2010 Javelina

[LCconvert]

This is my first kill with a bow and what a specimen it is. We spotted this herd while glassing and decided to pursue them. They were feeding up a small hill. We knew we could climb the other side and ambush them at the top. Everything was working in our favor, the air was still and we were behind the hill until the very last moment. We crested and sure enough they were right below us. We could see three feeding 50 yards in front of us. I have practiced a lot and feel very good at placing an arrow where I want it to go but we decided we should try and get closer. Well I don't know if it was any noise we made or that our smell eventually made it to them because they all bolted in all directions when we took our first step. They were running full speed down the hill and we thought we blew it. BUT my brother starting calling and they starting coming! In the excitement my arrow fell off the rest and I could see one javelina coming in fast. I kept trying to put the arrow on the rest but I was too excited (nervous, too) and the arrow kept falling to the other side. I finally got the arrow on when the pig was 10 yards away. I aimed for his head and MISSED! Luckily the noise scared them and they started running away again, otherwise I think we may have had to resort to hand to hand combat. Now with our courage restored we started blowing the call again and sure enough they turned around again and came back. This time one came up on my right at twenty yards and I got a shot off. I heard the thump of the arrow and the pig went up and over the top (with a little one behind it ).

 

Well, we were excited about what happened and I walked over and found my arrow covered in blood from tip to tip. We waited for things to calm down and looked for the other arrow I shot. After about 20 to 30 minutes we decided to start looking for the pig. Right away we found blood, lots of blood. I was certain this was a good kill. 20, 30, 50 soon 100 yards later the blood trail keeps going. It is still real heavy and we are finding blood on the bushes that the javelina brushed up against. The trail does eventually start to disappear. We were determined not to loose this javelina or worse yet, let it run off wounded. But hour after hour of scouring the dirt (a lot of it on our hands and knees) for pin sized drops we were getting discouraged. To make a long story a little shorter, 5 or so hours and about half mile later we found the last drop and were about to give up. The trail ended about 50 yards from a little wash. I decided to walk down and check it out. Sure enough, there it was! To say the least, I was excited ...and grateful.

 

I hope this doesn't come off wrong but I am really proud of the tracking job my brother and I did. We really spent all day and nearly a half mile on our hands and knees trying to find this javelina. There were lots of times we could of given up and been justified. I think it just eventually bled to death.

 

Now to get to the real point of the post. This was unlike any other pig I have taken or seen. I know there is another post where someone found a pig like this but does anyone know what it is that causes this? I don't buy the soft sand theory for a number of reasons. But this area was covered with as many rocks as any other area I have seen. I think this must be some sort of disease or fungus. Also take a look at the head. I thought it was mud but I think it is its skin. I kept the head and hooves to see if G&F would like to take a look at it.

 

I really thought about leaving it because it was just...well UGLY! Remember at the beginning I mentioned a piglet. Well there it was sitting next to its "mother". Now if anything could bring a grown man to tears, I think this scene could. The poor baby wouldn't leave even after walking around it and trying to figure out what to do. We were no more than 5 yards from it. We finally decided to approach it and when we were a few feet away it bolted. I took a few good pics of it but I am not sure people would appreciate it. It is quite sad. HOWEVER, its "mother" turned out to be a boar! I guess it just partnered up with the nearest adult when all h*ll broke loose. While skinning my pig it must of come back 5 or 6 times. We left and I hope it found the others before something found it.

 

Anyway, take a look at the pics and let me know if you have any ideas what could be wrong. Also, should I worry about the meat? I am still a little weirded out by it.

 

 

[jakehaffey]

Thats a great story and heck of a pig! I dont have any answers for you though. Congrats!

[bonecollector]

Heck of a story and that's one ugly pig or is it a pig? I don't think I would be able to eat it after seeing that mess.

[Coues79]

Wow what a specimen! It looks to have some sort of skin disease. Not quite sure what it is. There's plenty of folks on here that will have a good idea of what it is. Should you be worried about the meat? Heck, its a stinky ol' pig, I'd be worried even if it didn't have any issues

 

Looks like that pig has been living in some soft soil to have feet like that. Pretty gnarly lookin pig.

 

Congrats on a cool trophy for you. Sounds like you did a heck of a job trackin that thing down.

[DUG]

I've heard they "molt" and sometimes their skin looks like that. Although it looks excessive. Good job on the tracking. My sons 1st pig took us 2 hours to find. Alot of guys would have given up. I'm sure someone here could tell us exactly what your pig has.

[Redman]

Great Job, what an ugly pig....you did a good thing, its jeans should not be passed along......

 

Whisker Bisquit or full containment drop away rest......

 

Redman

[C.Shoemaker]

Maybe just an old animal. In the picture, the teeth look pretty rough. It looks similar to my uncle who is getting up in age.

[TEAM JESUS]

Congrats and great story. Years ago I picked up 2 small piglets that were crying next to two gut piles. I thought they would not make it over night due to the smell of blood in the air. After taking them to the G&F who were in the area. He told me that Javalina unlike other animale are very sociable animanls and will take in any other javalina into their heard. They would eventually come back for them. Piglets make alot of noise.

[tjhunt2]

Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations on your first archery pig. Glad to hear the mother wasn't shot. I'm sure she will be back to find her little one. Very interesting find. Let us know what information you receive on the condition of your pig.

 

TJ

[azhuntnut]

The feet are results of soft soil. That pig may have traveled to the area where you shot it, but has been living in soft soil for sure. I see this quite often in the area I guide. We just got another one yesterday and the the feet were already getting long. I see tracks that are sometimes five inches long. Congrats on your archery kill. David

[hoghntr]

javi is foundered (diet). look at the schinn bones., are they deformed/twisted ?.? if it is not then he is just jacked up and lack of exercise and soft soil could produce this. id be curious to see what he scores.

[C.Shoemaker]

I can't stop looking at these pictures. What a mess! If you didn't shoot it, it probably would have run in traffic just to put itself out of its misery

[John O]

What a cool pig. I think animals that have unique features are always the most interesting to take. Also- Nice photos of Hillary Clinton's feet in photo 3.

[LCconvert]

The feet are results of soft soil.

 

Thanks for the input. You are probably right but...what about the dew claws? Those are not supposed to touch the ground ever, right? His have excessively grown along with the hooves. Another interesting note is the left side front and rear hooves are really long but the front right side is just a little long and the rear right hoof is normal! Why would one side of the animal be more exaggerated? Anyway...

 

Here are some more pics of this beauty!!

 

 

 

[jhanna]

Likely causes of long hooves on javelina:When acute laminitis is present, the animal is in severe pain on the toe area and seeks to rock onto the heels to relieve pain.

 

Laminitis is an inflammation and/or weakening of the connection between the coffin bone and the hoof wall. In an acute stage, this connection can be lost and a separation occurs between the coffin bone and the laminar wall of the hoof. When the right kinds of forces or conditions are placed upon the foot or upon the body, the coffin bone may then rotate away and downward onto the solar corium.

 

The normal position for the coffin bone is to be ground parallel. But if a hoof is made steeper, the joint surface moves closer to the wall of the toe, causing the weight to come down further forward, putting great stress on the laminar corium on the frontal wall. The more pressure on the frontal walls...the more inflammation occurs, causing the animal to contort its hooves in a way for them to continue to grow and not ware down.

 

Another cause in almost all laminitis is poor digestion. During digestion if food is not broken down properly, acids and toxins are produced which leak into the body and damage blood vessels and organs throughout the body. When blood vessels and cells that feed the feet are affected in this way the amount of blood flowing down to the sensitive laminae is reduced and they become swollen. Swelling or inflammation of laminae means that they cannot do their job of holding the pedal bone in place properly and this result in a lot of pain.

 

The sort of food that causes laminitis is rich young spring grass with high levels of fructans. However rich grass can cause the problem at any time of year and even frosty grass in the winter can damage the digestion in the gut so much that the wrong sort of bacteria starts to multiply and release toxins. Javelina with laminitis are usually found in association with golf courses, as was this javelina.

 

Likely cause of wart like growths on javelina:

These are fibromas that are benign and self-limiting skin tumors which are produced by the papaova virus. Fibromas usually present no health hazard to affected animal. Occasionally, they may become very large or numerous. They may be single or multiple and sometimes merge to form large multinodular masses. Meat from javelina or deer with fibromas is safe for consumption because tumors are removed when the animal is skinned. There is no indication that man is susceptible to tumors induced by this fibroma virus.

 

Jon Hanna, Game Specialist, Mesa