New Mexico or Arizona Javelina question

[Arcus Venator]

We lost our place to hunt hogs/javelina in TX. Starting research for a down south hunt in the Jan-March timeframe to get out of our SD winters. This will be a traditional archery endeavour. With emphasis on the experience and the people.

I see NM has both draw and OTC tags. With draw deadline of March 31.

Any words of wisdom or advice.

 

[Bigjay73]

I'd go to Az, bit I'm a bit biased . Honestly, I know nothing about NM piggies, Az is full of them, cant go wrong in just about any unit south of the rim.

 

[Bigjay73]

Also look into Res hunts. San Carlos has quite a few javelina

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I'd go to Az, bit I'm a bit biased . Honestly, I know nothing about NM piggies, Az is full of them, cant go wrong in just about any unit south of the rim.

Which Rim?

 

[Bigjay73]

Which Rim?

Mogollon rim. There's some above it, but not many.

 

[hank4elk]

Seen more in AZ than here in NM.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Mogollon rim. There's some above it, but not many.

Cool thanks. Thats what I assumed, but wasn't sure.

 

[prhunter]

NM is closer to Texas

 

[.270]

I would hunt AZ over NM for Javelina without a doubt. I will say that I have never hunted Javelina in NM but I go every year to AZ. You are too late to hunt this year, NM draw like you said is Apr while AZ isnt till Oct for spring hunts in 2021. Cost wise AZ is a little more at 275 with tag and license while NM is 243. AZ does allow you to pick up a second tag in the leftover draw so you can make your trip more worth with multiple tags. Since you are into bow hunting then archery deer is OTC for for pretty much all the units that Javelina are also open in January for hunting and multiple small game species. New Mexico you have to draw that archery tag in January for a specific unit. Since you have to buy a license for either state you can build points for other species in AZ. If you are already applying in both states then that point doesnt really matter.
Javelina hunting is really fun in my option, just have to find them and play the wind correctly and you can sneak in very close. My wife and I snuck into three yards of a group of pigs sleeping on top of each other in the snow last year. That was a shot distance I hadn't practiced at.

 

[GAdrahthaar]

Seen more in AZ than here in NM.

I'm not hunting mousepigs, but while quail hunting I see many more in AZ than NM

 

[Deleted member 28227]

So say a guy was interested in doing a backpack javelina hunt in march of 2021, and if they had to choose between not seeing people and getting into critters they would choose not seeing people.

Where would you recommend they go/ apply

 

[Valley1320]

I've seen them in NM but it was on private land on my dad's desert sheep hunt. Saw a good number of them. I have no clue about public land in either state

 

[kylemcintyre67]

If you put in for the draw in NM, unit 25 has a bunch of Javelina. I don't have a bunch of experience with them but I saw a couple fairly big ones during my deer hunt this last September.

 

[Trial153]

seen a bunch in southern AZ, not as many in NM however I have seen a good numbers down around unit 21, 24 and 25