83Yota
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- Feb 12, 2007
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Hit the 2010 Javelina Rifle season back in February, headed up a few days early to scout. So here it is the day before the opening of the season. It's pressure time, we need to locate some Javelina or find a good area with plenty of sign. So at first light we head up in elevation, to see if we can see anything moving. Glass a few spots off the edge of the mesa’s, but we mostly road scout till about noon, just looking for any sign. When we see a little sign we would walk a little to see if it’s just hit & miss or if there is a good number of Javelina feeding in the area. Up till noon we do not see much, most of which is old, it is just really dry and a lot of the prickly pear is discolored or dying. We started to wonder if this is why we were not seeing much sign of prickly pear eaten. So we head back to camp to eat a little lunch and see if our other buddy had made it to camp yet, no show yet. So after hanging around camp a little longer we decide to head down a little in elevation and hit another area.
As we work our way back in to a basin we start to see some fresh sign, tracks through a few washes, prickly pear stripped and rooting around the base of the prickly pear. It looks to be maybe a handful of Javelina in the group, but finally some fresh sign. We hang in the area for an hour or so and glass the surrounding hills before deciding to head back to camp, pick up our buddy and head back over to this area to glass till dark and see if we can locate the herd before opening morning. So we do just that make the trek back to camp, after we arrive back near the basin we park the quads a way out and walk in to the area. Then we get ourselves perched up on some rocks for a better glassing position and glass till dark, but the Javelina do not show. Back to camp we roll, while cooking dinner & over cocktails we start to talk about the game plan for Friday mornings hunt. It is decided that we will make an early morning run in the dark some 25 miles across one of the <st1:city w:st=" border=" 0="" alt="">Mesa</st1:city>’s over to an area that my buddy says he has never seen anyone out that way and there has always been great sign and Javelina.
Well, I forgot to mention that we had some alarm clock issues the morning before, it either did not go off or we did not hear it. So as a back up I set my alarm clock as well and of course wouldn’t you know it. He’s did not go off and mine did, but about an hour later then we wanted it to. So out of bed we jump, scramble into our cloths, grab our gear and on the road we go in high gear with a race against the sun. After the intense 25 mile frost bitten drag race across the <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mesa</st1:city></st1lace> we arrive just a little after sun up. Ditch the quads and on the packs go, with a quick jaunt to a rock outcropping to man our stations, we begin to glass the edges of the <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mesa</st1:city></st1lace> down to the washes. We glass for a little more then an hour and decide to move down off the mesa a little and get a different angle on things. Well as luck would have it that is all we needed, not but 20 minutes into glassing and a group of Javelina are spotted a little more then half a mile away coming up out of a wash. We hang and watch the group for a while to determine what direction they are moving and work on a plan. There looks to be about 8 to 10 in the group so we decide to all pack up and start the long near vertical stalk down.
With a group of Javelina this large we were all confident each would take one out of the same group. We slowly step by step make progress down off the <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mesa</st1:city></st1lace>, each taking turns keeping an eye on the group as well descend. The timing on everything during this stalk was perfect. Just as we made it down to an old pump house (or something) that sat just above the wash the Javelina came out of, they rolled the ridgeline of the facing hill, still some 600 yards out. This gave us a chance to shed some clothing and lighten our loads.
So down into the wash we drop and ever so slowly we make our way up the other side. Checking the wind every few minutes to insure it is in our favor. As we near the top of the ridge my buddy motions me to take point. Being the great guys these two are they wanted to insure I had the first opportunity. We close another 50 yards, and the wind changes on us, forcing us to backtrack and swing downhill a little. As we come around, I spot six Javelina on the hillside right across from us, I range them at 117 yards. Thinking that we are catching the tail end of the group, I wave us forward another 20 yards or so.
Now we had already talked prior that if the opportunity presented itself for us all to shot at once then we would do the old “Lethal Weapon” 1, 2, 3. I know you ask yourself, is it on three or after three??? So we each pick out a Javelina, and the count down begins. Then the chaos begins, my Javelina is there, then not, then behind a cactus, OK, no WAIT, OK I got him. All this with mine then, my buddies two are swip swappin spots, got him, no pick up the one on the right, no wait I got him now, OK, WAIT, nope now pick him up on the left, wait right. OK, 1, 2, BOOM, and we are off to the races!! I hear “one down” and a “S%#T” and then my “F&%K”, as I am chambering another round and pick up mine running down hill. My 7mag barks off another round but am just behind him, chamber again, and hear my other buddy yell his is heading up the other side, POP POP, he drops his. Then my Javelina pauses for a moment at the bottom and turns broadside before heading up the opposite side. The 7mag barks off another round and the instant sound of the impact is heard, and my Javelina drops and rolls back to the bottom of the ravine. Guess we were not at the tail end of the group but yet right in the middle, after shooting, the place came alive with Javelina. All in all we end up counting some 20 Javelina in this group, was it one or two groups, who knows. Also note to self, remember to range again after you close another 20 to 30 yards. I ended up over shooting mine twice, because we ended up being at an estimated 70 or 80 yards from the Javelina and I was aiming like we were still at 117.
So I start to make my way down to the bottom of the ravine where my Javelina lays some 100 yards down. I get about half way down and there are still Javelina hanging out in the thick stuff at the bottom of the ravine. I end up having to throw rocks at a few that were giving me the stare down at 30 yards, so I could get to mine downed Javelina. Finally they all start breaking out of the brush, and proceed to watch about six climb up and out of the ravine. There were three that were picking up the rear that were brutes, they sounded like cattle on a stampede. Wish I could have held out for one of them, but that is what next year is for. Now I finally get over to my Javelina and she is a good size for my first. As I toss her over my shoulders, I guess her to be in the 45 to 50lb. class and in the 4 to 6 year range. One canine was shorter then the others and she had plenty of wear as well a few teeth missing.
All in all , it was a great trip and one of the best DIY hunts I have had in a long time. Just waiting for a call from the taxi telling me it's down.
As we work our way back in to a basin we start to see some fresh sign, tracks through a few washes, prickly pear stripped and rooting around the base of the prickly pear. It looks to be maybe a handful of Javelina in the group, but finally some fresh sign. We hang in the area for an hour or so and glass the surrounding hills before deciding to head back to camp, pick up our buddy and head back over to this area to glass till dark and see if we can locate the herd before opening morning. So we do just that make the trek back to camp, after we arrive back near the basin we park the quads a way out and walk in to the area. Then we get ourselves perched up on some rocks for a better glassing position and glass till dark, but the Javelina do not show. Back to camp we roll, while cooking dinner & over cocktails we start to talk about the game plan for Friday mornings hunt. It is decided that we will make an early morning run in the dark some 25 miles across one of the <st1:city w:st=" border=" 0="" alt="">Mesa</st1:city>’s over to an area that my buddy says he has never seen anyone out that way and there has always been great sign and Javelina.
Well, I forgot to mention that we had some alarm clock issues the morning before, it either did not go off or we did not hear it. So as a back up I set my alarm clock as well and of course wouldn’t you know it. He’s did not go off and mine did, but about an hour later then we wanted it to. So out of bed we jump, scramble into our cloths, grab our gear and on the road we go in high gear with a race against the sun. After the intense 25 mile frost bitten drag race across the <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mesa</st1:city></st1lace> we arrive just a little after sun up. Ditch the quads and on the packs go, with a quick jaunt to a rock outcropping to man our stations, we begin to glass the edges of the <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mesa</st1:city></st1lace> down to the washes. We glass for a little more then an hour and decide to move down off the mesa a little and get a different angle on things. Well as luck would have it that is all we needed, not but 20 minutes into glassing and a group of Javelina are spotted a little more then half a mile away coming up out of a wash. We hang and watch the group for a while to determine what direction they are moving and work on a plan. There looks to be about 8 to 10 in the group so we decide to all pack up and start the long near vertical stalk down. With a group of Javelina this large we were all confident each would take one out of the same group. We slowly step by step make progress down off the <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mesa</st1:city></st1lace>, each taking turns keeping an eye on the group as well descend. The timing on everything during this stalk was perfect. Just as we made it down to an old pump house (or something) that sat just above the wash the Javelina came out of, they rolled the ridgeline of the facing hill, still some 600 yards out. This gave us a chance to shed some clothing and lighten our loads. So down into the wash we drop and ever so slowly we make our way up the other side. Checking the wind every few minutes to insure it is in our favor. As we near the top of the ridge my buddy motions me to take point. Being the great guys these two are they wanted to insure I had the first opportunity. We close another 50 yards, and the wind changes on us, forcing us to backtrack and swing downhill a little. As we come around, I spot six Javelina on the hillside right across from us, I range them at 117 yards. Thinking that we are catching the tail end of the group, I wave us forward another 20 yards or so.
Now we had already talked prior that if the opportunity presented itself for us all to shot at once then we would do the old “Lethal Weapon” 1, 2, 3. I know you ask yourself, is it on three or after three??? So we each pick out a Javelina, and the count down begins. Then the chaos begins, my Javelina is there, then not, then behind a cactus, OK, no WAIT, OK I got him. All this with mine then, my buddies two are swip swappin spots, got him, no pick up the one on the right, no wait I got him now, OK, WAIT, nope now pick him up on the left, wait right. OK, 1, 2, BOOM, and we are off to the races!! I hear “one down” and a “S%#T” and then my “F&%K”, as I am chambering another round and pick up mine running down hill. My 7mag barks off another round but am just behind him, chamber again, and hear my other buddy yell his is heading up the other side, POP POP, he drops his. Then my Javelina pauses for a moment at the bottom and turns broadside before heading up the opposite side. The 7mag barks off another round and the instant sound of the impact is heard, and my Javelina drops and rolls back to the bottom of the ravine. Guess we were not at the tail end of the group but yet right in the middle, after shooting, the place came alive with Javelina. All in all we end up counting some 20 Javelina in this group, was it one or two groups, who knows. Also note to self, remember to range again after you close another 20 to 30 yards. I ended up over shooting mine twice, because we ended up being at an estimated 70 or 80 yards from the Javelina and I was aiming like we were still at 117.
So I start to make my way down to the bottom of the ravine where my Javelina lays some 100 yards down. I get about half way down and there are still Javelina hanging out in the thick stuff at the bottom of the ravine. I end up having to throw rocks at a few that were giving me the stare down at 30 yards, so I could get to mine downed Javelina. Finally they all start breaking out of the brush, and proceed to watch about six climb up and out of the ravine. There were three that were picking up the rear that were brutes, they sounded like cattle on a stampede. Wish I could have held out for one of them, but that is what next year is for. Now I finally get over to my Javelina and she is a good size for my first. As I toss her over my shoulders, I guess her to be in the 45 to 50lb. class and in the 4 to 6 year range. One canine was shorter then the others and she had plenty of wear as well a few teeth missing.
All in all , it was a great trip and one of the best DIY hunts I have had in a long time. Just waiting for a call from the taxi telling me it's down.
