# Arizona Javelina



## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Made another trip to Arizona (back in April) to hunt javelina. We were able to fill 3 of 4 tags and had a great time. I tried to get one with my bow but didn't have it with me when I called a herd into me. Oh well it was fun anyway. This was the first year we really tried to call them in, and I tell you it is a blast to get them to respond. My wife and my cousins wife both shot one out of a herd that came charging in. My wife about through the gun at me, she was so scared.


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## SidVicious (Aug 19, 2014)

Nice! I love Javelina. Fun to hunt and great to eat! Also, that one looks really light colored. Is it just the picture, or is it actually that light? Thanks for sharing!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats! Those cool little critters are on my short list of things to hunt!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

CPAjeff said:


> Congrats! Those cool little critters are on my short list of things to hunt!


Boy, me too, and with a handgun.

.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Boy, me too, and with a handgun.
> 
> .


....lets go.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I've been hunting them now for 23 years during the Arizona HAM season, handguns, archery, muzzle loader and have been doing it with a hand gun. The hunt is if February and is one of the funnest hunts that there is. Depending on where you are hunting it can be just as hard as elk hunting.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Hand calls or e-caller? What types of sounds do they respond to?

Good job!!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> I've been hunting them now for 23 years during the Arizona HAM season, handguns, archery, muzzle loader and have been doing it with a hand gun. The hunt is if February and is one of the funnest hunts that there is. Depending on where you are hunting it can be just as hard as elk hunting.


Cool, I've seen some of yer neat pictures.

We'll take my truck then. I'll bring some jerky.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

gdog said:


> ....lets go.


OK. We're going with Critter. Sounds like I'm driving. He said it's like elk hunting so you bring yer ATV thingie and trailer.

.


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## mlob1one (Aug 29, 2014)

Congrats on some nice looking pigs. 

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I think CPAjeff wants to go. Yer gonna have ta get a bigger ATV thingie.
.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> I think CPAjeff wants to go. Yer gonna have ta get a bigger ATV thingie.
> .


CPAJeff is in....we can put some lawn chairs on the trailer for more seats.

Can you bring some beaver? I'm sure the other guys would like some for the road trip.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> OK. We're going with Critter. Sounds like I'm driving. He said it's like elk hunting so you bring yer ATV thingie and trailer.
> 
> .


and your 5th wheel, two 2,000 watt generators, 30 gallons of gasoline, porta potty, BBQ grill, 5 cases of beer from Wyoming and a bottle of bourbon.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

gdog said:


> CPAJeff is in....we can put some lawn chairs on the trailer for more seats.
> 
> Can you bring some beaver? I'm sure the other guys would like some....


I'm prolly gonna be out of beaver by February. How 'bout some Bighorn Sheep burger?

Hey, get off the computer and go out and fix the door on yer wheeler.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

mikevanwilder said:


> Made another trip to Arizona (back in April) to hunt javelina. We were able to fill 3 of 4 tags and had a great time. I tried to get one with my bow but didn't have it with me when I called a herd into me. Oh well it was fun anyway. This was the first year we really tried to call them in, and I tell you it is a blast to get them to respond. My wife and my cousins wife both shot one out of a herd that came charging in. My wife about through the gun at me, she was so scared.


Cool pictures, thanks for sharing. What caliber of firearms did you use?

.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

wyogoob said:


> OK. We're going with Critter. Sounds like I'm driving. He said it's like elk hunting so you bring yer ATV thingie and trailer.
> 
> .


I'm cool with that.

Application time starts in September and the HAM hunt is usually starts the first Friday in February and runs 10 days.

Put in for unit 37B about 30 miles north of Tucson.

We ride wheelers looking for tracks in the washes, then once tracks are found we head up onto the hills to glass or even track them into the draws.

As I said they are fun to hunt. We have been down there with the temperatures in the high 80's to 6" of snow on the ground. I like the snow for easy tracking but the javelina don't like it since they don't have very much fat to keep them warm.

If you are real nice I might take you into the snake den that I found a number of years ago. We also have a few colonies of African Honey Bee's that you can get to for some fresh honey for your coffee or tea.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Oh this is gonna be great.

Wait till you try some of Goob's rattlesnake thymus loaf!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

This is going to be the best trip ever!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Critter said:


> If you are real nice I might take you into the snake den that I found a number of years ago.


I hate snakes, but I am sure Goob has some sort of snake recipe that would actually be good - snake gumbo, smoked snake, snake wellington, horseradish crusted snake, snake soup, and the list goes on ... Lets do this! _O\\_O\\


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I used a 243. And hand calls is all I use on javelina. They respond to a piglet distress. They have.a protective instinct and when the hear one in trouble they all come running in and try to attack what ever is causing the problem.
The little one was a way lighter color. He was also alot smaller than the other 2.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

CPAjeff said:


> I hate snakes, but I am sure Goob has some sort of snake recipe that would actually be good - snake gumbo, smoked snake, snake wellington, horseradish crusted snake, snake soup, and the list goes on ... Lets do this! _O\\_O\\


I think rattlesnakes are cool. I only kill them if they are a threat to my family, pets or livestock. I just leave them alone. I have had some close calls though.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> I'm cool with that.
> 
> Application time starts in September and the HAM hunt is usually starts the first Friday in February and runs 10 days.
> 
> ...


yikes

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

mikevanwilder said:


> I used a 243. And hand calls is all I use on javelina. They respond to a piglet distress. They have.a protective instinct and when the hear one in trouble they all come running in and try to attack what ever is causing the problem.
> The little one was a way lighter color. He was also a lot smaller than the other 2.


cool

What does an average sized javelina weight? Did you eat all of yours?

.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

wyogoob said:


> cool
> 
> What does an average sized javelina weight? Did you eat all of yours?
> 
> .


Big ones will usually go around 60 lbs. The one that I shot last February was a little over 70 lbs live weight, he was huge.

Most will be around 40-50 lbs.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Just for your info I hunt on the hualapai Indian reservation. They have hunts that use to be year round but they changed it to June 1 through the end of the year. You can buy a tag over the counter and it's good for 30 days.
It's definitely not as hard as public land but still a real challenge. 
We do basically what critter does, but when we find fresh track we will hike in a bit and then start calling.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Mike, what brand of call do you use?

I have tried the J-13 from Javelina Hunter.com and have managed to turn a few back towards us after they are spooked but they usually just come back a little ways and seam to realize that they have all the herd and then turn and head out.

I have seen videos of them coming to a call but have never experienced it.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

That's the exact call I used. I have never hunted them on public land, but on the reservation if you get them to respond all of them will come running and it's quite a rush to try and pick one out as it is charging you.
I had one big boar that I couldn't get to stop for anything, if I hadn't already killed one he would of been a nice trophy. Anyway he came in on my right side and **** near ran me over I just barely got out of the way and he ran past me turned and woofed a few times. This was right off the road so I was right by my truck, well I decided to blow the call again, bad mistake he lunged at me and if my truck wasn't there Im pretty sure he would of bit me. I was able to climb inside and shut the door and he realized what was going on and took off with his herd. I turned to my wife and she was laughing quite hard. She said I screamed like a little girl! 
I have called some in while on public land but I wasn't hunting them just saw some and tried to see their response. This was by Wikiup.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> I think rattlesnakes are cool.


Me too...with a little Sriracha sauce on top:mrgreen:


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I can honestly say that none of the hunters that I have shown that den site to have shot on of those snakes. They are just cool to go into the site and look at them.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

nice job!


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