big game arrows and just somehow get the bowstring attached to it. Any recommendations on how to fasten the bowstring to a typical carbon bowhunting arrow? And any recommendations on a point that will perform like a bowfishing point as far as staying inside the animal while still weighing around 200 grains?
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From: GF
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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So these are basically big, green squirrels? Only slower. And taste like chicken. With tannable hides.
SOLD!
From the sound of it, maybe what you really need is a string tracker. I believe those are loaded with dental floss, and that stuff is insanely strong. I have no idea how tough a hide God gave the iguana.... I will bet they aren’t as tough as squirrels, but maybe so, since they apparently make pretty good boots.
I’m kind of thinking maybe a judo point would be the ticket. Or an Ace Hex.
Seems to me that what you really want is something that will blow through the lizard such that your whole arrow will serve as the barb on retrieval. But you probably don’t want anything that will stick deep into a tree trunk or branch, or you may soon find that this is an expensive proposition.. Flu-flus are always a good option when shooting up into the air....
And I do have to wonder how well it might work out if you were to just go with rubber blunts and look for head shots. It might just be that these things have enough inertia that rather than just picking them off of the branch the way they do on even a big Fox squirrel, a decent sized iguana might be heavy enough that a rubber blunt could do some real damage… Crush a lot of internals… Maybe break the spine. THEN push the bugger out of the tree.
But I guess I wouldn’t get too worked up over point weight. Big fletchings will off- set a lot of spine and it sounds like these shots will be close.
Almost makes me wonder, though, if this might be a good application for those plastic broadheads that they sell… Or maybe buy 100 cheap hardwood dowel rods and fletch them with duct tape or painter’s tape. Disposables.
But now that I’m thinking about it…
I’ll bet there are some aboriginal folks somewhere in the world who still make a living shooting these suckers out of trees. I’m going to guess they know a thing or two about what works. Maybe do a little research into what those guys use…
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From: Everglades Bound
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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Aluminum, and wooden arrows setup advice also welcome.
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From: Recurveaholic77
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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You can always drill a small hole in the head and run your steing through that and then tie it. As far as heads go you just want it to go through him and not be able to be pulled out easily so you can always use a heavier field point and drill more holes in it and use a couple nails stuck through but make sure they are kinda tight so they don't slide around or you could silver solder them in place just to give the arrow a hold when you go to pull him in. Hope you can tell what I am talking about from my description but if not let me know and I will help anyway I can!
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From: fdp
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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What Recurveaholic said. Pretty easy fix to be honest.
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From: bigdog21
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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string tracker
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From: D.Lewis aka tonto59
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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I would set up just like bow fishing. A Zebco 808 reel. Bow fishing arrow solid fiberglass with any barbed fish point. Good luck.
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From: GF
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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Maybe the trick is to load it with some high strength braid?
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From: Harry
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Date: 17-Jan-21 |
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Zebco 808 with some light weight braided nylon line? It sure does sound like fun tho!! And my brother in law calls them chicken of the tree!buddy and I used hunting arrows with muzzy tips on a 808 for beaver back in the day.Harry
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From: Stoner
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Depending on how long they are... looks like some good bow backing hide. Hmmmm. John
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From: NOVA7
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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I had one of those as a pet.
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From: Supernaut
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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To the OP, Everglades Bound, I've seen a few threads with Iguana hunt recaps over on Bowsite with lots of pics. Looks like a blast! Best of luck to you and keep us posted if you get out after them.
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From: fdp
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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The meat is becoming trendy in some areas of the country as tablefare.
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From: Everglades Bound
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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I'm liking the idea of using a sting tracker and a broadhead that I don't mind beating up with shots strictly into the ground.
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From: GLF
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Go on ebay and find some bowfin magnums. They're fishing broadheads for stingrays n such. Plus they have huge barbs. I'd load a 808 or even a bowfishing reel with strong hi-tec fishing line.
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From: DesertMuelys
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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AMS retriever reel, zebco or old bear hand wind bow fishing reel, i have used all 3 for bow fishing and would probably be the way to go since u can reel in the line and reuse it vs the string tracker,remember u will b taking quit a bit of shots so if u use the string tracker u will b going through quite a bit of line and have to buy replacement spools.
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From: Harry
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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I have heard that mornings they r slower ..
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From: ronnickel
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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My buddy saved a hide recently. It turned black. I don't think the lime green color will remain. Still feels nice though.
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From: Recurveaholic77
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Yes sir if you plan on multiple shots a string tracker is gonna be a pain in the butt you would be much be off with a bowfishing reel!!!
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From: onager
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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ronnickels' comment is correct. These are reptiles, not mammals. Like fish skins, they change color after death, that's why fish taxidermists must paint the mounted fish.
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From: Loubeck
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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My kids had a great big one named froggy. It usually behaved more like a dog than a lizard. Quite a character.
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Who wants green cowboy boots anyway????
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Just out of curiosity… How many shots do you figure you get in a day with these characters?
And are they skittish, like squirrels, or do they just sit there believing themselves to be invisible and/or at the top of the food chain?
I don’t know whether to envy you southern guys, because you have all of these various invasive species that you can hunt whenever you want, or if I should just thank my lucky stars that we don’t have so many around here. Of course coyotes…
I know for a fact that if I were a farmer up here, I would be thanking my lucky stars!
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From: steve
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Everglades, I see a nice little side gig here, guided lizard hunts !
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From: Gray Goose Shaft
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Do you think a 40# bow will kill a lizard?
With an exit wound?
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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What’s your point?
LOL
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From: ottertails
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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My son had an iguana. A friend of his gave it to him after getting tired of taking care of it I guess. Critter was almost 3 feet long. Mean, tough lil bastard, not afraid of anything. It got along with my son ok because it knew who fed him. But others look out! It used that long tail as a whip and would leave you with a welp...I know. Smacked an inquisitive barn cat across the face.. sent it running up a tree. Had a collar and leash. Can't say it "heeled" but it kept him in check somewhat.
A good thump in the head with a blunt oughta do it... I was tempted when I felt that tail...;))
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From: Everglades Bound
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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GF, I walked along an asphalt exercise trail the borders a canal a few months ago close to were I live to see how many shots I could've gotten off at my desired range of 6 to 7 yards max. Exactly 4 out of about 15 or so sightings. And that was a causal walk for about an hour on that canal. If I would've taken shots at 15 yards then I could've gotten about 6 shots. Many won't tolerate you being within 20 yards or even 30. I suppose you can get 20 shots or more in 4 hour outing. The iguanas of that particular canal were very skittish. But some iguanas are more used to people and you can get pretty close. At my job behind the building there are a couple of brutes that are very comfy around ppl and can be touched. In the below video you can see me petting one during a fire drill. I caught lots of flack from my co-workers because I turned my head and got my eyes off of a wild animal.
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From: Everglades Bound
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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Steve that's a cool idea. I might have to find some suitable areas or permission to go into the areas that are full of them, so that my clients can have a great experience.
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From: Jeffhalfrack
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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If it was me,, I’d go with a zebco rig they make strap on rigs,,I used to use those fiberglass drive way stakes ,,the thinner ones ,,I would epoxy a glue on field point ,,taper the nok end to fit on a belt sander ,,then drill a hole through the point to fit a Finnish nail,bent back like a fishing arrow,,just rig it like we did before ams came around ,, use that braided fishing line no need for fletching ,,you will have to experiment,,but very doable ,,used this set up on suckers in the shallow creeks for years ,,I used an all glass bow from western auto ,,,the reason I still love all glass bows I hope this makes sense good luck I would love to hear how you make out ! Someday I’ll get down there ,, I want to hunt those things. And catch some peacock bass. Cheers. Jeffw
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From: Sparky
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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If you can walk up to them what's the point in a bow?
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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I think the point is that you can walk up to some of them… But not ALL of them....
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From: GF
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Date: 18-Jan-21 |
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And FWIW - Glad to know that no fingers were lost in the making of that video!
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From: Stoner
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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curious why a snake skin retains it's pattern but an iguana wont? John
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From: Everglades Bound
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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Yeah out of approximately 15 sightings(maybe a bit more, might have lost count) I was able to get to six or seven yards on four of them, the rest not so close. And the iguana that I was petting doesn't count because it has lost its fear of humans. It gets fed by the lunch crowd, and the crowd knows better than that.
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From: Joey Ward
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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Here is a link to a thread on the bowsite that you may find interesting. Lots of info on hunting Florida lizards.......
https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm? threadid=485144&forum=11
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From: Joey Ward
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm? threadid=485144&forum=11
Let's try that again.......Not sure why the link no worky.
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From: Joey Ward
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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Well, Ive got no idea why I can't copy and paste the link correctly......
Any way.....google search on "Iguanas Bowsite" and that should get you there.
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From: PEARL DRUMS
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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During my many Keys fishing trips I was amazed how many of these buggers are around. Not uncommon to see 4,5,6 of them all sunning on sea walls and such. Dead ones lay along the road like rabbits and squirrels do up by me. I'm thinking you could just use a blunt and only shoot them on the ground. Maybe use flu flu arrows to be more safe about it. Wood arrows float.
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From: Live2Hunt
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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Just set it up like a fishing arrow only use a wood arrow. I've done it for carp shooting.
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From: woodshaft
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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They are ugly but tasty!!!
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From: Wild Bill
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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"Tastes like chicken", chicken of the trees. :)
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From: fishin coyote
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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See if this works
https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm? threadid=485144&forum=11
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From: fishin coyote
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm? threadid=485144&forum=11
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From: fishin coyote
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Date: 19-Jan-21 |
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I don't know it won't let me take the space out between ? and threadid
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