Javelina in February

[Calif. Hunter]

I may finally get to whack and stack something. With my deer hunt cut short, I haven't been able to get out since last Spring when I went to South Africa. I am heading to Silver City, NM on Feb 7th to hunt javelina with Moe and Jorge. I'm also hoping to bag some yotes while I'm there. I'm taking my CZ .223 and my Tikka .243. Any tips on judging javelina? I've been told to look for a large head compared to body size, along with size compared to the rest of the herd.

Anyone tried eating the meat?

 

[Larry Landgren]

In my opinion I have noticed that darker the pig the bigger it is..There also a herd animal so you can just compare them to other pigs in there herd

Yeah Javelina can be pretty good if you cook it right. It makes good chorizo and good barbeque meat.

 

[snake river rufus]

After you have looked at a few the bigger ones stand out. You were told exactly right, a trophy's head looks really big compare to the body.

 

[Tom]

Plus, if its by itself, its probably a boar, that would be bigger. They score them by the head size, length and width, like a bear skull.

 

[1_pointer]

Just curious, but how did you come about the tag? Draw or landowner?

 

[Calif. Hunter]

We drew tags.

 

[1_pointer]

Thanks for the info

 

[mattobertin]

Just curious, but how did you come about the tag? Draw or landowner?

Javelina are a draw tag but you can almost always buy leftover tags through Arizona game and fish for archery, H.A.M., and general hunts. Just go to the website.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I'm hunting in New Mexico....

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I leave tomorrow morning. I'm excited, as this will be the first trip since my deer hunt was cut short before it even started. The guns are all sighted in - the .243 with 80 gr Remington SPs and the .223 with 50 gr Ballistic Tip handloads in case I get time to call some coyotes.

 

[Tom]

Good luck. I hope you get to do this hunt and I hope you find some of those things. I think they move about most of the day, don't they?

 

[Calif. Hunter]

From what I understand, they may hole up if it is too cold. I've even heard of them going into caves and mines.

I'm hoping to meet John/Gila Monster for dinner and/or drinks.

 

[Tom]

I shot one with my bow once and it and its companion ran into a small cave. I had to crawl in to get it and the live one didn't like it, so I waited and went back later.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Well, we got 3 decent boars. Moe's was the biggest, mine had the biggest teeth and Jorge shot an old, lone boar that was definitely on a downhill slide - it probably wouldn't have lasted another year or maybe even through this winter.

I have to say that it was not a very challenging hunt. The rancher pretty much knew where they were, within a mile or two, and we drove out at 8:30 AM. Javelina don't like the cold and will wait for the sun to come out before getting active. I saw them about a 1/4 mile away in the cholla cactus thicket, and pointed them out. We ended up driving ahead of them to get the wind right, and then got out and walked a whopping 1/2 mile to get ahead of the feeding pack of peccaries. We must have positioned ourselves properly because they walked right up to us. Since I had never shot one, I was given first right of refusal and promptly missed one, offhand at 75 yards since my knee would not cooperate with going to a kneeling or sitting position.... At that point, Isaid "Screw the knee" and dropped to a sitting postion and nailed the boar that looked like he had the biggest.....head. (What were you guys thinking?) The .243 80 gr Remington SP dropped it on the spot.

The rest of the herd took off, but one boar stopped after running about 100 yards at an angle to us. I don't think he was quite sure where the danger was. Moe, in his typical manner, missed the standing broadside shot at 100 yards. He had only found 10 rounds for his .240 Wthby, so that was all he had. He then proceeded to miss several more times at the running boar, hitting high. The lateral placement was right on, but he was shooting a couple inches high. He finally nailed it with a perfect shot on the thing as it was running flat out at top speed. Moe frequently seems to miss the easy, broadside standing shots but then nails the critter on the run. I think he had 3 bullets left out of his 10....

We took our two little piggies back to the skinning pole and cleaned them up. Then we had lunch and went out looking for Jorge's piggy. Once again, I spotted this lone boar eating some cactus. Jorge nailed it with a perfect shot with his .257 Wthby, and a 100 gr Triple Shock at a lasered 119 yards. He was trying not to hit bone, but the thing was a mess anyway when we skinned it out. His javelina was old, skinny and losing hair on his cheeks and chest. It had one broken fang/tusk/tooth/whatever you call them.

These are sure ugly little critters, and they do smell - although not as badly as I anticipated. The meat actually did not look or small badly at all. I will let you know how it tastes....

My computer is downloading the pictures from my camera, but is not letting me print, email or download them. I'll have to figure out what is up with that. I use a little Kodak digital camera and Kodak Easy Share software, which has been problem-free for several years...

It was fun to finally get out and shoot something, and hang out with the guys for a few days. Moe and I met John Wasson, Gila Monster on the forum, in Silver City for a few adult beverages. John has spent most of the last 3 years in Iraq as a civilian contractor driving trucks and serving as a Convoy Commander. He has some interesting stories to tell that he cannot post anything about, and a different perspective on the war there than a lot of people.

Anyway, it was fun, if not challenging.

 

[Tom]

Way to go, I hope the pictures work. How about bipods? You or Moe could even just duck tape together some pvc pieces for that.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

When I dropped to a sitting position, I used shooting sticks, too.

 

[1_pointer]

Sounds like a good time. I really need to go chase those things some day.

Any luck with the 'yotes?

 

[Calif. Hunter]

It was very windy, and we only saw 2 at over 500 yards. Jorge took a shot at one and came within a couple feet of it...

 

[Moosie]

WOW... Awesome . Can't wait for the pictures. I keep saying I'm going to go hunt one of them one year.. Some day it will be that year

 

[Tom]

Jorge sounds like a fisherman at heart. Just throw one out there, maybe you'll get a bite type shot.

Its great they put you right on them, wow, what a deal!