Coach Report post Posted December 21, 2011 Looking forward to javi season 2012 - something near and dear to me because it's one of those hunts that you can regularly draw, and once out there you can usually be on the chase. I think Javelina are the most underrated big game species in Az. What better quarry to teach young hunters to glass, read sign, learn the basics of hunting in the desert and keep it fun and usually action-packed enough to hook them for life? There's a few things I've noticed over the years of hunting these critters that I find kind of facinating. For starters, they are extremely social. If you sit and watch a herd for a while, you can quickly learn the hierarchy of the herd. But they always watch eachother's back and tend to the young as a whole. For an animal that is considered "dumb" they have a more developed communication system than deer, elk and even turkey from what I've seen. They are very particular about their "home ground". They seem to find a place that they feel safe, have the forage and water they need and stick to it as long as it feels safe. Once you bust them, if they really feel threatened, they'll leave that spot and might not return - ever. If you bust up a herd in a bedding area that they've used for years, once you see them scatter and go ridge over ridge, that awesome spot might not have javelina in it again for years. And those that re-occupy it later are not likely to be the same herd - just find it as appealing as those that used to inhabit it. Another thing I find interesting, and other javi-junkies have noticed, if you find the "home" bedding grounds of a herd that they are using regularly, sneak in and happen to shoot one without totally chasing them out of there (think archery - quiet, kill one and back out), they'll come right back and continue to use the area - they'll probably still be there the next year. BUT, if you don't take your harvest out of the area before field dressing them, and gut them right there in their "comfort" area, the herd will return, find the remains and get a little weirded out and leave in search of another safe place. It's like they recognize the remains of the one you killed and dressed, and can't feel comfortable hanging around "Bob's" gutpile. Point being, if you kill a piggie in their bedding area, pack him a ways out before the knife work. If you do this, you're likely to find them back in that area. If you don't they'll likely move somewhere else. Just some observations about these awesome little desert dwellers and their social lifestyle. I'd like to hear what others have observed about them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Jonathan Report post Posted December 21, 2011 They smell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted December 21, 2011 LOL, I forgot to mention, one of the huge misconceptions about Javelina is that they aren't good to eat. Smell, like beauty is usually only skin deep. I've heard about how horrible javelina are to eat as much as I've heard older bull elk in the rut taste like boot leather on a good day, or even worse, jackrabbit over a spit (yes I've done that and it's horrible). The vast majority of javelina that taste horrible do so for the same reason a lot of rutting bulls taste so nasty. When handling the meat, people touch the hair, then the meat. Rutting bulls are covered in their own urine plus mud plus the musky smell numerous glands in the epidermis produce. Pigs are the same way - if they are threatened, the exude a musky, skunk-like oily "stink". But it's a myth that this actually enters the muscles and makes the meat taste the way they smell. If not gut-shot, and handled carefully, the meat of a javelina (or an old bull elk) is usually very good. That said, I do avoid the neck meat of an older bull, and have had occasions with javelina where the meat smells as bad as the dead pig itself. But, for the most part, if proper care is taken, javelina meat can be as good as, if not better than, the tastiest deer you've eaten. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gearsnagger Report post Posted December 21, 2011 LOL, I forgot to mention, one of the huge misconceptions about Javelina is that they aren't good to eat. Smell, like beauty is usually only skin deep. I've heard about how horrible javelina are to eat as much as I've heard older bull elk in the rut taste like boot leather on a good day, or even worse, jackrabbit over a spit (yes I've done that and it's horrible). The vast majority of javelina that taste horrible do so for the same reason a lot of rutting bulls taste so nasty. When handling the meat, people touch the hair, then the meat. Rutting bulls are covered in their own urine plus mud plus the musky smell numerous glands in the epidermis produce. Pigs are the same way - if they are threatened, the exude a musky, skunk-like oily "stink". But it's a myth that this actually enters the muscles and makes the meat taste the way they smell. If not gut-shot, and handled carefully, the meat of a javelina (or an old bull elk) is usually very good. That said, I do avoid the neck meat of an older bull, and have had occasions with javelina where the meat smells as bad as the dead pig itself. But, for the most part, if proper care is taken, javelina meat can be as good as, if not better than, the tastiest deer you've eaten. A trapper I knew would clean/wash the entire Javelina with a strong soap to get rid of the skunky oil before skinning it. I went one better last year and took a fresh killed Javi to the self serve car wash and degreased it and power washed it before skinning it.... The meat really tasted good , even grilled the backstraps were great! I know now to carry some automotive degreaser and 5 gallons of water to wash them up before skinning! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted December 21, 2011 A trapper I knew would clean/wash the entire Javelina with a strong soap to get rid of the skunky oil before skinning it. I went one better last year and took a fresh killed Javi to the self serve car wash and degreased it and power washed it before skinning it.... The meat really tasted good , even grilled the backstraps were great! I know now to carry some automotive degreaser and 5 gallons of water to wash them up before skinning! guess ya learn what you are taught- i learned the musky oily smell comes off with the hide - why would i waste time washing it! if you spent 5 minutes just keeping your hands and knife clean - you'd get the same results - 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BML Report post Posted December 21, 2011 I'm with you on this one Coach. I really enjoy chasing pigs with my bow. I've observed just about everything you have mentioned about them as well. I'm trying something different with them this year. I found a spot with a huge herd that very rarely leaves the comfort of a very thick wash bottom. I'm going to try sitting in a ground blind along a well used trail and try to ambush them. Not really as exciting as a spot and stalk hunt, but it will still be a load of fun trying to kill one right in their comfort zone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted December 21, 2011 Coach: My experience with javelinas is different from yours. I've found that herds will use the same bedding and feeding grounds, generation after generation, even after someone builds a house smack dab in their territory (unless humans allow their dogs to run free). I've returned to places where I killed javelinas 30, 40 and 50 years earlier and found evidence of herds using exactly the same places. They are interesting animals, and I love watching them almost as much as I enjoyed hunting them. Bill Quimby 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4Falls Report post Posted December 21, 2011 Nice to see javalinas getting some respect. I agree they are a very interesting animal and always enjoy seeing them in the field no matter what quarry I may be chasing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted December 21, 2011 last couple seasons - weather always plays a key role - we all know,cold - windy -rainy weather means they should be hold up in the draws / caves etc , keeping warm - so we are looking in all the nooks and crannies hoping to see or kick 'm out - after several hrs - we are about to give -up- decide to look at the big hill in the area - guess what - there they are !-right on the very top ,so even piggys can do the unexpected! keep the meat as clean as possible - take an extra gamebag! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues7 Report post Posted December 21, 2011 I've found they like getting into peoples beds and are very stinky...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted December 21, 2011 Once I whacked my first pig 20 years ago I've been a pig killin' fool ever since! I LOVE hunting them little critters and have since lost count on how many I've whacked, especially over the last handful of years hunting Mexico! One of my favorite things to do is to sneak in as close as possible to a herd and just watch em for a while, picking out which pig I want! It still gets my heart pumping each time and it never gets old hearing a big ol' pig blow out after watching your arrow smack em thru the ribs!!! As for cleanin them, just like whats been said already, it's the same as cleaning a stinky ruttin' bull. You gotta keep your hands and knife clean. The gland is on their back and attached to the hide just up from the tail. The trick is to get the hide off ASAP and without letting any hair touch the meat. Also, if you gut shoot em', you need to cut all the affected or dirty meat off the carcass ASAP, don't just wash it. I've seen guys take water and try washing off the nasty stuff, but what you are doing is just spreading that junk all over the good stuff! Also, cut the legs off at the knee/elbow that still have hide/hair/hooves attached. The problem here is that lower leg is what folks grab for a handle when moving the carcass around. Then they at some point will touch the meat and will again spread the nasty stuff on the good stuff! Lastly, I will skin the hide off the tendon/gambrel on the back leg PRIOR to tagging it. This way, when you skin ALL the hide off you aren't leaving that chunk of nasty hide under the tag. I've got a HAM tag for 19A and can't wait! I've killed em' with everything but a muzzleloader and think I might give that a try! JIM> 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted December 21, 2011 It's not my experince that pigs are that easy to booger out of an area, at least not long term. We've killed pigs out of the same holes year after year. My experience is pigs are very habitual and even after watching their buddies get whacked they can still be found in the same area year after year. I'm sure it's not always the same herds and the recruitment rate is typically high so there's always newbies and new herds as well. Based off my experience, pigs like to sleep in the same holes, travel the same routes, and crap in the same spot time after time, and they won't just have one hole or one toilet, they'll usually have several favorite spots they routinely use. I will say tho, in an area where the predator population is high and pigs are the easiest prey, you will notice some big changes in the herd movements or routines and it can be a better explaination for the lack of pigs year after year in a particular area. Just my observations tho, I'm not an expert, just love huntin em! JIM> 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
200"mulie Report post Posted December 21, 2011 Yup good ol' stink pig. Fun to chase with a bow! Have had many exiting chases! Don't cut the gland out much easier to take out while skinning. Put in a pit 24 hrs .... taste pretty good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted December 21, 2011 my freind has drawn the ham hunt --and wants one with a crossbow - he just looks funny walkin around with a crossbow!- lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rugerman Report post Posted December 22, 2011 I hope my archery pig hunt goes just like it did last year....... glass up pigs from a mile away, relocate and sneek up right in the middle of them, and then shoot right over its back.. all of the fun and none of the nastiness!!! no really I'll be trying hard to kill one with the bow, haven't done it yet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
