kphunter

Nice pics. Looks like the wildlife is hitting the water at night. How close to this spot are you hunting? KP

I agree, it's probably a wild boar. Take a look at a javelina skull, the canines don't project out as much as the boar's. Javelina Skull KP

Below is an article I wrote for a local newspaper on hunter ethics. In particular, I discuss a conflict my wife and I encountered with a father and his kids while hunting javelina that we considered unethical hunting behavior: Poor hunting ethics can damage sport for others By Ken Pizzagoni Webster's dictionary defines ethics as "the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation," and "the principles of conduct governing an individual or group." How does one define hunting ethics? Most hunters agree hunting ethics are a personal choice to act safely and responsibly. To uphold these ethics, hunters should strive to be careful, courteous, considerate and capable. A failure to preserve ethics not only threatens the integrity of the sport, but also peoples' lives. What are some violations of hunter ethics? One example is a failure to show courtesy and consideration for the rights of other hunters. When hunters converge in the field, there should be an agreement as to which party has the right to hunt the area; normally, the right goes to the hunters who arrived first. When hunters breach the agreement and invade the area occupied by other hunters, it is considered unethical behavior Recently, my wife, Rena, and I had an experience that exemplified this conduct. It was early morning on the last day of our javelina hunting trip. During the first few hours of daylight, we drove to the top of a ridge and surveyed the area with binoculars. We observed no javelina, only a herd of grazing mule deer. We abandoned our glassing effort in favor of a hike into the canyon. Along the journey, we spotted a family of hunters walking toward our chosen destination. We stopped to chat, and the father discussed his plan to lead his kids over the ridge and into a neighboring canyon to hunt for javelina. As we engaged in conversation, I diverted my attention toward the canyon my wife and I intended to hunt. My heart began to race as I spotted two black dots moving slowly down a hillside. I peered through the binoculars to verify the existence of two javelina at a distance of 500 yards grazing on the hill. I blurted over to Rena, 'Javelina, let's go!' and we swiftly descended into the canyon. To our dismay, the family of hunters followed closely behind. While the two boys covered each side of the canyon, Rena and I tracked from the dry creek bed. When we had closed to within 200 yards, my wife set up for a shot and suddenly a hail of gunfire from the boys' rifles rained down toward the javelina. As the javelina ran for cover, I attempted to reverse their direction with my javelina call. However, the barrage of bullets rendered the call ineffective and the javelina scurried over the ridge out of site. The boys chased after the retreating javelina, but were unsuccessful in their pursuit. Meanwhile, for two-and-one-half hours the adults thoroughly inspected the surrounding area but found no signs of blood or injury. Aside from foiling our attempt to harvest the game, the boys' careless shooting into the canyon could have caused injury to the hunters below. I discussed the situation with the boys' father, and he apologized profusely for failing to control his kids' behavior. His apology did little to console us, for no other javelina were observed during the remainder of the hunting trip. Another case of unethical conduct is a hunter who fires a non-lethal shot and fails to sufficiently track the injured animal. A weapon should not be fired on an animal unless the hunter is capable and reasonably confident of a shot to a vital area. However, if an errant shot is made the hunter should make a concerted effort to locate the injured game, even when no blood is detected at the scene of the shot. A third example, and one of my pet peeves, is when outdoorsmen and other visitors fail to dispose of trash. Countless times, I've driven through pristine country, desert, or forests and found beer cans, bottles, and other garbage carelessly strewn along the road. When visiting the outdoors, be considerate and pack out what you packed in. Leave the area cleaner then when you arrived. Not only does littering tarnish the image of hunters, it destroys the beauty of the land and is harmful to wildlife and the environment. One other demonstration of poor ethics is a failure to request permission from the landowner before hunting private property. A letter or phone call to the landowner is sufficient to inquire into the availability of the land for hunting purposes. Once permission is granted, obey all posted signs and carry a topographical map to determine public/private land boundaries. Watch out for domestic animals, equipment, and other visitors. Clearly identify your target and beyond to ensure the safety of all. If you open gates, close them before you leave. Treat their land as you would treat your own. As a sign of appreciation, offer the landowners a part of your harvest. I've barely scratched the surface on the topic of hunting ethics. To further educate yourself and your children on hunting ethics, enroll in a hunter education class. The future of hunting is in the hands of sportsmen and sportswomen. We must present to the non-hunting public a set of moral and ethical principles that promote hunting as a time-honored American tradition. Ken Pizzagoni is an Ahwatukee Foothills resident. For comments, story ideas or questions, e-mail Ken at kpangler@qwest.net.

Try Javelina Hunter

Hey muskrat: I'll put in a vote for you if you in turn vote me in for outdoor writer Newspaper journalists don't usually get the pub the mag guys get... KP

BTW, what unit is this?

CHD: Growing up, I was lucky to have a neighbor who took my brother and I fishing. I gave it up during my teenage and college years, but picked it back up in my 30's. Luckily, my wife loves to fish and we've had quite a few great days on the water. I do write about hunting. Check out my website at http://www.kpoutdoors.com and click on the Outdoor Articles link. Thanks, KP

kphunter, I read your entire article, believe it or not. Sure don't know what any of it means, but thanks for posting here. Stick around................and don't be shy, okay? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> CHD: Sure don't know what any of it means? That's a pretty broad statement. Are you new to crappie fishing? How can I help clarify things for you? KP

I recently wrote this article on crappie fishing. Special thanks to Art Chamberlin for his contributions! Winter rains may lead to better fishing season KP

The water temps are up in the high 60's, so technically the crappie should have already spawned but the majority have not. The full moon last weekend should get the crappie going (hopefully)! KP

Bass: I can guess what fish you'll vote for. I have to activate the poll, should be done this evening. Thanks! KP

I started a poll on my website entitled, "Favorite Game". Choose which game animal you prefer to hunt. To vote, go to my website at My Webpage and scroll down to the Favorite Game poll. Enjoy!

Here are the results of the Favorite Game poll: elk 35 26% deer 62 46% antelope 3 2% javelina 8 6% bear 4 3% dove 3 2% quail 7 5% duck 10 7% rabbit 1 0% Total 133 100% It appears deer is the favorite game to hunt! I have a new poll asking what is your favorite freshwater fish? Thanks for your participation.

Sorry about not including other game in the poll - it's limited to a certain number of answers and I couldn't figure out a way to add more. I'll make sure to have an other option next time so you can add your own answer on the forum. Thanks for checking out my website - come back again! KP

Archery season for elk started over a week ago. I'm wondering if anyone has a story, information, feedback on their archery hunt in Unit 3C West? How many successes do we have out there? Have you seen many cow elk in the unit? Thanks, KP

OK, no archery hunters. How about rifle/muzzloader hunters, anyone have a report? KP

I've heard that any of the 36 units are some of the best in the state. KP

Earlier this month, I hunted the Dragoons in the Coronado National Forest and I never saw a mule deer. I spotted two Coues (one was after dark), and the other we jumped in an oak field but I wasn't close enough to identify it's sex let alone take a shot. I heard more favorable reports from the Mule mountains. I was told public access to the Mule's was difficult, so I stayed away and concentrated on the Dragoons. I hope they severely limit the tags in 30B next year, the area needs a few years to recover from the drought and heavy predation. KP

Any reports from the early hunters in 30B AZ? KP

I was on the bus this morning reading the Sports section of the AZ Republic, and guess whose picture and bio was printed in the Outdoors section? Congrats, Amanda now I can put a face to the name and your emails. KP

Anyone use this in their pursuit of a coues whitetail? If so, what part of the habitat did you use it, e.g. near bedding area, near feeding area or water, in between? Thanks, KP