We now have a never ending food source for the smoker if I was brave enough to try it.

[EaOutlaw1969]

I live in Palm Beach County and because of the lack of winter and really cold days that we used to enjoy sometimes many invasive species like iguana have made our backyard their home.
There is a 20 dollar bounty on them if you get a license but more creative people have been eating them.
I have heard they taste similar to gator which I enjoy if done right. But I am on the fence if I was physically capable of catching killing, processing an iguana then cooking and eating it.
I am thinking I would rather keep the 20 bucks and buy some real meat for the smoker.
The sad part is I can look in any direction most of the day and see at least 10-15 iguanas.
With a well aimed high powered pellet gun a guy could make some good money quick.

They hang out in my tall trees in our backyard, many times the fat suckers I guess fall asleep lose their balance then come tumbling out of the tree and land like a thud when they hit the ground or water. LOL I would love to catch that on film.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Id try it! Not much to lose to try really... Ok, 20 bucks you didn't have. Sounds like you have an ideal opportunity any way you look at it

 

[rjob]

While on a diving trip to Bonaire years ago had igunana soup. Meat was lean and shred. Tasty soup. No clue on how to clean/ prep critter.
Add in a few pythons and you might never buy meat to smoke again

 

[chilerelleno]

Now that right there could be interesting.
You could almost make a living on that bounty, if that license gave you access to hunt any public property and use a pellet rifle to take them.

You could possibly further your income if you could find or create a strong niche market for frozen iguana meat.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Sounds like the bounty is for extermination much like the feral hog problem vs for a food source. Too bad the food regulation to sell commercially is an obstacle. But I understand there is a salmonella risk etc. not having controls in place to assure food safety. Wonder if you can trap them and sell them live?

 

[kit s]

Nothing ventured nothing gained is the saying....try it...hunt for bounty....or like chili suggested try to see what the market is for fozen.
kit

 

[EaOutlaw1969]

Now that right there could be interesting.
You could almost make a living on that bounty, if that license gave you access to hunt any public property and use a pellet rifle to take them.

You could possibly further your income if you could find or create a strong niche market for frozen iguana meat.

I wish I could do this but my back and neck says no. Plus with today's problems with guns, carting around and shooting a high powered pellet gun that looks like a machine gun will get a visit from the local police pretty quick even if you called the police department ahead of time and cleared it with them and had a permit.

The Iguana population is just starting to explode in Palm beach county but further south in Florida the population is Biblical in comparison.
When I used to work in West Boca Raton I would have to drive down the Hillsborough canal and Thousands of Iguanas would run and jump into the canal wave after wave of them because they were scared of the massive diesel utility truck I used to drive to maintain our well field along the canal.

 

[SmokinAl]

We had them when I left Ft. Laud 15 years ago. I think I would start a business just shooting those suckers. They are really easy to shoot when the weather gets cold cause they are cold blooded & can't move!
Al

 

[EaOutlaw1969]

Sounds like the bounty is for extermination much like the feral hog problem vs for a food source. Too bad the food regulation to sell commercially is an obstacle. But I understand there is a salmonella risk etc. not having controls in place to assure food safety. Wonder if you can trap them and sell them live?

From what I seen getting and maintaining a license can be troublesome.
If you shoot them it needs to be a one hit and dead situation( heaven forbid you miss and hit an unintended target). If you do not kill them humanly ( they have a list ) you can be fined pretty severely.

Yeah we are in for some big trouble down the line with all the invasive species taking over, Snakes, Reptiles, Birds, trees, and other plant and wildlife.
It has gotten really bad after some of the large hurricanes we had.

 

[kit s]

Well humanely is good but then not all shots may be accurate enough for the one shot...but usually solved with a quick follow up....shish rules for getting rid of them...figure its more of a case of not wanting to pay bounty, and well if you make that bad shot you will dispose of it discretely so its out of sight out of mind and everybody is placated sort of. Those are the ones for the table.

 

[crazymoon]

EAO, instead of pulled pork sammies you can have pulled iguana sammies !