Family, Friends & First Timers-13 pigs taken this season

[gotcoues]

Another fun year is coming to a close. Special times with my family and friends. Lots of first time javi slayers, a couple doubles and my first recurve animal. The crew just flat out got er done more often than not. Family and friends, doesn't get much better!

 

My son Dillon started the season with a Dec Metro Javi, this was his first animal without his Dad tagging along!

 

Dillon followed up by arrowing his fifth archery pig on New Years Day at less than 10 yards. Alex, Dillon and I glassed all morning and came up empty. We knew they were close so we packed up and headed higher on the ridge to check out some different cuts. We walked right into the herd we were looking for and was able to woof a few back wen they busted.

No pic available unfortunately 37a

 

I was able to fill my archery tag this season in 37a, shot was 30 yards. My son Dillon was in on the the assist. We had only been glassing at our last spot of the afternoon for a few minutes when we herd pigs making a ruckus. Dillon spotted them only about 130 yards away. I flubbed up a bit, the one I shot was in some light brush and I didn't realize until after I let it fly he was on the smaller side. Oops "My dinker stinker"

 

I filled my second tag in over in 38M, this was a special deal as I was able to take my first recurve animal. It won't be the last! My son Dillon located the herd, my daughter's boyfriend Alex was also in on the assist. Three half day hunts to get it done with the recurve, in pigs every time, tons of action all of which easily would have gotten it done with the compound. Ended up ditching my boots (I don't do that for archery pig!) and sneaking in to within 5 yards of a bedded herd that was layed up in some boulders. I was looking straight down and it took a long time to get an opportunity. Finally got winded and pigs were flying in every direction, but one made the mistake of pausing at 4-6 yards! My son took video from up above, turned out pretty cool for sure.

 

Next up my buddy Nelson and I finally got to hang out. We went to one of our favorite spots and bailed from the truck before daybreak. Several herds and one behemoth herd that goes over 20 hides in this spot. He arrowed a big old boar at 40 yards, he spotted these guys way higher up than normal and cut them off on their way down. I took long range video, I'll try and add that later.

 

My friend Jake and I started chatting about chasing pigs together last yr. He grabbed a metro tag and it was game on. A quick evening hunt resulted in a decent herd, pigs charging the call and Jake thumping his first archery pig! He quickly followed up his second archery pig during the ham hunt in a different unit. His Dad also took his first archery pig/animal on that ham hunt! Congrats to Jake and his Dad, they killed it this season!

 

Next hunt was an awesome deal, my wife Colleen and her friend Claudia put in on a ham hunt in 36a together, this was Claudia's very first hunt. The three of us shot the muzzy's together to prep and set up camp Thursday Night before the opener. Colleen was on fire glassing up 7 bucks including a big wt with trash. We glassed up stinkers at the exact time Friday morning and watched them feed hoping they would bed down. The lucky streaks just continued as they went and laid down in a good spot. We snuck in and got set up at about 100 yards and before long, the first double was complete. Mission accomplished on opening morning to boot.

 

Colleen had a second ham tag in another unit but we came up empty a couple evenings during the week, really hot and no pigs located. On Sunday we teamed up with our friends Harvey and Steve who also had the ham tag and headed out to what would be the craziest, hardest, longest trek chasing pigs all day one could imagine. Harvey stayed back as spotter so were were able to keep following the herd through different zip codes. We finally got set up on the herd in the afternoon and sat em out waiting for the shot. Unfortunately, Colleen missed the first shot, but Steve followed up and lit one up with the smokepole. Colleen was 8/8 on big game tags and this miss resulted in her success rate going down to 8 for 9 on filled tags. She's an animal, and I'm so proud of her never surrender, anything it takes in the field attitude. Love you darling! This is 3 years in a row Steve and I have pig hunted together, I like the tradition. He was able to stand, sweep over and freehand his pig at probably 80 yards with the muzz after they started to move out. Oh yeah

Steve's smokepole beast

 

The opener of the rifle season we had a four man crew! Kyle came down from Phx and him and I were in on the assist for Nelson and my friend Larry. This was Larry's first pig tag. Nelson ended up finding them sooooo far away in the nastiest canyon this side of the mountain. After a while we were sitting somewhere above the herd trying to relocate them without much luck. The ol trusty call was brought out to work after all glassing efforts were exhausted. It was enough to get them up and Kyle made the visual so I backed off the call. Nelson dropped one in his tracks and Larry was able to follow up and put down a second javi. 2nd double of the season, first javelina for Larry!

 

My daughter Ashley also had a rifle tag, but in a different unit. She and her boyfriend Alex had the weekend off and we headed out Saturday. We glassed all day and not a single pig was located. We skipped Sunday and Ashley and I headed to hills Tuesday afternoon to fight the wind and hope for the best. 4:22 was the magic moment I glassed up a small herd I was not familiar with. I had found a larger herd in this area during deer hunting so we decided to give it a try. We got lucky again which seemed to be the dominating theme this season and they bedded back down for a few giving us just barely enough time to haul butt and get set up on them. Ash was proned out at 89 yards and the second the herd got up, she knocked one down, without so much as a wiggle out of her pig. Alex came out after work and got there just in time for cleaning and packing. No complaints HERE!

 

Last but not least, I have a friend Jesse that had come up empty so far on his first Javi hunt. I gave him some intel on a good spot they could hunt but the weekend didn't produce any pigs. Jesse and I along with Larry met up and headed out for the evening. The whole afternoon was spent looking at beautiful scenery void of life so it appeared. We were running out of time and suddenly I said the words we all wanted to hear, GOT PIGS! Jesse and I immediately packed up and charged with no time to waste. Larry stayed behind to make sure we didn't lose him. We moved in fast and Jesse set up prone at about 100 yards and he dropped probably the oldest boar I've seen to date. Top cutters worn off and Bottom teeth were wore completely down and almost nothing for top teeth either. What a way to end the season. Jesse with his first Javi, Larry ("who has definitely caught the bug") in on the assist and an ol ancient boar to close it out!

 

The Crew 2016 Pigapalooza! 4 units hunted successfully and we hunted over 15 different herds, 3 of which surpassing the 20 mark on size.

 

Here's a couple cool pics from a neat pig bed I found. Two different herds used the shelter and were there about every other day on average. 11 pm arrival give or take and getting up to bail in the mornings from 8-10.

[trphyhntr]

dude youre a straight killer, all year long. call you the hitman.

[Flatlander]

That's a lot of pork. Congrats!

[brian390]

That's a lot of pigs! I would say that you guys definitely know how to pig hunt. Congrats!

[4Falls]

How do you do it? Very impressive.

[bowfishAZ]

That's A LOT of stink!!! Good times as always!

[Redman]

We stopped at 6.... too much javi is too much javi

[eagle#eyes]

I was happy I got 1 this year. Geez. Congrats on an awesome time with family and friends.

[gotcoues]

For our javelina, Colleen processed about half of them and the rest I took to Jon at WGP. This year we've gone with Chorizo, Breakfast maple and we tried the regular brats for the first time. All are amazing, his brats were brought to a family get together and my brother-in-law had bought some from Costco, not much debate, Jons came out on top! For a lot of you javi nay sayers, pay a little extra and get some sausage and brats made up, you won't regret it! Highly recommend Jon at WGP, great work, turns out awesome goodies and is just flat out a nice guy.

[Viper]

Awesome! That's a heap of fun!

[cramerhunts]

Way to go all of you! Lots of fun and lots of great times in those hunts I'm sure. Congratulations.

[6ANut]

Dang straight killer, congrats.

[AZHog]

That's a LOT of stink pig! Congrats to all and enjoy the chorizo, brats and breakfast sausage.

[208muley]

congrats on a good run! I went 6 for 6 in 3 units with a total of 14 hrs of hunt time... 2 bow, 2 jr, 1 ham, 1 rifle.

 

What is WGP? I've got a freezer full of meat and with Denmark not doing game, I am looking for a new guy.

[gotcoues]

Thx guys!

 

208, Jon owns Wild Game Processing 2 (WGP) and will be building a new shop at his new pace hopefully soon. Dealing with zoning issues for some time now at current location due to being so successful and the increased traffic at current location. Most of us in Tucson use Jon. No reason to go anywhere else IMO.