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Several years ago a friend asked me to disperse most of his late father's estate. The old timer must have been a colorful character. He lived a minimalist life style even though he had retired from Ratheon with a good nest egg and pension. But he had simple needs and lived on a small farm in Cochise with his horses and dogs. Spent his golden years packing into unit 33 mostly and hunted as much as possible. He built a small shop on his acreage and lived in a kit garage with dirt floors. When the prostate cancer weakened him to exhaustion, he settled into assisted living and therefore was not home when his property flooded. The moisture had ruined a lot of his possesions when I started to gather them and some items were just tossed. But there were a few items I put into a drawer for another day. SCIENCE!!! Yesterday I started the restoration of these items. All with moving parts were so badly rusted, they no longer had moving parts. Time to experiment with electrolysis. 5 gallon bucket of water with approx 1 tablespoon of salt per gallon water for electrolytes. I hung the items needing cleaned from a piece of sucker rod I could ground from the old battery charger. I would set the charger to 6V, 3 amps. The anodes were a couple of iron grading stakes I had laying around. I connected them together with jumper cables but it didn't seem to matter having 2 anodes since all the oxidation migrated to the one anode even though my volt meter indicated voltage at both. Put the rusty items through the electrolysis overnight and got up to this view. Its important to do this outside, as the process creates hydrogen since you're separating H2O. Additionally, using salt for the electrolytes makes for chlorine gas. After 18 hours, here's the result... I was thrilled to see this antique actually operate again. The breech opens, ejector, hammer, trigger all moving again. She's going back in for more electrolysis. The right side of the pistol was facing the anode so it came out cleanest, so I turned the gun around 180' to work more on the left side. In case you're wondering, it's an Iver Johnson, 5 shot Top Break Safety .32 S&W short. Same model used to assassinate Pres. McKinley 119 years ago.

... all I see is homemade bratwurst!!!!!! 10.2 pounds of javelina, mixed with an equal amount of pork. 64 total bratwurst. And yes, they are incredible! Oh and 6 pounds of bacon from pork belly. Not pictured. Trying it for the first time.

I moved here in July of 2017. Joined in 2012, because I figured I’d hunt AZ someday and I liked what I had read on the CW forum. I’ve got kids, all in sports, so I get out when I can, which isn’t often, and I still go back North at least once a season to hunt there, so I’ve got little knowledge to offer about hunting AZ, that’s why I haven’t said much!

Horse guy pissed off the wrong dog handler! She’s legit.

Lol i can't tell if this is a killer troll post, or if he's serious.

Guessing I’ll band wagon on this, how bout 18 points and I want free pack out help from the bull you find me. And your cookin too!

I tagged my first javelina in February of 2011. It took me four years just to see a javelina, and five years to finally get one. At that time, I set a goal to tag 20 by my 40th birthday, which will be in February of 2022. I figured I would have to rely on reservation tags to reach it, but when the Department increased the annual bag limit to two, the goal became a whole lot easier. With a mix of leftover and reservation tags, the goal looks to be in sight (hope I don't jinx it). Since that first pig in 2011, I have been a part of 48 javelina harvests...either helping others or tagging them myself. 17 of those have been mine. This is the story of number 17. I picked up a leftover archery tag in one of the central block units thinking that I would have plenty of time to get out in January. As it turns out, I only had one day to hunt. January 10th. Unfortunately, none of my usual hunting partners were available to accompany me. My wife has a rule against me hunting alone (which has saved me at least once), so I called her cousin's husband who had once told me that he would like to observe a hunt some time just to see what it is like. He was free that day and jumped at that chance. So, I picked up my babysitter at 5am and we hit the road. I was a little slower to get moving that morning. It was clear, but very very cold. A somewhat dry front had moved through the night before and left us with a stiff north wind. In the past, that has made for very productive javelina glassing, usually all day. There had been a bright full moon all night, but with it being so cold I didn't think it would factor into our day much. In my estimation we would have a lot of time to find them, so there was no use in putting ourselves through a cold and dark ranger ride when a cold ranger ride at sunrise would give us the same result. The destination was a drainage that I had glassed from several miles away three or four years ago. It looked good from afar, and I have always wanted to get in there and look around some. It seemed to have everything I was looking for, including plenty of south facing, succulent-covered hillsides. We crested into the basin at about 745 and I got the feeling that I need to stop and look at the hill in front of us before moving on to the high point I had in mind. Within 30 seconds I caught two javelina slowly feeding their way near the very top of the ridge. I called my babysitter over to have a look (his first time ever seeing javelina in the wild), and while he watched them they topped out and disappeared. I wasn't sure if we had been looking at a satellite group of boars, or if we had caught the tail end of a larger herd, but it was certainly worth investigating. As we made our way up the ridge, there was fresh sign everywhere, which suggested to me that we were on the trail of more than just two pigs. After some huffing and puffing we made it to the top, where there was a secluded bowl that I was certain would be full of pigs, but it was empty. The ground doesn't lie. It was clear that they had been there recently, but now all was still. I decided to walk slowly up the side of the bowl in the general direction our two tail end Charlies had been headed, and within a few minutes I caught sight of a large herd walking along the spine of the next ridge over. They were not in a hurry, but they certainly had a destination in mind. After some quick adjustments to make sure we could keep the wind in our favor, we hurried off in pursuit. It only took us about 15-20 minutes to get to where we last saw the herd top out for the second time. Again, I approached a secluded bowl, arrow ready, expecting to be in the middle of a herd. Once again, there was nothing to be seen. Stumped, I started searching the ground for sign, hoping to see evidence of where they had gone, but the ground was frozen solid and wasn't telling the story. I started up the new ridge, but for some reason turned and looked to the left. Across the canyon about 300 yards away I could see a herd of pigs, some feeding, and some sound asleep in the sun. I still can't say with 100% certainty that this was the herd we had been trailing, but it sure seems like it was. They had managed to cover about 600 yards as the pig walks from where we had last seen them, down a nasty hill and half way up another. Not only that, they had done so with enough time to allow half of their crew to start their nap. Where they were now bedded was about a mile where we had caught sight of the first two. If it weren't for the fact that the herd was the same size with the same ratio of young pigs to big pigs, I would have guessed that I was looking at a new herd. Even if it was a new herd though, what surprised me is that after an ice cold and windy night, we had a herd of pigs that was down and sleeping by 9am. Where they were laid up, it was easily 15 degrees warmer and completely out of the wind. It was strategic. All of my previous experience told me that this was the time for them to be up and about doing their feeding in the sun, but it looks like this particular herd filled their bellies under the cold full moon. At a time I expected movement, all they wanted was sleep. With the wind the way it was, there was only one approach for me to get to the herd. I had to down the nasty slope, completely exposed to them and then right back up at them. I left my babysitter to watch the show and started slowly down the slope. One by one the rest of the herd made its way to the growing pig pile until only one individual was left out in the open. When I was 80 yards away from the herd, but still on the wrong side of the canyon, that single pig caught my movement and locked in on me. I held perfectly still, half in the catclaw and one foot on uneven ground for a good 10 minutes before she turned her head to feed again. No sooner had I started to move than I rolled a rock and she flipped back around to investigate. This time she stared my way for even longer...however long it takes for my thigh to cramp up. About the time I thought I couldn't take any more she turned and started feeding again. A few minutes later I was in the bottom and out of her field of view. I checked in with my babysitter and he reported that she had moved over towards the rest of the herd to join the group nap. It had taken me over an hour to move 100 yards and to drop about 200 feet. This was the babysitter's view as I finally made my way up the hill. The formerly alert pig is in the pile of two on the left, and there are 10 or so pigs in the pile on the right. I slowly made my way up the hill, and eventually found myself 20 yards to the left of where you see the smaller group of pigs in the photo, but I couldn't see them through the grass. I sat down on a flat rock and just waited. Every five minutes or so a pig would stand up and shift, and more than once I started to draw back, only to have my target lay back down and out of sight. I passed the time ranging various rocks and bushes while I waited, and prayed that the wind would remain constant. After about 20 mintues on my rock, and several balking draws, something tipped off the herd and they suddenly blew out from their tree in all directions. I can only assume that my scent somehow found its way to one of them. In any event, one of the pigs in the closer group (I believe it was the same one that gave me the cramping stare down) suddenly appeared in front of a cactus that I had previously ranged at 18 yards. I drew back and hit her a bit high on the shoulder, but it was enough to put her down and she tumbled down the hill. Her reaction to the arrow brought some of her herd mates, and I was soon surrounded on three sides by woofing pigs, some no more than two or three yards from me. My babysitter had never seen that before, and thought for sure that I was about to be attacked. Here I am approaching the sow after she had stopped rolling down the hill. And here is a close up of javelina number 17: It was a memorable day, and I learned a lot. Each time I think I know what they are going to do, they surprise me. Nearly four hours passed from the first sighting to when I let an arrow fly. They covered a ton of ground and weren't doing what I thought they'd do, but that's what makes it "hunting."

4b is obvious answer but none of these sand baggers want to mention it

If you think you guys are confused, imagine being me. If I'm not hunting by myself with my dogs, my best friend is there. That's it. I've been confused all day long lol.

Not so much as pissed, more disappointed that fellow hunters treat eachother like that. But thank you. I appreciate it.

With 3 points you have less than a 5% chance at drawing any good hunts! This is Arizona. All the good tags take more than 3 points!!!

Ran across them a number of times along the road. I think the 36 units had more out of state license plates than AZ by a margin of three to one.

Any news??

Hi, Anyone have any suggestions for a decent unit that I stand a chance to get drawn for with 3 points. Not asking for any “honey holes”, but would appreciate long and lats to your second favorite spots, with trail cam pics and/or past harvest photos, so I can decide if it’s right for me. Hoping for a 350 class bull, but I’d be happy with a 330ish. Thanks in advance.

Filled my 2019 tag yesterday. Glassed him up on a hillside in the afternoon following a doe around. Took him at 350 yards with my 270. To date he's the best buck Ive ever taken. Going to get him mounted for sure. Glad I decided to take Friday off rather than go to work.

Had high expectations headed into this hunt. Hunted 1 day each weekend when the hunt started then hit it after Christmas when the weather went to crap. Was happy to kill this buck when I did.

Fun hunts this year, we did about 10 days in the field. My arrow found it’s mark yesterday at sunset after spotting a herd 2.2 miles out earlier in the day. Pops was able to harvest his 18th consecutive archery pig this morning. 43rd and 44th pigs killed in this father/son duo team.

Met my son Thursday morning around 10 to start our Javelina hunt, my 4th hunt for them and his first time. We set up camp and managed to squeeze in an afternoon glassing session but didn't turn anything up. Friday we spent the whole day glassing and moving locations from higher to lower elevations, finally turning a few up late in the afternoon within stocking distance, we got in front of where we thought they were headed and sure enough 3 of them come by us at 35 yards, i range it for my son and tell him to take him if he can he draws back and releases missing to the left, they take off but not in a big hurry so we watch them move off into a different valley as the sun is starting to set. We decide to leave them alone and go back in the morning to see if they are out feeding in the sunshine, sure enough Saturday morning i glass up not 3 but 9 of them out feeding, we make a plan to get on the ridge above them and drop over the top. It worked perfectly as the wind was in our favor and they had no idea we were there, the first one comes walking by and my son puts an arrow through it at probably 16-18 yards, i sneak about 20 yards farther down the hill and peek over to see the rest of the herd standing at 20-30 yards, i pick out one broadside at 22 yards and put an arrow through both shoulders. We found my son's right away but could not find my arrow or any blood, after about a 30 minute search my son yells out "i know why we cant find your arrow....its still stuck in him" he was laying probably 10 feet from my sons javelina in the brush. It was an awesome hunt and no one i would rather do it with than my son. Thanks jim for giving me a few places to try, although we didn't make it to any of his recommended spots its nice to know people are willing to help others out.

20ga for success-the difference is exponential. lee

The horses in 3C are completely out of control. I've seen them where they look like they are starving to death. Found one two years ago bear hunting that had claw Mark's down its butt from either a bear or a lion. Bad infection, skinny, barely able to walk. Up in 1 over by the 582 road last year saw about 20 of them with babies and about 6 coyotes trying to snatch a baby. They are even making their way into 1 and 3b (I think they have been in there more then people think but starting to see more and more of them. And more often sightings). 3 road, vernon McNary rd, lake mountain, 96 rd. 3c is infested with them. And yes, lions will most definitely kill horses and eat on them. And given the chance theres nothing a bear loves more then horse meat. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've got 19 for elk and 18 for pronghorn.

I have been hunting javelina with a rifle and pistol for a few years now. After several close encounters, I finally tagged one on a rifle hunt last year. This past summer I decided to take up archery hunting. With all the bad luck I have had hunting javelina, I figured, why not try with a bow. Seems like a good idea to me 🤣🤣🤣. After all, I have heard multiple times people say that javelina are gods gift to archery hunters. Well I guess those people are correct!!! Never imagined on my first day out hunting javelina with a bow I would have tagged one. What a way to start 2020. Happy new year everyone!!!

Lol....I knew someone would say something. Clearly I need a little more practice. I missed two shots earlier in the day.

This is one of those subjects that I think will continue till the end of times. The perfect fur friendly round. My best advice is get and and shoot some critters and see for yourself. If you are thinking about harvesting and preparing pelts then you will quickly learn what is fur friendly. My definition of fur friendly is something that doesn't leave an exit hole. No matter what shot angle, your 243 will exit. And that's ok. If you are serious about putting up fur, learning how to sew up and fix holes is an important part. Once you get tired of fixing big exit holes you can experiment with different calibers. The perfect fur friendly round is a kind of mythical unicorn that people chase but I truley think doesn't exist. What if fur friendly for coyote is not so great on fox and bobcat. Is the same kind of mythical beast that African hunters search for. They want a plains game rifle for anything from a 10 lb. Duiker to a 2000 lb eland. Yes one rifle can kill both but none is the perfect fit for both. In my experience, as a general rule any 22 cal that is sub factory 223 velocity is a good start. I have blow up more coyotes and ruined the pelts with an ar shooting factory ammo. My father in law constantly shoots coyotes with a 222 and gives them to me and I have yet to see an exit hole after 20+ coyotes. I use a 204 ruger and again have never had an exit hole to sew up. I have however put pretty good exit holes in fox and bobcat with the 204. If I knew I was going to only shoot a fox or bobcat I would probably choose a 17 cal. To me personally, when I think of fur friendly I like 218 bee, 22 hornet, 204 ruger, 222 Remington, or the 17 Remington.

We have fun shooting at the 200 yard steel with pistols sometimes, and if you are acting as a spotter with binoculars you can see the bullets flying through the air before they hit the steel. The big slower calibers like 45LC are the best.