Javelina season was upon us once again. The thoughts of stalking the crafty
gray ghosts of the desert were beckoning me to get away from work, leave the
chores at home, and seek the enjoyment of the great outdoors. This year I
would attempt to put javelina steaks in the freezer using my bow during
archery season.
I scored my first archery season (1995) after a seven-day hunt with my brother.
In hunts prior to that I had a couple of successful seasons of handgun hunting
so I thought I would give archery a try. It seemed easy enough to get within
handgun range; I figured what are a few more yards. The little buggers would
soon teach me what a few more yards meant. In seasons since, I have come to
realize that the first archery season success may have been more beginners luck
than skill.
I love the archery and H.A.M. seasons. There is a lot less pressure on the
javelina and you get a chance to sharpen your hunting skills. Granted javelina
do not have good eyesight but you still need to practice checking the wind and
practicing patience. I try to get within at least 20 yards, so stealth, covering
your scent, and anticipating your quarry’s next move is part of the challenge and
the fun.
Opening morning this year was cool and crisp. It was 22 degrees in camp and we
were eager to get started. A little walk would be the thing we needed to warm
us up. By 9:00AM Rick had spotted a herd.
Via radio communication I told Rick to make his stalk and I would catch up to him.
A few minutes later I was a couple of hundred yards above Rick on a side hill so
I could see all the action. He was making his stalk on a javelina about 75 yards
ahead of him on the end of a ridge. Unbeknownst to him the remainder of the herd
was just over a rise about 30 yards from him. He had turned his radio off to make
the stalk so I could not indicate to him the situation that I could see from my
vantage point.
They caught his scent and they were off to the races. They were taking to the brush
in a hurry and I could not get into position to cut them off. Bummer . . . Hunting
javelina in the brush with a bow was not what I had in mind for today. I could see
this was going to be a test of nerves. Who had more patience the pigs or us? I was
betting on the pigs.
After waiting for about an hour I began a slow stalk through the brush that I had
seen the majority of the javelina go into but did not come out of as far as I knew.
I managed to make a lot of noise and kick out nothing. I figured they must have
snookered me and sneaked out of the area, but I also know how the little buggers can
hold tight so thought I would get up high and wait them out. I was hedging my bet
that they were still in there.
Rick and I got up on a knoll overlooking the area and began to glass for the pigs.
Lunch came and gone and the pigs were winning the patience game.
About 1:00, we spotted a couple of hunters and watched them walk through the same area
that I thought the pigs were in. They did not kick out anything either. They circled
around the area and moved off after spotting us.About 2:00, persistence paid off and we
spotted a single pig come out of the woodwork. We watched it for several minutes and
decided to try for it. It went over a saddle between two hills and disappeared into
some more heavy stuff. Snookered again!
We walked back to the side hill we were originally glassing from and sat down to glass
some more. Surely there had to be more pigs in there than just one. I had seen at least
seven go in there earlier this morning. Patience, I kept telling myself, let the sun get
a little lower in the sky then they’ll come out to play. It was in the mid seventies that
afternoon so I guessed they were still held up in the cool dark underbrush.
At about 3:30 in the afternoon my suspicions proved true. We spotted four javelina
moving out through the brush. I knew they were in there! We started our stalk after
them and went to the spot were we had last seen them. Again we lost them in the cover.
We moved slowly and as quietly as possible between open spots in the brush.
At about 4:00 I spotted two others about 100 yards ahead of us heading in our direction.
There was a small knoll that they were heading toward. I was not sure which side they
were going to go around it on, so I motioned to Rick to circle around the backside.
I got into position giving myself a couple of shooting lanes through the bush and waited
them out.
Bingo! I spotted them in the bush slowly working toward me at about 30 yards. They
were following a trail on the side hill, which would put them broadside to me at about
20 yards. Unfortunately the only opening in the brush there was about the size of a
pig. It would be a tough shot and that was if they were kind enough to step into it.
I drew my bow, put my sights in the opening and waited for them to cover the remaining
10 yards. Yes! The lead pig was going to walk into the opening. The rest would be up
to me.
When it crossed my sight pin, I let drive. The pig flew out of there like a shot. It
ran around me crashing through the brush. I stood still looking for the second pig but
could not spot it. A minute later Rick crested the little knoll after hearing my shot.
I signaled him that there was still a pig below him.
Another minute, a couple of steps by Rick, and the pig lost its patience. It busted out
of there as fast as it could go. It was only a few yards behind the one I shot and froze
solid when it’s buddy took out of there. I didn’t see it until it moved. They don’t
call them the gray ghosts of the desert for nothing.
With the second pig gone I went to look for a blood trail. I went to where I shot the
pig and did not see any. Did I miss? I didn’t think so but a small doubt started to
creep into my mind. I followed his tracks through the bush and found blood after about
15 yards. Rick had stayed behind to look for my arrow. He pulled it out of the bush,
behind where the pig was standing when I took the shot, and it was covered with blood.
Now I was excited and started to follow the blood trail. I went about 60 yards further
and could hear a pig wheezing and coughing. It was close and I realized in my excitement
that I did not give the animal enough time to lay down before pursuit. If it heard me
and took off I may never find it. It started coughing again and this time I was able to
pinpoint it. It was only about 10 yards in front of me in a little pit. I watched him
take his last breath and was relieved that it was over.
Rick came over and we took some pictures. In the middle of picture taking I spotted three
pigs across the creek and Rick was on the move.
He was about 30 yards below me in the creek crawling through brush when he came face to
face with two javelina. He was surprised that they were that close to us since we were
talking a few moments earlier just above them. If he would have had an arrow nocked he
said he could have had a shot. Needless to say they did not stick around to give him a
chance to nock one. He continued his pursuit of the other three but lost them in the
brush. I finished cleaning up my pig and started packing it out toward camp.
The next day we spotted singles and doubles and tried to get Rick in on them. There was
no wind and the pigs were a little skittish from the day before so we were unsuccessful
at getting Rick a shot. Another friend would be coming out next weekend so we would give
it a try then.
Next Saturday came and Mike joined Rick and I to try his luck at those rascally
javelina. It was mid morning and we were not having any success finding them. Rick
and Mike decided to head over to the area where I had shot mine the weekend before
and I decided to head in the opposite direction to see if I could find any sign.
I positioned myself on a knoll and began to glass. I glassed for about an hour
without seeing any movement other than a coyote. I turned around to glass behind
me in the direction from which I had come the hour before, just for giggles. I
spotted a pig going over a rise about 200 yards behind me.I got on the radio and
told Rick and Mike that I had seen one and was going to move to where I seen it go
over the hill in hopes of being able to keep an eye on it. In the mean time they
were going to go to a hill I had been in position on early in the morning.
There was only a slight breeze this morning so it was very noisy. I crested the
hill where I saw the pig earlier and ran smack into about three pigs grazing on
cactus about 40 yards in front of me. I was in too close to risk backing out or
using my radio to contact Rick and Mike.
I could see Rick and Mike on a hill about 500 yards in front of me and knew they
were looking for me. After several minutes a gust of wind came through and I
used it my advantage to get on the radio. I told them I was just across from
them and down the ridge a ways. I stood up and they spotted the pigs and me.
Unbeknownst to me there were more javelina in the herd just over a little ridge
from the three I was watching. Mike and Rick got into position and waited for
the herd to come. I stayed back with the three I was watching until they crested
the ridge moving to the rest of the herd. It was up to Rick and Mike now so I sat
quietly and listened.
After about 15 minutes I heard an arrow slap something. I saw one pig come running
up the creek past me. A minute later I heard another shot that sounded like it
connected. Then another and pigs were running everywhere. I had one come by me
at about 15 yards.
I walked over the ridge where the pigs came from and found Mike. He said they were
in position waiting for the pigs when a coyote crested the ridge and came down into
the herd. Mike took a shot before the herd was aware of the coyote and missed.
That was the first arrow I heard.
Mike said then the big bore in the herd started chasing the coyote to drive him away.
He drove the coyote right at Rick and the coyote turned 90 degrees upon seeing Rick
and went over the ridge from whence he came. Rick said the boar stopped right in
front of him at about 25 yards and gave him a broadside shot.
The arrow found its mark and the pig went about 150 yards before falling over dead.
In the meantime Mike had taken another shot and missed. After the third shot the
pigs scattered. Rick said he needed to find that coyote and thank him for bringing
that pig to him. He said if that hadn't happened the pigs were too far away from him
to get a shot and they were moving away from him as well.
We hunted the rest of Saturday and Sunday trying to find the pigs for Mike but were
unsuccessful. He was not complaining though because he got shots and had a lot of
fun. As with any hunt it is the hunt itself and the comradery that are most cherished.
Taking home some meat is icing on the cake.
