Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 12, 2011 If there is one thing I absolutely love to do in January its hunting javelina with a bow. This year didn’t start off as well as I had hoped. It was extremely cold (14 degrees) and extremely windy on opening weekend and it seemed to keep the pigs held up in their warm hiding holes. After glassing all day on opening day I finally glassed up a herd of javelina at almost a mile away. With less that a half hour of light left I knew that I didn’t have enough time to make a stalk and I just called it a night. The next day my good friend Frank (Kaffer62) and I were back in the same spot as I was the night before hoping to find the herd of pigs again. We glassed for a few hours with no luck. The rest of the day was a bust as well with only one pig being spotted, again at a distance close to a mile away and with less than a half hour of light left. We headed home feeling humbled and defeated. After such an incredible action packed season last year we were very confused and wondering where the heck all the pigs went. Frank and I both had the following Friday off of work so we were planning on a 3 day hunt the next weekend. Frank had a dentist appointment on Friday morning so I was going to head up by myself early Friday morning and frank would meet me up there later in the afternoon. Thursday night I spoke with Ron (ibowhuntaz) on the phone, he didn’t have a pig tag but had been hunting deer in the same area and he had seen a herd of pigs earlier that day. He was heading out to hunt on Friday as well so we made plans to meet up on Friday morning and hunt together. Friday morning found Ron and I on a hill side glassing. It was a slow morning with only a single spike mule deer buck being spotted until about 9:00 when Ron said to me, “I gotta pig!” Excited to hear I immediately asked “where?!” but before Ron had a chance to tell me the pig disappeared out of sight. Ron had seen the pig on a far hill but it disappeared lower into a canyon and behind a ridge between us and it. Ron and I agreed that we should move to the next ridge in front of us so we could see down into the canyon so we gathered our gear and we were on our way try to relocate the pig. When we got to the next ridge we glassed and glassed but could not find any pigs so we moved a little bit further down the ridge. We stopped at a good vantage point and we were both glassing down into the canyon when I spotted a pig bedded down laying in the sunshine. After a brief discussion Ron and I agreed on what would be the best approach for my stalk and I was off while Ron stayed up high to watch from his “front row seat”. I made my way down into the canyon and crossed the wash in the bottom. Before I made the last 70 yards of my stalk I took off my pack and left it under a juniper so I would be more mobile and quieter as I closed the distance to the pig. The wind was very unpredictable and seemed to be changing every couple of seconds but was blowing in my face for most of the stalk with the occasional 180 degree switch where it would be right at my back. I kept creeping my way very slowly and quietly toward where the pig was bedded making sure to scan the surrounding terrain for any other pigs that might have been laying close by. I was getting really nervous thinking that the pig was gong to catch my scent as the wind kept switching back and forth from blowing in my face to blowing at my back. When I made it to what I thought was 40 yards I could see the pig clearly in his bed and he had his head up looking around. I felt it was risky to try to get closer being that I was in the wide open in the sunshine with no cover. Being confident with my shooting ability at that distance I decided to take the shot from where I was. The problem was I couldn’t get a good reading with my rangefinder on the actual pig, only the bushes and cactus that were near him. I estimated and decided to shoot for 40 yards. I drew back and settled my 40 yard pin on the pig’s shoulder as he laid in his bed. I slowly applied pressure to my trigger release and the arrow was on its way. I watched my arrow as it flew literally inches over the pigs back. I must have misjudged the distance. It turned out there had been two pigs laying there and they both jumped up and busted out of their beds at the sound of my arrow crashing into the rocks behind them. One pig ran to the left and out of sight and the other ran up and to the right about 10 yards and was standing in the shade of a juniper. I figured that if I barely missed high on the first shot then I should be right on now that the pig is a little further so I knocked another arrow, drew back and settled my 40 yard pin on the pigs shoulder for the second time. I released and watched the flight path of my arrow on its way toward the pig until it went into the shadow of the juniper where the pig was standing. Because of the shadow I could not see the last few yards of the arrow flight and had no idea where or even if I hit the pig. After the shot the pig ran out from under the juniper and out of sight. Every pig I have ever shot with a bow has always let out a roar when the arrow hit and this time when I shot I heard no sound at all so I was thinking that I had missed for a second time. I was feeling very disappointed and thinking to myself “how the heck did I blow it twice?” I walked over to the juniper where the pig had been standing to look for my arrow. As I looked around I heard a “clack, clack, clack” and I looked up to see the pig about 25 yards above me spinning in a five foot radius circle clacking its teeth. I could see that I made a good hit on him and the rage two blade made a massive hole right behind his shoulder. As the pig was spinning in circles he came to a stop and seemed to gain his composure. He then came charging down the hill right toward me. I came to full draw and stayed stationary but spun my body keeping my sights on the pig as he passed by me at 5 yards clacking his teeth and continued on down toward the bottom of the canyon where he piled up less than 10 feet from my pack. What an adrenaline rush it was to have him come charging down the hill toward me. My pig was down! He was a big mature boar probably right in his prime. This was my 8th javelina, 5th with a bow, and this one is the 2nd to biggest pig of the 8. After I saw that he was down I through my hands up holding my bow in the air signaling to Ron that I was successful. Ron had watched it all unfold from up high on top of the canyon. As he later put it, he “had a perfect view and watched it all go down from the expensive seats”. Ron came down and met me at my downed pig. We shook hands as he congratulated me and I thanked him for his help. We took pictures, I field dressed it, tied it to my pack and we started the hike out. Frank was there waiting when we got out of the canyon and back to the trucks. We all talked about how it all went down. It was a good time to be in the field with some great people! We continued to hunt the rest of the weekend in hopes of finding some more javelina so Frank could try to fill his tag. Saturday was a bust and no pigs were found but late Sunday morning I glassed up 12 javelina on a far hill about 1 ¼ miles out. After a long hike up and over several ridges (over 3 hours) to close the distance we lost the pigs and could not relocate them. We got back to the truck just in time to brake camp before dark so that concluded our weekend. You can be sure that Frank and I will be right back at it next weekend trying to get Frank a pig as well. Thanks again to Ron for coming out and hunting with me on Friday morning! Thank you for reading my story and as always thanks to Amanda for a great site where we can share our passion and adventures! -Tracy Frank glassing. Me trying to relocate a herd a javelina. Me and my big boar. Had to get a pic with the Coueswhitetail.com sticker in the background. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ibowhuntaz Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Tracy, great story and nice pig. I had a lot of fun helping that day. It was nice to set up there on that hill and watch the whole thing unfold. Thanks for letting me be a part of it. Ron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Browning'sCustomMeat Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Way to get it done Tracy! Nice looking pig. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Way to go Tracey. Great story as always and I felt I was right along side of ya. I would haved loved to have been there to watch the expression on your face when that pig came charging down at ya. Them are the ones that put the icing on the cake. Now you can take over the reserve seating and watch Frank pull one off. Good luck! TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
girlygirlhunter Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Congratulations Sweety!!!!! Can't wait til February Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 Congratulations Sweety!!!!! Can't wait til February Good luck Angie and we'll be waiting on your results right here on cwt. Shoot straight! TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaffer62 Report post Posted January 12, 2011 That is a good looking guy in the first pic! Congrats on keeping the streak alive! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bow.hunter8971 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 congrats tracey nice one i got one to we need to talk again happy new year bro Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 17, 2011 Way to go Tracey. Great story as always and I felt I was right along side of ya. I would haved loved to have been there to watch the expression on your face when that pig came charging down at ya. Them are the ones that put the icing on the cake. Now you can take over the reserve seating and watch Frank pull one off. Good luck! TJ Well Frank and I went out yesterday and got it done. I watched it all go down from across a canyon as he whacked a good sow. I'm sure Frank will be posting his story soon. -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted January 17, 2011 Looking forward to his story and thanks for keeping us posted. I just love these javi stories. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 17, 2011 congrats tracey nice one i got one to we need to talk again happy new year bro Relph, glad to hear of your success! Would love to hear about the hunt and see some pics. Post it up. -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaffer62 Report post Posted January 18, 2011 Saturday morning started out with us heading up out to the sticks with high hopes. After about 2 hours of glassing Tracy glassed up a herd on the same ridge we saw them the week before... We made a plan and headed out. We made our way up to canyon they were in. Tracy went up the ridge to the south to try and glass them up while I snuck up the ridge we last seen them on. We both made it to our predetermined spots and began to pick apart the mountainside with no luck. After about two hours I decide to sneak across the ridge in hopes of finding them bedded down. after no luck I moved lower on the hill side and started to sneak back the way I came... after about 100 yards or so I heard a loud roar!!! I started to look in every direction and finally found them in the bottom of the draw.. The herd was split up, the majority of them were heading up the opposite ridge where Tracy just happened to be. He was able to get some good footage with the camcorder in hand. There were about 5 or six pigs still on my side of the hill and with hand signals Tracy was able to give me an idea of where they were... As I made my way across the ridge, I was able to pick up a pigs back over a rock outcropping. I eased my way until the pig was in view and I had a good shooting lane. The pig was broadside and I ranged it at 34 yards.. drew my bow and released. Unfortunately Upon release the pig turned its head looking in my direction. The arrow hit right below her eye and drove down through her neck and stopping at the opposite shoulder. Without knowing the extent of the damage, all I could see was the pig turn and run off with which seemed like a large part of my arrow sticking out. I immediately sat down feeling bad about the shot. I waited for Tracy to come over and also to give her time without pushing her. We found good blood right away and followed it for some time even though it slowed down to a dime to nickel sized drop every 5-10 feet. We finally found my arrow broken in half and even though we lost the blood, I was able to pick it up a little lower on the mountain and wouldn't you know it! There she laid about another 10 feet lower... Man I was happy to see her!!!! I am super impressed with the Rage broadheads, even though it went through what it did, the broadhead came away with one bent blade but regardless it was still 100% intact. After gutting her, we prepared for the 1 1/2-2 mile hike back to the truck in the dark. Thankfully it was good times the whole way back! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted January 19, 2011 Woohoo! Congrats again bother! Can't wait to do it again next year! -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azslim Report post Posted January 19, 2011 fun times chasing pigs, glad you made meat. I have a javelina skull I take into my Hunter Ed classes when we cover shot placement, it has a 3 blade mechanical stuck in the snout, based on the calcification the pig lived with it a long time, they are tough little animals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted January 19, 2011 Glad to finally see the story and congratulations again Frank. It's great to have a good hunting partner. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
