It's getting out of control

[Elgreco]

Those youtubers hunting Iguanas and other small animals in urban environments. There is a bunch of channels and many episodes with different you tubers where police gets called. They will shoot next to highways, on beaches next to summer vacation homes, in apartment complexes. 

No discretion about it whatsoever. Most of them going about it in an unsafe manner too( aka shoot iguana that's on the other bank of the creek with a car parking lot behind it, shoot iguana from the tree with appartmen balconies right behind!). 

Air rifles are becoming more and more powerful, more and more popular and are getting into the hands of more and more morons who think it's just a toy. Not trying to give food to the people that are trying to ban them but I personally will NOT support those channels and if I see unsafe practices I will make sure I will let my opinion get known.

 

[FelixS]

You make good points and I too thought what you are concerned about. I took the high road and assumed they had it covered (some how) but was never fully comfortable with it. This can hurt this hobby in a big way if not kept in check.

 

[L.Leon]

If the iguana shooters "purported" to have unsafe practices. Cause harm to property or, worse a person or pet. They will suffer the consequences of the law. The only people who can keep it "in check?" are the shooters themselves. Sometimes angles as seen in some shooting videos can be misleading. That said, all shooters are "responsible" for the projectiles that they send down range, whatever the target.

 

[biohazardman]

I don't believe it's really out of control. It's more than difficult to see the angles and judge the distances they are shooting on a 2d screen. I hear them talking about not taking shots all the time so I would assume they are doing their part at keeping damage to a minimum. I heard someone called the police on them and once the police showed up and they explained what they were doing they were told to have at it. They actually went out shooting with the police another time so my guess is for the most part the better part of them are doing just fine. Any that aren't will pay the price for their evil deeds sooner or later.

 

[Blackpaw]

I might as well chime my "two cents" in because I am very downrange safety orientated, it is how I grew up, if you aren't sure of your shot never take it. When I mean "sure of shot" is not only a clean kill, but even more important making sure what is behind the target. 

In some ways I see some shooter take roof top shots, and I kind of "cringe" when these shots. However, like was mentioned above  we only see one angle as a viewer, not what is behind the target. Some of the most conscious YouTubers I see are Orion the Iguana hunter and Alex of Air Rifle Activities, you can tell from their comments on their videos they REALLY care what is down range, some others I won't comment on. How I show my disapproval is thumbs down and unsubscribe to their channel, and if you don't their approach do this, leave a comment and unsubscribe.

My pesting posts at the dairy near Pocatello, Idaho I had a much lower shot count than I probably could of had for two reasons, first time I had those guns in the field and two paranoid about the houses, buildings, cattle and etc down range of the shot. However, I think being such a conscious shooter was why I was so welcome back, plus all the donuts I brought. $5.00 in donuts can do wonders to make you welcome at a permission.

 

[Longfellow]

+1 on what Blackpaw said. Where I live, several old ladies who live adjacent the apt complex office feed pigeons. Consequently, we have around 2 dozen of the pesky critters. Maybe more. Hard to tell. They like to congregate on the peaked roof of the office. From my backdoor, it's an easy 50 yard shot w/ my Crosman .22 NP2 Summit Ranger. They would be quiet shots too since it has an LDC. 

Trouble is, on the other side of the complex fence is a residential area. The angle I'd be shooting at would have the pellets landing smack dab in the middle of it.

Unless, I used Gamo Redfires / Polymags, maybe ... Heh. 

So, I leave them alone except when they eat the food out of my bird feeder. I've bagged 3 of them so far this year w/ my Winchester 1977XS using Daisy 7.87 wadcutters.