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So my second day looking for javelina. It's a low concentration area. So I started low this morning and slowly meandered across the wind, in and out of shallow gullies. It's been wet here and there is quite a bit of green around in the bottoms.
Anyway, I found a "pig cave" and fresh tracks scattered about. But I've yet to see a pig or sign of rooting.
And this is the only poop I've seen.
I'm not sure, what's it taste like?
Usually not segmented like that. Looks like ours after a night of salad and Budweiser. :)
and they usually don't "go" in a glove.
The one chunk that appears to be larger like a multi-segmented peanut looks possible, but I've never seen javelina droppings appear to be in pellets. To me those look like deer...
The taste was a little pungent, but not entirely unpleasant.
I'm curious because, I didn't see any other droppings except some that I'm sure is deer. Saw only deer and jack rabbits today.
Not likely.
http://www.javelinahunter.com/feces.htm
Nope... that's deer poop. Javalina poop looks like dog poop. Ed F
I personally have never seen evidence of javelina in caves. I'm sure they probably use them on occasion, but I submit that caves are only a minor requirement for their occupied habitat. I have always found javelina in scattered brush, cactus and grass, from flat to relatively steep terrain.
Their lovely aroma would tell you If they were actively using that cave.
They will use a cave (if available) as shelter during cold, rainy and windy weather. I arrowed one a few years ago standing at the entrance to a cave and my buddy shot one as they all came running out.
Man you guys are crushing my optimism!! But thanks for the info.
There were pig tracks in the cave and some fairly fresh (it's been raining here) tracks scooting up the bank.
And I did see dog like crap but just assumed it was coyote.
Buffalo1's Link
Ed is spot on with description. See link
That's a lucky find!! I think that's some of that expensive Kopi Luwak coffee chit. Brew a cup and let us know. I can't afford that chit.
Good luck with your hunt. I hope things start moving through your area.
Thanks Greg, for the latest poop on poop ! :)
Looks like deer poop.
But they will use caves. Especially when the weather is bad. When it's raining out they will go into caves.
I had one that I shot and it be lined it right for a small cave. He hid in there and I had to finish him off. But the they he went right for the cave showed me that he was very familiar with the cave and had used it in the past
Yeah, after checking the above links, I don't think I saw anything like that.
So even though I saw fairly good track sign today, should I move over a mile and grid another area?
Do javelina kinda circle through a territory? Gone today and here tomorrow or the next day, kinda thing?
They use caves for sure. I look for hair to verify use.
They live in holes too... I don't know if they actually dig the holes or take them over. You'll find several entrance/exit holes in a small area. Most often I find them bedded bunched together under trees, just like hogs. I've learned a lot about javalina recently... especially how they dodge slow arrows... Ed F
Ambush, in this weather they won't move around too much. You're best bet in these conditions is to cover some ground, look for heavy cover like mesquite thickets. In better weather they may roam around their home range, depending on available food.
That's from a Porcupine, definitely not Javelina scat.
When the weather is bad they will stay in cover usually and can be a lot harder to spot.
Look on sunny slopes in the mornings if the sun is out.
Their territories can be up to 750 acres in size so
If you walk down some dry washes you might find "pig runs" where a herd crossed perpendicular to a wash. If you follow those tracks you might find feeding evidence like shredded prickly pear or digging. If you find fresh scat in there with the feeding sign you are probably close. Get up high and scour the area with binos. Javelina are also rather loud at times so you might hear them before you see them. If you smell a skunk like odor near other sign, that is them.
Shot it in it's bed.
Shot it in it's bed.
The only javelina I've ever killed was on the King Ranch and was actually backed down into a hole just like the one shown in the photo by Bowuntr. I shot it right in the head and it exploded out of the hole with a loud scream. When it did about five other javelina exploded out of other holes all around me. Scared the crap out of me.
Good luck Rod! My limited experience says they move a fair bit out in Coues deer country. I never see a herd in the same place twice, but may be on the fringe of what they like for habitat.
No. It is not. You won't find very much scat from Javelina period, as their diet is marginal at best. The is unless you are in one of their multiple "bed room" areas within their home range.
Like Coues Whitetails, Javelina have a few square mile home range and I can attest they know just about every cactus, bush ,rock and cave in their domain. They will routinely use caves where they are present in their range and head to them frequently when being pursued or when poorly shot. Around my house, there are no caves but a small band still survives in the surrounding desert where they cover a pretty large area and visit every so often (making the rounds so to speak). Here they will hold up under thick brush cover near washes (in the shade) or I have actually had them find shelter alongside one of my A/C units which is tucked back in a quite corner of the home covered by a roof. Back when I was rather young and "Foolish" I gut shot a very large boar in an area full of huge boulders, and as I found out lots of caves. I was hunting with friends but they were a mile or so from me at the time. I followed that pig's blood trail slowly up the steep side of winding arroyo and as I came around the corner of an overhanging slab I was face to face with him (a foot or two away). No time to draw my bow as he bolted and ran up that brushy arroyo out of sight, leaving a foot of small bowel dangling on a mesquite branch. I tracked him to a small opening under a large boulder which I could see went in rather deep (at least 10 feet) seemingly opening up to a larger space the deeper you looked in. I could hear him in there with labored breathing. After trying for a while to smoke him out (all the smoke was going out a vent which was simply a split down in the boulder about 8 ft from entrance. So, I decided to head back and get a flashlight, a 22 pistol and some help. My buddies all followed me back out there and watched in disbelief as I shimmied into the cave head first holding the flashlight (gun in holster) and realized that this cave went back about twenty feet and curved to the right, opening up into a large room. The pig was out of sight back in that room laying on a rock ledge. I slowly was able to stand up in there and as I rounded the corner and saw him, he started to get up. That's when I put two quick rounds in his head. NEVER SHOOT A GUN IN A CAVE. My buddies outside were hysterical and I invited all five of them to come inside. With some more coaxing, they did and all six of us were standing in there with the dead boar. Was cool at the time but I was insane to do that. Because I had lost a number of pigs in caves before this I was simply not going to lose this one... period! But, I paid the price as I had to go to emergency room a day later since my ears were still hurting so badly. That is something I will never forget. P.S. Using a firearm during archery season is not legal today.
I was out this morning at first light, gridding an area adjacent to where I was yesterday. It was too foggy to see anything from high up. Definitely more tracks here but nothing really concentrated. Called fuve coyotes in early in the morning. Then two more came cruising by about half hour ago. I drew on the last ones, but wasn't hundred percent sure it was legal. When I let down, one saw me and came even closer yet. Lots of rabbits to.
I did also find some old pig poop.
I'm starting to think I have to find some thicker brush. It is super green in all the flat bottomed washes. Maybe living is easy and they are spread out.
It's raining now, so I'm heading home for the day.
If you had only four hours a day to hunt, this time of year, when would it be?
AmbushI I have always had my best luck finding Javis between 8 and 11 A.M. Best time to stalk them is when they are in a feeding pattern. Good Luck!
Porcupine, and they love rock caves.
"NEVER SHOOT A GUN IN A CAVE"
LOL
I always shake my head watching some shoot em up movie when they are in a small room or apartment and having a gun fight, especially big pistols. Few people have a clue as to the concussive force of those things going off close quarters in small enclosures. Actors acting like they were shooting cap guns.....
I know they aren't technically pigs, but wounded or threatened pigs know where every cave in the area is and will bay up in them. Guys lose their dogs to em sometimes as the only way at em is head on. Seems these do much the same.
Good luck Ambush..... been following along.... a hunt I'd like to do someday.
And yes, predators are legal to shoot. Get some!
This year I had an AZ resident tell me lions were considered predators..... just shoot em if you see em.... I asked him why do the regs say I have to buy a tag for them???
He said it must be a NR thing......
Mountain Lion is a Predator but in AZ it is also considered a big game animal, Res. or NR, you must have a hunting license and tag.
Rain fall record for Phoenix yesterday. Here in Carefree it rain from noon on and all night. Supposed to quit late this morning.
So if we get a bit of sun in the afternoon, it should be the time to be out?!?
I'm squeezing my hunting hours in between vacationing with my wife.
Tried out the tripod adapter with my new IPhone.
This afternoon/evening and tomorrow should be a great time to be out, more rain on Monday.
After a storm is a great time to be out, but these little guys seem to kind of take their time getting back at it after a storm, so you may not see immediate results. Is there any areas around you that have more mountains like that one in the back ground? If that mountain is somewhat remote with rocks and brush around the base I would look at it carefully. That kind of country out there in that flat around you is very difficult to glass big enough to get consistent results.
AzRich- How many animals is it you have wounded? Just reading your stuff on this thread (Very good stuff btw) leads me to believe maybe far to many? Might be time to change your shot selection, and or how you are attempting take life. JMO of course.
The pic is taken from a smaller mountain much like the one in the background. Tons of deer sign and beds.
The only way to get a few hours to hunt this afternoon may be to beg and whine, or start a fight so she doesn't want to see my face for awhile.
I have my pride.
Hmmm, how can I start the fight?
Just ask her if she's been working out. Either way she takes it just react wrong and BAM... ;-)
The ol' standby "you're not wearing that outfit are you?" will always get you lots of hunting time, lots.
pull pats cosplay picture up on a laptop wherever ur stayin and let it there for her to find. You will probably get to hunt all day tomorrow too....
Rod, tell her to call me I can work on her for you. If that does not work just go hunting and blame me for it after you return, I am use to being blamed for friends going hunting without permission.
Haha!!
Definitely some experienced hunters on Bowsite.
Ron, you're already in the crosshairs for the antelope hunts. Not sure you need more bullets coming your way.
The women made early dinner plans for today, but I think I have time for a quick scouting hike.
Elkman, I don't know... how many have you wounded in your life? How do you get off saying something like that. Prior to that one described, I lost two that went in caves, both were well hit but irretrievable. That was two too many OF COURSE. I was in my early twenties shooting a recurve and was not real experienced with hunting them yet. You are reaching too far my friend.
Looked in this rock pile today. Tracks but nothing standing in them.
Looked in this rock pile today. Tracks but nothing standing in them.
You may have to look hard, but there are two pigs nibbling less than 70 yards from my front door.
You may have to look hard, but there are two pigs nibbling less than 70 yards from my front door.
Ok, so I go for a quick scout in some hills and see nothing.
I'm in a neighbours garage, ten minutes ago, giving him a hand with some quad repairs. He says " hey look at that ". There is three adult javelina and a piglet less than fifteen feet away!!!
They rummage on through and ample off into the scrub.
Doesn't that just figure.
Now you know what they look like and how big they are get out there and shoot one.
Are you talking about me?
Rod, you are getting hot, hopefully one goes home with you! Kurt
Thanks Kurt. Are you home or close to it?
Yesterday afternoon was probably the best day out weather wise. I moved a few miles north on the recommendation of a local that hunted there several years ago.
It was a great area a far as spotting game goes. Lots of ridges to walk and washes to do track cuts.
Almost completely devoid of tracks and sign though. Wrong time of year for this spot maybe. I'm confident I pretty thoroughly covered about two square miles. Definitely more sign in the other spots I've been.
But as I was leaving my car, a fellow in a water tank truck stopped and give me a tip about a herd in an area four miles south. Big area, but it's a start.
I'm starting to think that the five percent success rate, for this hunt, may be pretty accurate.
Today is a " chauffeur the ladies around" day. Heading to Tucson for tourist stuff. Hopefully Tuesday will be a hunting day.
Thanks for all the tips and encouragement so far. If I do get one or even a stalk on some, it will definitely be a shared victory!!
Rod, keep after 'em. You'll score yet! Enjoy your Tucson area visit. I did get home late Saturday night. Bad driving conditions in NE OR, otherwise no issues. Kurt
I was out yesterday also but chasing Mule Deer. Shortly after sunrise this Rainbow showed up and hoped it would bring some luck. Not long after I glassed up three nice 4x4's chasing 6 Does and chasing off a small fork horn. After working my way down wind and into 70 yards the wind changed along with my thoughts of filling a tag. A bit more rain today but tomorrow should be another great day, hopefully.
Got out early today and the weather was good. Didn't see a pig or much sign after nearly eight hours on the boots and glasses.
Saw lots of deer. I put a good stalk on a solid 170" , 4X4 muley. But he blew out of his bed and didn't slow down. Just as well , I didn't have a tag. Saw three other bucks including a 3X3 with about 20" G2's.
About 4:30 the sky got black, the wind picked up and a cold rain came hard. I figured that was a signal to admit defeat. I'm going to leave Arizona without having seen a javelina while hunting.
Oh well, I hear they stink anyway.
Thanks all the tips. It was fun trying.
I must say, you guys here really know your sh*t! Literally!
Bummer, but sounds like it was fun. And that's not stink! It's the beautiful smell of success!
I'd love to tell ya, but I don't know $#^@
And the final slap from the cloven hoofed devils!?!?
I was dropping some family off at their condo, late afternoon, and three adult javi's come sauntering past us at fifteen feet!
They all looked smug and pretty sure one of them fingered me.
Haaa that's funny as hell!!!!
Looks like they are all city pigs in your area! Too bad, but there always is 2018! We'll give the deer a go, plus you'll see/hunt javelina outside of the town.
Sounds real good Kurt! Looking forward to it already.
Thanks for takin' us along.... really enjoyed it.
Always next time.... happens wid sharp sticks....
Enjoyed the thread. Thanks for sharing.
Ambush, A great thread! Thank you for taking us along!!
Isn't that just how it happens sometimes!!!
Mark
Thanks again everyone for going along and helping out.
It was a fun time and one I'm looking forward to repeating, but with a different ending.
A special mention and thanks to one Bowsiter that went as far as to offer to take me out and show me "his" area. I couldn't commit the time, but the offer was genuine. I won't name him out of respect for his privacy, but he is welcome to.
Also, if it works out, I have an offer from another Bowsiter that I've shared a couple of successful camps with, to go next season for javi and coues. Great guy and very successful for both species!
I have a lot of hunting in between then and now, but I'm excited about next January already!
SO different from my normal late season hunt!!