2010 Archery Javelina Double!

[Gr8 White Jr]

This year had to be the best year of javelina hunting I have ever had and at the same time it was one of the toughest hunts I have been on! My good friend Frank (kaffer62) and I both had archery javelina tags this year and we hunted hard in hopes of scoring a double. I spent a total of 8 days in the field this season and of those 8 days I was into javelina 6 of those 8 days. Frank spent a total of 6 days in the field and was into javelina 5 of those 6 days. Needless to say it was a very action packed season full of many highs and lows. It seemed like we just couldn't catch a break. No matter what we did something would always mess things up, including other hunters, the wind shifting literally every five minutes and we even had a lion hunter run his dogs through, chasing the pigs we were stalking all over the canyon. Well it all finally came together on the last Sunday of the hunt. Frank and I were up early and at our glassing point right at first light. Within 10 to 15 minutes I glassed up a big herd of javelina feeding on a steep slope several ridges over. They were headed for the top of the ridge and were going to top over so we quickly gathered our gear and were on our way. As we were headed toward where we saw the heard I turned to Frank and said "its do or die right now" as this would be my last day to hunt. We moved in slowly up and over the ridge where we had last saw the herd go. As we got to the top we stopped and tried to listen. I could hear the javelina below us and I signaled to Frank that I could hear them and in what direction. We stayed still about 20 yards apart waiting and listening. After a few minutes past I caught movement below and finally could see five or six javelina feeding under a juniper tree about 100 yards away on the otherside of a sattle. I signaled to Frank where they were and that I was going to start my stalk. He knodded yes and I was on my way. I started to sneek down the hill and noticed the javelina were starting to move toward my left. I decided instead of moving right in to them I would try to get in front of them. I quietly moved to my left and to a juniper that was just on the other side of a small cut that the javelina were moving down. I ranged an openning where I knew they would come through. 46 yards. I hooked my release and waited for the first pig to clear. A mature sow walked out into the openning and stopped. I drew my bow and settled in. As I released the pig jumped slightly forward at the sound of my bow and I hit it a little far back. It turned and ran back up to the sattle where I had originally started to stalk them. It ran into a clump of brush and stopped. I knew the hit wasn't good so I tried to sneek in and get a finishing shot. As I got close I couldn't get a clear shot and the pig ran down the backside of the hill. I could not see the pig because of the thick brush but my arrow was still hanging out of it so I could here my arrow clacking on the rocky terrain as the pig moved down the hill. As it got quiet I made a mental note of the last place I heard it go. I slowly worked my way down the hill and through the brush when I came to a mine shaft. OH NO! All I could think is that if this pig went into the mine shaft I am never going to recover it. As I got closer to the enterance I saw blood on a rock going into the mine. I moved very slowly and very quietly to where I could see into the mine. As I peeked in I could see the fletches of my arrow and then I could make out the pig laying about 20 yards into the mine. I drew back and put a finishing arrow into my pig and it was all over. I was so excited and I couldn't believe after the rollercoaster of events throughout the hunt it finally happened. Do to safety reasons I wasn't about to go into the mine shaft by myself so I decide to go find Frank first. I immediately started heading back up toward the sattle to try to find Frank when my cell phone started vibrating. I looked and it was Frank. I aswered it and said "get your butt over here there are still pigs all over"! Thats when Frank replied "I just smoked one". I couldn't believe it. As I was making my stalk Frank had spotted another group of javelina further up the ridge and stalked in and made a great shot on a big boar. We met at the top of the ridge and high fived and hugged. We then exchanged stories of what had happend and then headed for the mine shaft to recover my pig. Frank stood outside and took pictures as I went in. After recovering my pig we took pictures and started the long pack out. This was Frank's first javelina and first archery kill. Congrats again buddy! I will let Frank fill in the blanks on his stalk. We had a great time and it will go down in my books as one of the best hunts I have experienced. As always thanks to Amanda for the wonderful site and thanks for allowing me to share our hunt with you!

 

-Tracy

 

 

 

 

 

A couple pictures of the sunrise.

 

 

 

 

Frank with our tub of QT coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

Frank setting up to glass.

 

 

 

 

A few of the muledeer we glassed up during the hunt.

 

A small forky bedded down.

 

 

A decent 3x3.

 

 

 

 

Glassing up some javelina.

 

Here's another pig pile for Amanda.

 

 

Javelina feeding on steep slope.

 

 

 

 

Recovering my "mine shaft pig".

 

 

Getting ready to go in.

 

 

 

 

 

Frank and his pig.

 

 

 

 

Me and my pig.

 

 

 

 

The double! Woohoo!

 

 

 

 

The pack out.

 

 

 

 

Fianlly back at the truck! Had to get the Coueswhitetail.com sticker in the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gotcoues]

That is so super cool T, I'm glad your guys hard work finally paid big! I really like the pics to go along with the hunt. Wish I would've made it out there with you guys.

[gotcoues]

Why does Frank's pig look so much bigger man? JK

[bowhuntaz1]

Nice read and good pics...GREAT hunt!!!

[bonecollector]

GReat pics and congrats on the double!

[Packer]

Congrats on the pigs. Also some great pics to go along with the story.

 

Aaron

[GameHauler]

Super post Tracy.

Congratulations on some hard earned bacon.

[Kaffer62]

Well done Tracy! Excellent write up! We wanted this double and we finally made it happen!

 

As for my stalk, it worked out perfectly. As Tracy was working into the pigs, I started to look further up the ridge and spotted 8 pigs feeding. I figured it would be the perfect time to stalk them. I worked my way slowly into them and nestled myself next to a big juniper. I had a couple of pigs within 10 yards of me, but never had a shot due to the thickness of the brush... finally which seemed like an hour, turned out to be 5 mins, I had this boar step out in the open about 20 yards. I was able to draw back and when I did, he stopped, by that time my arrow was already on its way and burried into my mark! At that time I was already grabbing my phone to see a couple of missed calls from Tracy. I was excited to call him to tell him about my pig, my first archery kill! Turned out to be a perfect day!

[C.O.U.E.S.]

....congrat's again to both of you bud, awesome pics....the pack'n heat retreival pic.... ...dont' be scurrred....max

[CouesWhitetail]

Awesome!! Great writeup and pics to go with it!! Congratulations!

 

Amanda

 

[jakehaffey]

Congrats, nice double!

[ehunt]

Great job, looks like it was a fun hunt!! No thanks getting that pig out of that mine shaft!!

[stalkincoues]

Great job guys, especially on the double! Nice writeup and a terrific sequence of pictures that really helps to bring the story all together. The pictures themselves just about tell everything. This post has me excited and I can't wait till next month for my H.A.M. hunt.

[Kilimanjaro]

Nice write-up, Tracy!

[RoughCut]

This post is downright hilarious. I love the pic of you holding the handgun about to go in. I just have this hilarious vision in my head of how that POTENTIALLY could have gone down. I hope you were wearing earplugs. I was laughing hysterically reading this post. Also love the pic of you guys proping the pigs over the truck bed. Classic!

 

Congrats!