Info on Arizona Javelina Needed

[kodiakoutdoors]

If anyone can help me out with information on some good places to try Javelina hunting in Arizona I would greatly appreciate it. My first bow kill was a Javelina at the San Carlos Indian Reservation years and years ago, but I've heard that the hunting there isn't what it used to be. My son recently started shooting a bow and I want to get him out there and experience what I did. There seems to be plenty of left over tags for the 2012 archery only spring hunt. He's only 12, but he's chomping at the bit! Thanks in advance for any info. The shorter the drive from So Cal the better.

 

[dustin ray]

37b is good

 

[steve45]

34a is good

 

[kodiakoutdoors]

Thank you Dustin and Steve!

 

[New Hunter]

we have a discussion about Javelina Hunt here as well. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/showthread.php/236107-Accidental-Swine

 

[kodiakoutdoors]

Thanks new hunter! Very entertaining thread.

 

[kodiakoutdoors]

Well now that archery javelina season has ended I may as well end my adventure also. I took my son out to AZ the opening week and we hiked and glassed for 5 days. The weather was freezing literally. One morning it was 7 degrees and anything liquid was frozen. We were tent camping and it was brutal. Luckily my 11 year old is a trooper and we kept plugging along. On day 2 we found a small group of 4 javelina and he missed twice. It was heartbreaking to watch, but you live and learn. After all it is archery! After 5 days of glassing and hiking those were the only 4 we had seen. Packed it up and headed home to get him back in time to start school on Monday.

I can't seem to get these things off my mind so I decided to make a last minute back out to AZ for a few days before the season ended. Hit all the same spots and was coming up empty after 2.5 days of hiking and glassing. I figured I'd give it one last go on my last afternoon. I parked the truck and hit the hills on foot again. Hiked to the top of a ridge to glass and saw nothing. Decided to make a loop and head back to the truck. It was starting to get dark. On the way down I come around a juniper tree and about 70 yards below were 2 pigs. I watched and began to think of a plan when I start seeing more pigs. There were about a dozen or so in the herd. I do a slow stalk, luckily the wind was right, and I get to within 20 yards. I let my arrow go and it hits the mark. It's pretty steep rocky terrain and I can hear the pig run down and pile up below me. I found him after about 20 minutes of searching. The crazy thing was I'd walked past him about 3 times. He was laying in a pile of rocks in the open. Perfectly camouflaged! He was about 30 yards from where I shot him.

It was pretty dark by then I snapped a quick and then dragged him back to the truck. I cleaned him up in camp and left his carcass in a wash for the predators to enjoy. It was good trip, but I sure wish my son could've been there. Maybe next time, but right now school comes first!

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Congrats...I ate my tag.