I've been really interested in going after a Javelina for quite some time. I've never hunted them or even hunted AZ before.

Anybody here willing to give some basic info or pointers? I know the tags have to be drawn and that I'm probably too late for this year, but what percent of success do they have on drawing the tag? Is there any particular area that is better than any others?

Like I said, I'm looking for basic info. I've visited the officiaal state site, but I'd like some info of a more personal slant.

Thanks

Mac

MAC -

I go down to Arizona every year in February for the javelina hunt. We usually hunt during the HAM (Handgun, Archery, Muzzleloader) season. The draw kind of stinks for us non-residents. They require that you buy a hunting license (~$150) before you can even apply for a tag. If you don't draw, you are stuck with the license. Application deadlines are usually in early October for the Spring hunts. They have added a fall javelina hunt, but I don't know any details about that since I always hunt in the spring.

There are more pigs in the southern half of the state. We have always drawn tags, although once or twice we have missed getting our first choice in areas.

I'm not sure what other info you're after. If you have other questions (or other specifics) feel free to PM or email me through the site.

Mac
Maybe ya might want to try Texas, check these out.
www.javelinahunter.com
or
www.shoestringsafaris.com

mike

Hey Mac,

Just came across your post. We hunt Southern Arizona yearly for javelina's with great success. We hunt the archery season in January, but have had out of state family members come in for the Ham hunt in February and were successfull with handguns and rifles.

In our 14+ years of hunting javies we have found the combined unit tag 28,29,30A,30B,31 and 32 to be the most productive areas. This gives you alot of prime javelina area to hunt. We have always drawn for this unit and I know there have always been leftover tags in past years.

Here is the name of a good outfitter for that combined unit. One of the biggest javelina's we have ever seen or heard of came into the shop a few years back from a hunt they guided. Many of our customers use them with great results.

Rodney and Steve Ward
601 W. Henry Street
Wilcox, Az 85643
520-384-0255
520-507-0255

Our Game and Fish Department has always been very helpfull with information as to where they have spotted denser populations in any given unit. Make sure to ask for the officer in charge of the unit in question.

Yes, you do need to purchase a license whether you draw or not. But I see no problem with the draw. What our out of state family and friends do to get the most out of their licence is come back in the Fall, purchase an over the counter lion or bear tag and hunt for a week! You can also put in for elk, deer antelope, etc & if you are fortunate enough to draw, have at it. You can always fall back on the over the counter bear and lion tags if you don't draw. I believe there are occassionally over the counter archery deer tags available also.

We always use a good cover scent, with traditional archery we get in close, and although javies eyesight isn't the greatest, they sure have a great sense of smell. We also really like our Primos javelina calls. We have called back more javelina that in the past would have been long gone after we blew a group apart on a stalk. The call also has brought them running if they are bedded down and out of sight. An oral soft woofing sound also calms them down and brings them back together after a group blows apart. They gently woof to locate each other in such a situation. We've woofed them right into an arrow!

We absolutely enjoy our javelina hunting and it is a beautiful time of the year to be in Arizona.

If you have any questions feel free to PM us.

Kindest regards,
Mary and Chris Krueger

I have only hunted Javalina in Texas but spent a lifetime as a kid shooting them as pests...

In the South Texas and Big Bend Country, a blind man with a good stick could kill 15 or 20 per day if the law allowed....I guess they put a season on them some 10 or 15 years ago and it lasts 6 months the last I heard..

You could probably find a place to hunt them at a cost of $100 per day or less..I would contact the chamber of commerces around Ozona, Junction, Sonara, Alpine, Marathon, and Sanderson if I were looking...

Things are changing slowly here in Texas regarding javelina.

To clarify the regulations here, the limit is 2 per license year, they are classed as a Game Animal.

In 50 counties, there is basically No Closed season, it runs from Sept. 1 thru Aug. 31..

In 43 counties it runs from early Oct. till the last week of Feb..

There are still some places where a person can get on and hunt them for about $100.00 per day, but there is usually a two day minimum, and many times there is an extra charge for the second animal.

Ranchers/Landowners are beginning to realize that there is getting to be a demand for hunting the little guys and they are losing some of their Pest status.