Javelina or Snipe????

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

So archery Javelina comes to an end for me. I am new to hunting and this is my first year hunting pigs. I put in 15 full days scouting and hunting in unit 20B and never saw one pig.

Somehow I still had a good time but I am wondering if the numbers are too low to justify hunting or if they are just living somewhere I wasn't at. I did see 2 pigs hanging from trees so I couldn't be far off. I also saw tons of sign and some hot sign on more than one occasion. Oh well its close to home and its my first year so we will see next year.

[123456]

Lots of pigs in 20B. Once you find them, you will have a hunting spot for years.

[SWDesertRat]

My first two years pig hunting felt like a snipe hunt, then the learning curve kicked in and its a different story now.

You were in the right places if you were finding sign, its just matter of timing and search image. Parts of 20b get a lot of pressure but it also has some good areas with zero pressure and fat happy pigs.

[POB]

I hunt a different unit but have found pigs 1 out of the last 5 years. I'm 62 and still looking for my first kill. 10 years ago I had 3 shots the first day, not one since. Still I keep trying. I find a good area and a fire changes everything. Find another good spot and the fire Gods stick it to me again.

[tjhunt2]

15 days without seeing a live pig must have been pretty frustrating. What was your method of hunting them? I'ld suggest glassing and using your butt more than your feet. If you are seeing a ton of sign then you are in the right area. They normally don't roam to far from day to day unless pressured. Glass the hillsides that get the first sunlight. They will most likely be there especially after a cold night. Pigs will have several beding grounds but only a couple favorites so once you locate them they can be found there on a regular bases.

Here is something I figured out years ago. During the off season find them in a bedding ground and then spook them out. Follow their tracks and most likely they will lead you to their next bedding area. Good luck next year and I bet the outcome will be a different story.

 

TJ

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Thanks very much for the info, I spent abut half my time glassing and half hiking or in the saddle just looking for sign. I only spent about 2 days on the hot spot I found due to the fact that there was pressure on some of the others. I felt like I worked hard on the glass these last 2 days but boy was it quiet. I found an area with a spring, mesquite trees, prickly pears and I found one major hot bedding area. I set up Saturday and Sunday morning glassing the bedding area and an east facing slope full of pears close by it but they never showed. One issue I am thinking is that I am in a canyon area and it is very rough so they could get by in some areas under cover. Nobody will say I dont put in the work so it will come soon enough.

[Airbusdriver]

....... Nobody will say I dont put in the work so it will come soon enough.

Just remember, hunting is never "work". It's the required therapy for the other 95% of our crazy lives!

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

ah nice one, very true. I will remember that one.

[AZWildcat]

Similar sorry on the scouting end for the same unit. Tons of sign…..just not seeing them. However, I have the HAM tag and hopefully I will figure it out.

[Coues79]

Make sure you're using a tripod to glass with too. There's a big difference between glassing and glassing with a tripod; especially for pigs and coues deer.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Point taken, I will be packing the tripod next year and I have a new plan of attack as well.