Big Bend Ranch SP Javelina

[Tykam]

My friend and I drew a javelina hunt in October. This will only be my second time hunting javelinas, with the first one at the Chap being unsuccessful. I have been to the state park before. Any advice would be appreciated

[Reaper]

congrats, drive the roads before dusk, sight them and get your stalk on, you can run em down

[osochuck]

My friend and I drew a javelina hunt in October. This will only be my second time hunting javelinas, with the first one at the Chap being unsuccessful. I have been to the state park before. Any advice would be appreciated

congrats!!!!

[Tykam]

congrats, drive the roads before dusk, sight them and get your stalk on, you can run em down

Thanks, we will give that a shot. Looking forward to hunting some remote country

[Mule Skinner]

I’ve hunted there twice in the past 6 years for mule deer. One being a youth hunt for my son.

We ran into javelina once on each hunt. Could have taken one on both hunts but didn’t.

It’s not not like hunting them at Chap. Get away from the roads, get up high and glass then stalk.

Then be prepared to haul them back to your truck and then to headquarters. An old, big backpack will haul a gutted one easily.

[Deerguy]

Javie populations are relatively low as compared to south Texas, so the more ground you can see/cover, the better. That either means staying mobile or glassing a big area. Even out there though, javies will not be too far from drainages that contain thicker brush.

[RiverRat00]

Use your sense of smell to locate them

Once you kill one or two drag them by the legs with a rope to get rid of the fleas

[Mule Skinner]

Use your sense of smell to locate them

Once you kill one or two drag them by the legs with a rope to get rid of the fleas

When your compartment is roughly 9 to 16 square miles in size, the sniff test is a moot point.

Strange, but the whitetails I’ve killed over the years have many more fleas and ticks than the javelinas do. Should I drag my deer around by the legs with a rope to get rid of them, too?

[TheSchwartz]

My friend and I drew a javelina hunt in October. This will only be my second time hunting javelinas, with the first one at the Chap being unsuccessful. I have been to the state park before. Any advice would be appreciated

My brother and I drew this as well! Probably hunt the 16th and 17th. Maybe we'll see y'all out there. Never even seen a javelina on the hoof before...

[Tykam]

I’ve hunted there twice in the past 6 years for mule deer. One being a youth hunt for my son.

We ran into javelina once on each hunt. Could have taken one on both hunts but didn’t.

It’s not not like hunting them at Chap. Get away from the roads, get up high and glass then stalk.

Then be prepared to haul them back to your truck and then to headquarters. An old, big backpack will haul a gutted one easily.

Thanks for the info. We plan on glassing and walking a lot to hopefully find them

[Tykam]

My brother and I drew this as well! Probably hunt the 16th and 17th. Maybe we'll see y'all out there. Never even seen a javelina on the hoof before...

Good luck!

[Tykam]

Well we just got back from this hunt, me or my friend never saw a javelina (outside of camp). We tried sitting over water, walking and glassing drainages, and getting high up and glassing for a few hours. We saw quite a few mule deer and quail. Even tried switching units but it wasn't meant to be. We still had a great time. After getting skunked at the chap and now big bend, I'm furious at the javelina and will be applying with a vengeance for the next few years lol

[Yak blue]

Well we just got back from this hunt, me or my friend never saw a javelina (outside of camp). We tried sitting over water, walking and glassing drainages, and getting high up and glassing for a few hours. We saw quite a few mule deer and quail. Even tried switching units but it wasn't meant to be. We still had a great time. After getting skunked at the chap and now big bend, I'm furious at the javelina and will be applying with a vengeance for the next few years lol

Real surprising. I woulda thought you’d see some. Every trip to big bend I’ve ever done I’ve seen plenty of javies…
still some awesome country to hunt though.

[jnd1959]

I hunt javelina in Arizona every year.. I can pretty much go right to the spots I've seen them before and they will be there sometime in a couple days. They are creatures of habit. I know you aren't hunting cold weather but they don't get up too early when it's cold. They eat prickly pear so if you see stands of that you may get a shot. If you spook them call them back with a distress call. I hunt with a bow and am able to get within 20 yards easy. Unless you are young and in shape, I wouldn't plan on trying to run them down. They can move at a pretty good pace when they know where they are going.

When you skin them, make sure to not touch the gland on the top butt end. Just peel the hide off and they should come off with it. If you get it on your hand or knife, wash them. Wash them again and then wash them again. If you get the musk on the meat I would just leave it for the coyotes.

They smell terrible. But I've not had that translate into the meat. Some like it. Some not. I think it is best for Mexican style barbacoa, well spiced. Slow cook, in liquid or covered in the pit and then on the grill to burn the tips. Personally, I can take i tor leave it. It ain't pronghorn but it ain't some ratty old goat either.

[Tykam]

I hunt javelina in Arizona every year.. I can pretty much go right to the spots I've seen them before and they will be there sometime in a couple days. They are creatures of habit. I know you aren't hunting cold weather but they don't get up too early when it's cold. They eat prickly pear so if you see stands of that you may get a shot. If you spook them call them back with a distress call. I hunt with a bow and am able to get within 20 yards easy. Unless you are young and in shape, I wouldn't plan on trying to run them down. They can move at a pretty good pace when they know where they are going.

When you skin them, make sure to not touch the gland on the top butt end. Just peel the hide off and they should come off with it. If you get it on your hand or knife, wash them. Wash them again and then wash them again. If you get the musk on the meat I would just leave it for the coyotes.

They smell terrible. But I've not had that translate into the meat. Some like it. Some not. I think it is best for Mexican style barbacoa, well spiced. Slow cook, in liquid or covered in the pit and then on the grill to burn the tips. Personally, I can take i tor leave it. It ain't pronghorn but it ain't some ratty old goat either.

Luckily we are somewhat young so we did a lot of running and gunning. We would walk existing trails or drainages then jump on top of humps and glass around us. I would have thought we would spook some out of the drainages at least