Why is javelina misspelled in the forum name? I've always wondered that.

Anyway, how many people on this forum have much experience with javelinas? Where I grew up and still do most of my hunting, javelinas are pretty much considered pests or vermin. Because we hunted boars with dogs, I'd kill any javelina I saw. Still do. They are small but vicious and aggressive pack animals that can really work over a dog. If you ever get into a pack of them you had better be very careful in how you deal with them. They really ratchet up their aggressivenes when one of the members of the pack is in danger. But their pack mentality works against them when shooting them from a distance because they generally will not run off in fear when one from the group has been shot. Several times I have shot and killed a couple, one right after the next because of their tendency to hang around and protect when in danger. If you ever walk up on a group of them in the thick brush, you'll know they are there before you ever see them, if not by smell then by sound. They make a very loud chomping sound with their razor sharp teeth grinding against each other. I contend that a pack of javelinas is possibly the most dangerous animal in north america when confronted at close distance (with exception of a grizzly) because of their sharp teeth and extremely aggressive nature when in danger. You might kill one or two but the others generally don't back down.

Anyone else had any experiences with javelinas?

I wondered about the misspelling as well, but never bothered to ask DRG about it.

I have never had any problems with them as they always seemed to be on the next pasture over, but have heard that they are very hard on dogs because they are used to taking on coyotes.

I am sending you a PM.

We have a few of them on our place and I usually leave them alone 'cause they are native to the area and I like having a few of them around. Never had a problem with them being aggressive. And hadn't heard that they are tough on dogs. But if they help with controlling the coyote population, I may look into building up the herd!

I've seen a dog catch and kill one while the others attacked the dog from behind. With a javelinas razor sharp teeth, it can get ugly in a hurry unless you have a big pack of dogs.

I shot one in a field that we were spotlighting and it appeared dead on the ground. I went up to it to step on its neck and stab it behind the shoulder to make sure it was dead. When I began to step down on the javelinas neck it suddenly came to life and sliced through the leather and sole of my boot, narrowly missing my little toe. It all happened so fast that I didn't realize what had happened until I was able to pin it down and kill it with a knife. Afterward, when I looked down at my boot I was actually worried that he might have gotten my toe until I pulled of the boot to confirm that it was still there.

Don't know how aggressive they are normaly, but if you use a squealer call, that sounds like a youn one,yo better stand by

How many of those stinky little bastards have you killed?

I've killed a few javelinas but they appear to be very territorial and thus you only run into them in spurts. For instance, we used to hog hunt on a 20,000 acre ranch and we'd run into a group of javelinas in the same strip of brush every time. We had to start avoiding this one small 100 acre piece of brush because we knew it would be teeming with javelinas. And it was like that for over 10 years.

Here's a picture I took of one last year.

I go help a friend on his ranch on ocassion and have seen several. Ihave turnde down the chance to shoot some big boars. he said I could shoot if I wanted but turned down the chance. I didn't have the money for a mount and I was more interested in the wild boars on his place. Much better eating. maybe one of these trips I'll bring one home. He wanted me to shoot it for free and some people pay good money for the chance.

I am not an expert, but for the past few years I have been hunting them during the late Spring on the Pitcock Ranch inside the boundaries of Big Bend National Park. I have killed my limit each year and shot them from 250 yards away to 3 feet away and as singles to groups of 20 or more. I have shot them with a 450 NE #2, 458 Win Mag, 375 H&H, 308, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, 41 Magnum revolver, 44 magnum revolver, 9mm Browning Hi-Power and full automatic AR-15 with South African military ball ammo. I have seen them shot with a 30-30, 45-70, 22 hornet, arrows, 357 magnum, 22 LR, 30 carbine and even caught and seen 2 other young one caught by hand. My favorite javelina rifle is a Springfield 1945 M-1 rifle in 30-06. I just love the eight shots and the sound of the clip being ejected, plus it can take the rough treatment and dust of West Texas.

I have never felt in danger to the same degree as my encounter with a sow grizzly and cubs, although javelina have attempted to make their escape through my peremiter all the while I and my buddies were blazing way at them as they came to and away from our shooting positions. If you really want some fun, catch a young one and watch the rest of the herd try to come to his rescue. That will heat the barrel of your 9mm.

Perry

I was mule deer hunting on a ranch near Kent, Texas years ago. I was creeping through lava beds and spotted a coyote focused on something. In trying to get a shot on him, I ended up walking into a herd of about a dozen javelina. I climbed up on the rocks and started shooting with my 25.06. I killed nine of them. Just about every hunter in our group showed up by the time it was all over. They thought I had every mule deer in the world hemmed up. I was just sitting there out of ammo.

The rancher lady had asked us to kill all the javelina we saw. Back then she also asked us to kill an aoudad if we killed a buck.

The aoudad had wandered off Clayton Williams's place and she didn't like them. The "free" aoudad only lasted about five years. I blame the Denver Broncos for ending that good deal. Some of the Broncos were bow hunting on her place and told her she could probably get $1,000 for the rams. The aoudad hunting ended for us the next year.

They're fun if you only have few but if they get prolific they can be a real pain.

I hunt javalina nearly every year. I usually hunt them with a .357 Magnum handgun. I've killed them at 7 yards all the way out to 250 (using a 22-250). They are very fun to hunt. And you're right, when they're in a group things can get very exciting very fast.

If you want to read a funny story about hunting javelinas see Elmer Keith's "Sixguns".

i guided and hunted a lot of javelinas collred and lipped yes they are very dangerous and i know at least 3 dogos killed by them .juan

In case anyone's interested, there's a good website http://www.JavelinaHunter.com

There's a link on the home page called "Javelina University" and it has 700 web pages filled with info on Javelina and how to hunt them. Someone has too much time on his hands...

I haven't hunted Javelina yet, so I'd appreciate any insights about whether your experiences match the advice given on the site.

Hunter308

I'm about as afraid of Javilena as I am arnadillas. I don't hunt them with dogs or torture their babies. That might make a difference. When I get really board, I'll try to stalk them down a sendero, when they are eating at a feeder. I'll try for a large striped brown one(baby), to give to a friend to eat. I'm not much into game slaughter either. Just my $.02, capt david

There is still a limit of 2 javelinas per year in Texas......

Bob