AZ Javelina hunt

[ron-ream]

I drew a tag for Javelina in unit 18 of AZ. I was given some info from a guy I bought a couple Javelina from, so I drew a tag and then emailed him and so far no answer. Any info anyone can provide will be appreciated. I drew unit 18 B. No clue about the area other than its west of Flagstaff and SE of Kingman. Don't have a clue as to what the weather is like that time of year, late Feb to the 2nd of Mar. Where to get maps of public hunting areas, ect... Any info anyone can provide to make my hunt fun and successful, never hunted Javelina before.
Any info anyone can provide I will be forever grateful.
Ron

 

[glass eye]

I've never hunted that unit but my advise is to find a high hill and glass, glass, glass. If you find fresh rootings they shouldn't be far. Weather can snowing or in the 90's. Mornings are usually ice cold but as soon as the sun comes up it warms right up. A 40* degree temperature swing is normal.

 

[ron-ream]

Thanks for that info.

 

[utah400elk]

I hunted 18A a few years ago and found plenty Javi. I went on the January archery hunt and it was fun. Try starting with the game warden for info. The game warden in 18A gave me a few suggestions and I found Javi in every spot he had mentioned. That being said...the age old advice really works. 1. Find a big hill to glass from. 2. Glass south facing slopes or spots that get a lot of sun.

 

[chuckyd313]

Find the prickly pear cactus and glass those and surrounding areas.
Also on the AZ game and fish website theres a spot that says "where to hunt". They put that on there to help with hunter success. Being in Montana go to the where to hunt and then google earth the crap out of where it tells you. This will give you a great spot to start and fine tune it when you get here depending on hunters in the area. You will want to do this hunt every year.
Good luck and enjoy it.

 

[bowhuntmontana]

I also understand Javelina can be pretty susceptible to calling. Something to keep in mind.

 

[bigsky2]

How hard is it to draw a javelina tag? I've got family in Tucson so I would like to go down and do a hunt sometime.

 

[Rsnk61]

They do have leftover tags in 18A. They started accepting apps 28 Nov we put in ours and should know by 9 Dec if we are successful. Not sure if they don't give out all the tags if you can get any OTC.

 

[bigsky2]

What are they like to eat?

 

[Rsnk61]

I took mine in and had hot summer sausage made and it was actually quite good. I slow cooked a tenderloin on my charcoal grill used applewood and it turned out very good. My wife wanted nothing to do with it. My wife wanted nothing to do with it but I convinced her on both accounts and she was pleasantly surprised and liked both.

 

[NV_ARCH3R]

I've been Javelina hunting AZ for the past several years. It's a balancing act of glassing and moving. From what you read they say they have a small home range, that may be but in my experience that home range moves around a several square mile area depending on time of year and conditions. They are small and hard to locate the trick is trying to determine when there's nothing there and to move on, or keep glassing. Keep on the lookout for lots of fresh tracks, and rooted up areas. you find some of that keep glassing. Their eye sight is not as bad as others would lead you to believe, Though not sharp, I've been busted with very little movement at 150 yds. Mostly don't sit directly on the ground, find a nice smooth rock and brush it off first. The ground is covered in fine cactus spines. Took me 2 years to learn how to move through that country without picking multiple cactus spines out every evening.

 

[sbhooper]

I killed a couple javelina when I lived in Az. I never had any problem with eating them. A buddy's wife killed a huge male one time and he brought a hind quarter in to cook. That thing did not smell very good. We put it on the grill and by the time we were done cooking and dowsing it with sauce, the bad odor had left. It tasted just fine. The main thing with a javelina is to be careful not to cut into the giant scent gland on their back. That is not good.

They can be a bit tough, too, so any tenderizing can help.