Ive killed a lot of Texas hogs, consider them vermin, and don't particularly care to hunt them.

I have hunted the Javalina from a very young age on our family ranch in far SW Texas, shot them for my dad for 25 cents apiece and bought my first rifle (that I paid for)..I still love to hunt Javalina, love the sound of popping teeth, and have them run all around me and between my legs..I hunt them along with deer every year, I eat the very young Javalina bar b qued and they are great. Ive used a 22, on up to a 375 on them, about any caliber works..My dogs hated them with a passion and killed some of them and the Javalina killed a couple of dogs. When I hear of Javalina attacking a man, I write it off as BS, I know of no one personally that was bit by a Javalina. and if you check out those stories it never happened...

What a Javalina will do is charge you sometimes because he is blind as a bat, and comes your way with those teeth popping, and its unnerving to a newbie Javalina hunter, but they run right by you.

My near death experience with a Javalina was checking a coyote trap in a sandy trail about one foot wide with the horrible Tasahea cactus tight on both sides of the trail, about half way down the trail to the trap I heard the chain drag rattling, teeth popping and here came the Javalina right at me at about two feet I jumped up into the tassahea and allowed piggy passage, I got about 300 of those needle 3 inch spines in my body and spent two days in the hospital in severe pain, so a Javalina can be dangerous if you just let him!

BTW, they are death and destruction on rattle snakes, so don't kill them all. Today in Texas they have a 6 month season and two is a limit in some places Im told.

Today a Javalina hunt is normally a day hunt for $50 to $100 per day, most are shot during deer hunts at no charge, but even that's changing these days. If I wanted to hunt them I would simply drive to Marathon or Sanderson, Texas and drive out to the ranches and ask permission to hunt Javalina and asked how much would it cost..you might get a big surprise, the rancher might even say jump in my pickup and I'll show you one, may or may not charge you if you get lucky..

Quite the game animal and fun to hunt IMO..Much more fun than varmint hunting IMO.

Shot one with a bow once upon a time - unfortunately, I happened to be standing on the trail he decided to use to depart. No place to go but up. My two witnesses credited me with inventing "javalina hurdling" - once they could quit laughing...

quote:

Today a Javalina hunt is normally a day hunt for $50 to $100 per day

I think if you will check, Javelina hunts have gone up in price. I stopped doing my hunts in 2011, and I was getting $500.00 to $750.00 per person for a 3 day Guided hunt.

I can no longer do the guided hunts, but if I could find a hunt for $50.00 or $100.00 a day, I would not have missed the past 6 years.

I will always believe that javelina are the perfect First Game animal for any hunter.

I shot my first Javelina last December while hunting mule deer. I was in the middle of a bunch of them. Shot this one at about 20 feet with a 308.

Looks to be a good one

good on ya!

Great pix.

What did you do with head, carcass, pelt, meat.

When ya' get time or the inclination, details of your hunt please!

Luv to hear them!

ya!

GWB

Like I say, and I killed my first Javelina in 1990, and they are, to me, hands down the most fun animal to actually get out and hunt.

During the time I was offering the Guided Hunts for them, I had the privilege to watch archers put on stalks and put an arrow into one.

I watched a 12 or 13 year old girl sneak into 20 maybe 25 yards and shoot one with a .44 Magnum revolver.

Of all the game I have hunted, the most fun I have ever had is chasing these little characters.

For those who have shot javelina, have you ever carried your prize out of the canyon on your shoulder? Then gut,skin and quarter it and put it on ice, only to have the ice melt before you got back home? Then met your new inlaws smelling like a rotten Javi?
My wife was very clear that either my prize or me had to go. So I bagged and into the garbage container it went. Tossed out the clothes too!
I have never hunted them since.

PS The hunting camp was down on the Pecos River, 40 miles of dirt road and 4 gates (big ranches there) to pavement. Then a two day drive back to Dallas? A week in the country that I will never forget or ever repeat.

quote:

Originally posted by Geedubya:
Looks to be a good one

good on ya!

Great pix.

What did you do with head, carcass, pelt, meat.

When ya' get time or the inclination, details of your hunt please!

Luv to hear them!

ya!

GWB

I was hunting out by the Davis Mountains with a guide. The ranch was awesome. It was 100,000 acres.





I was using the Tikka T3X I purchased last summer with 150 Ballistic Tips. Shot an old fat mule deer at 150 yards off sticks. The Javelina was 20 feet freehand. Heck of a shot .



I'm almost done eating the mule deer but the Javelina stunk and I couldn't get over the scent nipple so I didn't keep the meat. I am getting a shoulder mount on the Javelina.

I also shot a porker as he was jumping through a fence at about 35 yards. I hit him mid air and he landed exactly like the picture below. I couldn't have posed him any better. Just laid my rifle next to him.



The 150 BT puts them down.

Yes Sir, I did it several times. I have skinned and gutted half a dozen Javelina in one afternoon, more than once.

I have quartered Javelina and taken the back straps and sliced them and cooked them and barely got any to eat myself on many occasions.

Do they stink, YES! Are they covered in fleas, YES! Are they fun to hunt, YES! Are they edible, YES!!!!

I'm from South Dakota and thinking about hunting Texas again in January. My javelina mount needs to be replaced. Any places to hunt for one and dessert quail with my dog for a couple days?

I enjoy hunting Javelina. My first "big game" animal was a Javelina. I've shot them with .30-06, .338 Win Mag, .300 Win Mag, 7mm Mag, .50 Cal Muzzleloader...and I'm sure I am forgetting more...

The Muzzleloader hunt was probably one of my favorite...it was spot and stalk in 40 degree weather and high winds...the collared peccary was heading toward a water hole when it came across my flamin' hot fritos...

If I remember right it was 100gr of 777 and a Hornady XTP bullet.



Archery equipment is about perfect for these critters. It is pretty simple to get close. I've never been attacked by them but have heard them pop their teeth. Usually end up taking one while looking for wild boar...I'd feel okay hunting them with .223 or .243. No need for the larger calibers on them.

Can't post my photos on here from my phone, I'll try to share my Javelina pictures when I get to work in the morning

Scott-Good to see you posting!!!

That had to be quite the memorable hunt. I really like the looks of the javelina. Thanks for sharing...

Scott, when one takes deer, hog and a jave' in one hunt, that sounds like a ball to me.

That is some big country out there.

By any chance did you take any more pix of the ranch?

Would luv to see them,

ya!

GWB

Really great post and pictures Scott.

When I was doing my Javelina hunts, lots of my clients asked me about the Musk Gland.

The trick to it, and it isn't really a trick as much as it is understanding the anatomy of the animal, is that the Musk Gland is contained in the tissues connected to the hide and isn't within the body cavity likes a skunk's is.

The first thing is to simply not touch or mess with that gland. They do not/cannot "Spray" like a skunk does, the musk leaks out like tears. The animals use it to mark each other, and evidently each animals smell is unique enough that groups can distinguish between members of their group and animals that aren't.

Back to my explanation, when we would return to camp, I would hang the animal's head down and then make the cuts down the inside of the back legs, around the bung hole, down the belly and inside the front legs and then slip the hide off like any other critter, just never touching the scent gland.

Once the hide was off and the guts out I quartered the carcass, pulled the back straps and placed them in water. I fed quite a few hunters fresh cooked backstrap medallions from javelina, the last time was about 4 years back.

We had some deer hunters from Detroit down hunting here in Archer and Young counties and one of them shot a javelina on the Archer county property. When we got back to the cabin I dressed it and that night I cooked the medallions, and I ended up getting two of them!

With the exception of myself and Lora, No One in the group and there were 8 of us, had ever eaten Javelina. It is a dry, white meat, not all that different in taste or texture from feral hogs, just a little drier.

Not trying to change anyone's mind, just passing along a little information that might get folks to try javelina one time, because when the meat is handled and cooked properly, the meat really is good.

Crazy H,
My first javelin meal was on the Raymondville ranch of a college buddy. We had not shot the animal, but his mom had it in the freezer. She prepared it with some type of sauce and it was delicious! Different, but delicious.
While staying a few days, we had blood soup (black as can be), and some of the best Rio Grande valley cooking imaginable. Home made everything from tamales to tortillas.

It is somewhat different, but not in a bad way.

The one concept I have noticed many times and not just with Javelina, is a preconception of what something strange will taste, usually based upon rumors.

No Javelina will not replace elk or deer backstrap, but it isn't bad either.

Regardless of culinary aspects, Javelina to me at least is a damn fun critter to hunt.

quote:

Today in Texas they have a 6 month season and two is a limit in some places Im told.

Just an update, but for the past few years Texas Parks and Wildlife regulations for Javelina are:

No Open Season in 161 counties.

In 43 counties the season is from Oct. 1 until Feb. 26, bag limit of 2 Javelina.

In 50 counties the season is from Sept. 1 until Aug. 31, bag limit of 2 Javelina.

Odd thing is, Javelina are considered Game Animals in Texas, but there are no tags on the license for them.

Anyone know when So Photobucket decided it needed $400 a year to share links to 3rd party sites?

I have not tried posting anything from Photobucket in quite a while so I had not heard of that.

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:
Anyone know when So Photobucket decided it needed $400 a year to share links to 3rd party sites?

Flickr seems to be a much better operation. I used PB for a long time but have recently migrated to the more reliable service.

I had been reading little comments about photobucket on AR but had not paid attention till now, they went totally to shit.

Didn't mean to sidetrack the thread. I just didn't understand why the pics disappeared.

CH,

Back to skinning a javelina, GOD bless you because I don't think I've seen anything so stinky, flea covered and oily. It will make a cool mount but I was glad to have a guide do it for me.

Not all that much or that bad of a sidetrack.

Because it was something that I was unaware of the changes on photobucket.

I think the most Javelina I skinned in one afternoon was 9. My clients were asking me about the smell and the fleas. The smell never really bothered me since I never messed with the musk gland.

As for the fleas they would crawl around a bit, figure I didn't smell sweet enough and would jump off.

Scott-I use photo bucket, and I have heard nothing like that. I am guessing you got a spam/phishing from a spoofed address pretending to be PB. I used it today, and I pay nothing in fees.

photo bucket test...here's a photo i snapped yesterday evening

Bobby, I don't know what level of service you have, but Lora and I hadn't used Photobucket in several months, and I was on their site and our albums are no longer there.

The only pictures of ours that were on there were 4 I posted back in September 2016. Everything else was gone, luckily I think all of them are in a file on my computer.

But the whole site is really pushing fees for service.

A while back they had a temporary issue where it looked like complete albums disappeared. They noted there were a few accounts that didn't get brought back in the server change. Mine was one of those. But I contacted them, and in hours, everything was back. Drop them a line if yours have not returned to your account. I have not had any contact from them asking for membership fees.

This is from their terms of service banner on their website. Only the p500 plan allows links to be shared to 3rd part sites which is my my images direct me to their P500 plan.


Types of Accounts, Pricing and Limits

Visiting : There is no cost to visit the Site or to register as a Member.
Free account : Each individual Member gets one free account that provides 2 GB of free storage or space available for your original photo files, or videos under 10min. The free account does not allow any image linking or 3rd party image hosting. If a free account Member exceeds their Content Limit, their account will be immediately suspended and they will need to become a “Paying Member” (defined below) in order to continue accessing their account. You can upgrade to a Plus account at any time.
Ad-free Account : The Ad-free Account offers Members the ability to use the Site without seeing any third party banner advertisements when logged into your Ad-free Account (note, viewers of your images within Photobucket will see ads unless they, too, have Plus accounts and you will continue to see Photobucket offers and announcements). This account level is available for $2.49 / month, payable by the Member on a monthly recurring basis.
Plus Account : The Plus Account offers several paid options that may give the Paying Member more storage, bandwidth, 3rd party image hosting, image linking and/or other services as outlined below. Once and during such period of time in which you subscribe to and pay for a Plus Account, we will consider you a "Paying Member." Please note that all Plus Account subscriptions are billed annually at the commencement of the service. Photobucket may also offer a monthly billing option for its Plus Accounts (see terms and restrictions, below).
Available Plus Account Plans : Photobucket offers the following Plus Account Plans:
o Plus 50 Plan: 52 GB of Storage for $59.99 / Year. The Plus 50 Plan does not allow any image linking or 3rd party image hosting.

o Plus 100 Plan: 50 GB of Storage for $99.99 / Year. The Plus 100 Plan allows for unlimited image linking but does not allow 3rd party image hosting.

o Plus 500 Plan: 500 GB of Storage and unlimited bandwidth for $399.99 / Year. The Plus 500 Plan allows for unlimited image linking and unlimited 3rd party image hosting



Read more: http://photobucket.com/terms#ixzz4lO7mK82q

That is the same information I found when I went to photobucket's home site.

If there wasn't something to it, where did Scott's pictures go?

There has been a discussion started in the African Hunting topic area on this subject.

Well something is very odd concerning Photobucket and their photo sharing policies!

I just went to PB and do see all the things you guys mention. My account says I have used 9 percent of my allowed storage capacity. I don't pay any fees, though. I wonder if they grandfathered old accounts and are doing this for newer accounts?

Scott, how long have you had your PB account?

If it comes down to charging for it, I will do without because there is no way I'll pay 400 a year to share my own pictures -- and even if I could afford it, I wouldn't do so!

This is going to be interesting...

Been there since 2009 and only used 12% of free memory.

Imgur.



Okie John

Bobby when I checked the other night, Lora and I had used 1%, but even our old album was at less than 50%, and now all those pictures are gone from Photobucket.

I wish this site would get the same set up FaceBook uses, where a person can post pictures directly from their own files.

Smug mug test

CHC-Contact them. Your photos are not gone. They are just in server limbo but will get reinstated as soon as they look into it for you.

well, now they took away my linking ability also

Sorry Bobby, there were just too many folks having problems for there not to have been something going on, it is just a pain to have to figure out a new method of sharing pictures.

But like I noted: your pictures are fine and have not been lost. Just contact them. That was a separate issue due to an upgrade they did.

Javalina, like many species, are edible more so in certain areas than others..

I have found a grown Javalina boar as pretty rank and I won't eat them. nor will anyone I know in the Trans Pecos area..

A very young Javalina, just weaned for instance is very good when bar b qued..

To dress a Javalina you must first carefully cut the scent bag out of its back, then wash hour hand and knife before you continue, skin and quarter it immediately and then put it on ice and keep it on ice until you get to your deep freeze..Sometimes they are good and other times they are dog meat if the dog will eat them.

Ive noticed Javalina on Sotol are better than Javalina on pear, also it seems to me that the Javalina in the Del Rio area and East are sometimes better on the average than the desert Javalina, but again that depends on range conditions, good feed with any animal makes a big difference, good feed doesn't necessarily mean alfalfa or crops, but natural feed..for instance I don't care for deer on alfalfa,corn or beans, I prefer deer on desert sotol.

As to price of a Javalina hunt, guess it depends where you hunt and on whos ranch. I sent some inquiring hunters to Marathon or Sanderson, Texas and told them to go talk to the ranchers themselves and they found hunts for $50 per day, then $100 the next year, now they made friends with one ranch family I guess and hunt free!! $750 for a 3 day hunt even today is pretty high in my opinion, and has to include a middle man or outfitter..I welcomed hunters to hunt my ranch as the hogs did a lot of damage to my pipelines and new ceder fence. I had a lot of Javalinas on the Rosillas ranch south of Marathon bordering the Big Bend National Park..If they wanted a drink they bit the platic pipe and got a drink..In that hot country we didn't ditch we just covered it up with a little dirt, all 150 miles of it..Just my take on the subject.

Mr. Atkinson, we will simply have to agree to disagree. I did my guided Javelina hunts from 1998 until 2011. If my memory serves me correctly, I was involved in the killing of over 200 javelina during those 13 years, between myself and my clients we averaged between 20 and 25 javelina per year, and that is not an exaggeration.

During that time I NEVER cut a single musk gland from ANY of the animals that were killed. I know your hunting experience exceeds mine by a large margin, but in all honesty, during those 13 years, I cooked and served a lot of javelina backstrap, whether from 30 - 40 pound animals or 50 to almost 70 pound, the largest javelina one of my clients killed weighed 68 pounds, and no one ever commented about the meat tasting funny or tough, and they were under no obligation to eat it, as there was other meat to eat.

I am not questioning your experiences, but times have changed and that is just a fact of life. I can remember when I killed my first deer in 1970, a small 8 point that most "Deer Hunters" today would laugh at, but I was subleasing from a guy and for $25.00, I had access to 160 acres and could shoot any buck I saw.

Sorry to get crosswise with you, because I enjoy reading your comments, but things have changed on many levels, including Javelina hunting and peoples attitudes.