Hunting & Fishing southeast AZ javelina!

[aaronraby1]

hey guys, im from southern California and got a javelina tag for unit 30b. im not very familiar with the area, I have only called a small portion of that unit but I was wondering if anyone might be able to point me in a decent direction for javelina in that unit! I have never hunted javelina before so this will all be a learning experience for me. is anyone familiar with that unit and/or maybe has some tips that might help me along the way? thanks a lot in advance!

 

[augnmike]

Try here if you haven't

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[lancetkenyon]

I have never hunted 30B, but I am familiar with the area, as I have a lot of family in the area.

Look for elevations of 1200-4000', and prickly pear covered hillsides. Nearby canyons would be a good choice too. I would look at the Mule Mtns. north of Bisbee or the Dragoon Mtns. east of Benson.

Be careful around the remote locations near the border. It is iffy with all of the drug and human smuggling going on in southern AZ right now, and the cooler weather means more cross country foot travel.

You should also take a little time to check out the history in the area. Bisbee, Tombstone, etc.

If you have never hunted javelina, good glass is yor friend like every other game species. Javelina are rather small, and the grey bodies blend in surprisingly well at full daylight. They are usually found in small herds, and if you find an active area (chewed up prickly pear cacti), the home range of a herd is pretty small. I tend to see them much more in early morning or late evening in the areas I usually hunt, but they can be seen at anytime of the day if the weather is right. Javelina have terrible eyesight, so use this to your advantage. Good hearing, great sense of smell, and when they are spooked, say goodbye. They will run forever.

Temps in southern AZ are unseasonably warm this year, and range from the low 40s to the mid 80s around Douglas/Bisbee right now. I have already seen rattlesnakes out sunning this year, so be careful. And most of all...GOOD LUCK!

Here is what they look like for those who have not seen them. My 11 year old daughter took this one in January on a junior javelina hunt in unit 21. We glassed them up at 650+ yds., and snuck up to within 18 yds. to take the shot.

 

[Scotty22]

Living and Hunting in Texas my whole life it always blows my mind when I read about other states having to draw tags for game like hogs and javelina. When I use to hunt in South Texas we were over run by them. They would fill the senderos at all times especially if there was corn on the ground. Good luck with your hunt they sure are fun to shoot. Be careful because they are very territorial and have been known to charge people.

 

[aaronraby1]

thanks a lot for some helpful information guys! I appreciate it!

 

[coldboremiracle]

Living and Hunting in Texas my whole life it always blows my mind when I read about other states having to draw tags for game like hogs and javelina. When I use to hunt in South Texas we were over run by them. They would fill the senderos at all times especially if there was corn on the ground. Good luck with your hunt they sure are fun to shoot. Be careful because they are very territorial and have been known to charge people.

The reason is scotty, texas is practically all private. If it was public, you'd be overrun with hunters and have to draw everything like the rest of us. (not to mention, there wouldn't be any "corn on the ground")

 

[Scotty22]

Those are just golden nuggets

 

[lancetkenyon]

Wondering how the OP did on the hunt. Hopefully he will post up about the trip.

I know I had a great opening evening this year. Got a pig with my daughter's help. Had the entire herd of 12 others just hang around after the shot at about 15 yards for 20 minutes, then slowly feed off, and one big boar circled around us to try and figure out what we were. He came within 10 yards or so behind us.

Also found a bunch of petroglyphs I have never seen out in my area before. I have been by these rocks probably 20 times before and never noticed them. I have seen about 20 matates out there too. I have seen deer, antelope, desert big horn sheep, coyotes, and javelina all within one mile of the area. Pretty cool place.

 

[aaronraby1]

wow! awesome! what unit was that in? ill apply there next year! haha. I hunted the northern area of 30b. did a lot of walking and hiking through canyons and a lot of glassing on Friday! I came across a lot of areas with prickly pear covered hill sides but was not able to find a javelina. I then ran both sides of the dragoon mountains glassing every little canyon and hillside I thought would hold a javelina. still no luck. I read that if you just blind call for javelina chances are they will not come. well I took my chances and Saturday I started calling spots. I ended up shooting a coyote and fox. haha. sunday, I packed up camp and headed down toward Bisbee and the mule mountains. basically did the same thing as I did Friday. while along the way, I ran into a couple hunters who were also not having any luck in that area. I then ran across an older fellow on a quad who ask me what season it was. haha. I told him javelina and he proceeded to tell me that there were none in the area cause the lions got them all! haha. I thought it was funny at the time but after not seeing ANY anywhere, I started to believe him. hhaha. in my hiking and glassing, I did see coues and mule deer as well as pronghorn in certain areas. the coues deer were a real treat! also driving back north I saw something interesting along the side of the road, I went back to check it out. it was a roadkilled animal, but not just an every day animal, it was a coati!!! I was super stoked. though it was dead, that was the first ever coati I have seen! I mean,.. if it was alive when I first saw it, it wouldn't be now. haha. this was my first experience hunting javelina and even though I didn't get to fill my javelina tag, I had a great time and did go home with a coyote and a fox and experience! (not that I really needed more coyotes and fox ha!) I ended up just staying at a hotel in benson sunday night seeing as my camp was all packed up and I then headed home Monday morning.

 

[Scotty22]

Sounds like you had a good weekend in the wild which beats the hell out of any weekend sitting at the house.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Sorry you did not fill your tag, but sounds like a successful hunt none-the-less. The Dragoons are a beautiful range of mountains. I love the area. Wondering if you saw any "two-legged coyotes" further south? As for lions, they are THICK in that part of AZ right now. Actually all over AZ, they are decimating the game populations, as well as the coyotes and foxes. Glad you took out a deer killer and quail killer. I carry a lion tag year round, but have yet to score one. Seen them occasionally, but the opportunity has never presented itself for a shot yet.

I'm glad you enjoyed your hunt here, and congrats on the good trip and even better attitude. Too many people would consider that a failed hunt. I do not.

 

[aaronraby1]

here are a few pictures.

 

[Trubester88]

I was just hunting out there near aravaca. Did you have any luck? What method did you use. We started glassing in the early morning and stalked during the late morning.

 

[aaronraby1]

I was just hunting out there near aravaca. Did you have any luck? What method did you use. We started glassing in the early morning and stalked during the late morning.

arivaca is a different unit. I was in 30b. nope, no luck! how about you?

 

[Trubester88]

arivaca is a different unit. I was in 30b. nope, no luck! how about you?

I went with my buddies to learn how to hunt and both of my other friends got a javelina each. It was a good location with plenty of vegation. I am new to hunting but really enjoy long range shooting.