Title Intact!

[Heat]

Spent 3 days in the desert looking for deer and javelina.  My title of Arizona's Undisputed Worst Archery Javelina Hunter is still intact.  Did not even see one this year.  Pretty much just took my bow for a walk.  Did not see any game.  Feed was everywhere.  Looked like the deer were really spread out and the pigs were hanging in the deep cuts on the flats and not on the hills which makes glassing very hard.  Only had one morning to hunt after the fresh rains to cut fresh sign of a herd and did not accomplish that.  Saw a good amount of sign that was from a week to a day or so old, but nothing within the last 12-24 hours.  Time to reconsider where I have been hunting lately.  I think I need to go back to where I've had success finding them and getting shots in the past.  Might need to recruit a new partner or two for that.  I like hunting pigs with my cousin but he lives about 15 minutes away from where he can hunt them, so its hard to break the pattern and quit hunting where its so convenient.  Oh well, at least I didn't wound one and not recover it this time like I have done a few times in the past.  The habitat around me is generally not considered javelina country and its at least a 2-3 hour drive to get to some.  With a couple of busy weekends ahead my javelina hunting for 2019 is probably over.

[Beaton]

What unit are you hunting?

[Heat]

I live in Yuma and have a tag for the western units.  39, 40, 41, 42, etc.  This last weekend I was hunting near Surprise in 42.  I have hunted in 37B a fair amount in the past.  For the record I have probably had more than a dozen tags, have shot a few quivers full of arrows, and have hit 3 and not recovered any over about 30 years of trying!  I suck!  Most years I can at least scare some up walking or even glass them up, make an awesome stalk, then miss or make a poor shot at like 10 yards.  This year was tough.

 

Here's a list of things I know I can do better:

1. Hunt better habitat.  Needle in a haystack, enough said.  

2. Actually go scouting.  I never scout for javelina.  Heck I don't even put in anymore, got lazy buying OTC tags.

3. Spend more time watching javelina, learning their habits. (relative to #2).  This will also help me not have such "javi feever", LOL!  For some reason I lose my mind around these things.

4. Become a better archer.

5. Give myself more time.  The last 5 or 6 years have only been a weekend hunt per season or maybe a 3 day weekend.  I seem to do better when I give myself at least 5-7 days in the field.  10 is even better.  Whenever I have committed myself to an entire season, I have been successful.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

On 1/7/2019 at 3:09 PM, Heat said:

I live in Yuma and have a tag for the western units.  39, 40, 41, 42, etc.  This last weekend I was hunting near Surprise in 42.  I have hunted in 37B a fair amount in the past.  For the record I have probably had more than a dozen tags, have shot a few quivers full of arrows, and have hit 3 and not recovered any over about 30 years of trying!  I suck!  Most years I can at least scare some up walking or even glass them up, make an awesome stalk, then miss or make a poor shot at like 10 yards.  This year was tough.

 

Here's a list of things I know I can do better:

1. Hunt better habitat.  Needle in a haystack, enough said.  

2. Actually go scouting.  I never scout for javelina.  Heck I don't even put in anymore, got lazy buying OTC tags.

3. Spend more time watching javelina, learning their habits. (relative to #2).  This will also help me not have such "javi feever", LOL!  For some reason I lose my mind around these things.

4. Become a better archer.

5. Give myself more time.  The last 5 or 6 years have only been a weekend hunt per season or maybe a 3 day weekend.  I seem to do better when I give myself at least 5-7 days in the field.  10 is even better.  Whenever I have committed myself to an entire season, I have been successful.

Sounds like alot of fun without all the hassle of actually having to take care of the stinky Peccary!!! Sometimes weekend warrior is all some of us get....don't give it up!!!