Javelina Hunting Questions

[bigsky2]

I drew an archery javelina tag for January and it will be my first time hunting them. I'm really excited for the hunt, but I am trying to temper my expectations since I really have no idea where to start. I have a few questions that I was hoping some of you could help me with.

 

What areas (elevation and vegetation types) should I look for javelinas?

 

Are they active at all hours of the day, or are mornings and evenings best?

 

I have heard mixed reviews on whether they are good eating or not. I'm guessing a lot of it has to do with how you take care of them after the shot. Any tips on how to take care of them to get the best tasting meat?

 

What do most people make with the meat?

 

Any recipes anyone is willing to share?

 

I really appreciate any info you are willing to share, it will really help!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jim]

If you will search the posts on the Javelina section there is great deal of information on all your questions. There is probably answers to questions you have not even thought of.

Basic info will include for January would be sun facing slopes first thing in the morning. Most units have pigs thru out so hike the wash's looking for sign. Fresh sign means pigs live there and are somewhere within a small circle of the area. Good glass and high spots are your friend. Game care is use a different knife to skin and keep your hands off the meet while skinning. Most guys make charizo or sausage with the meat. Lot's of recipes work with the back strap just depends on your own taste buds. Herds away from the roads are less spooky than the herds that get bumped a lot. Good luck on your quest to arrow a pig it really is a fun hunt.

[Coues assassin]

From my experience javelina are really just like every other animal. Peak activity in the morning and evening bed down mid day. However I always hunt all day and have killed plenty of animals in the middle of the day. if you smell them you are close as they typically only have a 1sq/m radius they call home and are very habitual. They are great to eat and you just have to handle the meat like every other animal. I personally grind mine up every year and make chorizo out of it all. I don't have a specific recipe as each year I experiment trying to find the perfect mix of spices. Anything you read about removing the scent gland is not necessary it comes off when you skin it anyways. One thing with javelina especially is to be careful not to have the outside of the skin come in contact with the meet. And change blades for gutting/skinning/butchering

[ThomC]

Here Javelinahunter.com

[PRDATR]

If we get a rain then go walk the washes and look for tracks. I have seen them from the low deserts to the pines on the Young Road south of Young and up near Williams.

In the desert areas I like to hunt where there is mixed terrain of washes, hills and flat areas. They really like to bed under Palo Verdes even if the trees are on the top of a hill. They like to eat mesquite beans, prickly pear pads, hedgehog cacti and the centers of small shin daggers (yucca). The scent gland on the back has a small opening and looks like a navel with mud around it. It will stay attached to the hide when you skin them.

Once I get the meat home I brine it in a bucket of ice for about 4-6 hours to draw out the blood and about 90% of the skunk smell, then drain it and brine it once more. After that I pat it dry and put it in a big bowl/container in the fridge for a few days to age.

 

If you play the wind and cover you can get within a few yards of them. When you bust them, and you will. They will scatter but stay still and wait 30 seconds then call them back by woofing to them 3 or 4 times in short grunts and then will come back to investigate.

[PRDATR]

Here Javelinahunter.com

 

This is a very good resource however I disagree with this statement;

Besides finding suitable habitat, the greatest limiting factor for Javelina expansion into new areas in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and beyond, is climate. Javelina have no under fur, so they cannot survive winter in a cold climate.

 

I have seen them in the snow in Prescott and it gets pretty cold around Williams.

[oz31p]

 

Here Javelinahunter.com

 

This is a very good resource however I disagree with this statement;

Besides finding suitable habitat, the greatest limiting factor for Javelina expansion into new areas in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and beyond, is climate. Javelina have no under fur, so they cannot survive winter in a cold climate.[/size]

 

I have seen them in the snow in Prescott and it gets pretty cold around Williams.[/size]

. I believe that was published back when Arizona got a winter .

[Kaffer62]

Yup. I have seen them in all sorts of cold climates. Including snow. They like to bask in the sun. Cold days with lots of sunshine. Javelina heaven

[Allforelk]

Ive seen them frequently in Unit 8 during the late rifle bull/cow hunts at high elevations. One year, the WM told us they were his chief P.I.T.A. because they were destroying gardens in Williams.

[jim]

I have seen Javelina on the 25 road in Unit 27 by the fire lookout tower in January.

[Roosevelt Mark]

I see them in 3a 3c and 4b. And they are big black ones.

[rossislider]

If we get a rain then go walk the washes and look for tracks. I have seen them from the low deserts to the pines on the Young Road south of Young and up near Williams.

In the desert areas I like to hunt where there is mixed terrain of washes, hills and flat areas. They really like to bed under Palo Verdes even if the trees are on the top of a hill. They like to eat mesquite beans, prickly pear pads, hedgehog cacti and the centers of small shin daggers (yucca). The scent gland on the back has a small opening and looks like a navel with mud around it. It will stay attached to the hide when you skin them.

Once I get the meat home I brine it in a bucket of ice for about 4-6 hours to draw out the blood and about 90% of the skunk smell, then drain it and brine it once more. After that I pat it dry and put it in a big bowl/container in the fridge for a few days to age.

 

If you play the wind and cover you can get within a few yards of them. When you bust them, and you will. They will scatter but stay still and wait 30 seconds then call them back by woofing to them 3 or 4 times in short grunts and then will come back to investigate.

When you brine in the bucket of ice, is that deboned meat, whole quarters, etc. and do you have salt (and how much) in that brine?

[PRDATR]

 

If we get a rain then go walk the washes and look for tracks. I have seen them from the low deserts to the pines on the Young Road south of Young and up near Williams.

In the desert areas I like to hunt where there is mixed terrain of washes, hills and flat areas. They really like to bed under Palo Verdes even if the trees are on the top of a hill. They like to eat mesquite beans, prickly pear pads, hedgehog cacti and the centers of small shin daggers (yucca). The scent gland on the back has a small opening and looks like a navel with mud around it. It will stay attached to the hide when you skin them.

Once I get the meat home I brine it in a bucket of ice for about 4-6 hours to draw out the blood and about 90% of the skunk smell, then drain it and brine it once more. After that I pat it dry and put it in a big bowl/container in the fridge for a few days to age.

 

If you play the wind and cover you can get within a few yards of them. When you bust them, and you will. They will scatter but stay still and wait 30 seconds then call them back by woofing to them 3 or 4 times in short grunts and then will come back to investigate.

When you brine in the bucket of ice, is that deboned meat, whole quarters, etc. and do you have salt (and how much) in that brine?

 

 

Yes, deboned. I will put the meat in with a few gallons of bottled water and a couple of bags of ice and two cups of Kosher salt. Most of the time I get about 15 pounds of deboned meat.

[bigsky2]

Thanks for all the help everyone! This helps a lot.

[AzPlumber]

Meat is just fine if you take care when field dressing the animal. Easy to taint the meat after touching the hide and then the meat. Wear gloves when you skin it and don't touch the meat at all, change gloves and knife if needed.

 

What unit and weapon?