Calling javelina?

[Slim Jim]

I know that I haven't been on the site much lately but I got a jav tag for AZ this January and wanted to know your thoughts on calling them. I've hunted deer for the past few years down in AZ and I've ran into javs but never had a tag in the past. This year I'll be paired up with both tags (Hope I can get it done this time). I plan on hunting deer in the mornings and early evenings then javs in the middle of the day. Any thoughts on how to stick a desert pig?

 

[weaver]

Heres a cool youtube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5DDr7aNQM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Have never hunted javelina so i have no personal experience.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Hopefully rosinbag chimes in on this one. I know he can call them in.

 

[Slim Jim]

Thanks Travis, I might have to pm him

 

[dryflyguy]

I hunted them for three years and didn't do worth a darn. I can tell you that nothing works very well if javelina aren't in the area that you are hunting. That is all I got.

 

[Slim Jim]

They're in the area. I've seen them every time I've hunted there. I was about 25-30 yards away from one last year just standing there broadside. Wish I would've had a tag.

 

[wapitibob]

Friends in AZ tell me a baby pig makes a great caller if you can catch one.

 

[RosinBag]

I have called them in the last three years in a row in January. Hard to cold call them as they generally don't come from a long way off. If you can see them at 400 yards or so you can call them in. Be ready though as they will try and knock you down.

Ed F has some videos of us calling them in. I will try and post one if calling them in.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=584893241525036

 

[RosinBag]

I don't know if that link worked, but that is all I have right now.

 

[MattB]

Calling is a 50%/50% thing, typically the bigger the herd (5+) the better. Javelina are so easily stalked I personally would not call unless you could otherwise not stalk within bow range.

 

[RosinBag]

I also prefer to stalk them, but it is extremely cool to have the javis try and run you over.

 

[Slim Jim]

I don't have a Facebook account (I'm probably the only person on the planet that doesn't have a Facebook account) so I can't check out the link. Thanks anyways Doug. I'll probably just stalk em. Either way it'll be fun.

 

[RosinBag]

Take a jack rabbit in distress call. If you get busted just blow on it a couple times and they will come running. Ed F has a good video also.

 

[Slim Jim]

Take a jack rabbit in distress call. If you get busted just blow on it a couple times and they will come running. Ed F has a good video also.

I will definitely bring a call. Thanks Doug!

 

[boom]

Wish I would've had a tag.

i have found that the best way to locate javalina is to NOT have a tag. last year, i found the same five animals 10 days straight. we would hike for deer, crawl back whupped and someone would say, "hey, let go and see what the javalina are doing!"..we go, and find them on the same 3-4 hills/valley system. easy peasy. i think i ate most of my field sandwiches watching them meander around.

year before that was a sow with 4 piglets. as the trip went along, she kept losing babies. there were a lot of coyotes that year. we drove to one spot and found a huge herd. my buddy justin arrowed one. when it screamed..they all came running. it was exhilarating and scary all at once.

year before that..we all had tags. we didnt see a single one.

 

[Dalbo]

It's hit our miss especially if a herd has been called at recently.

The last 3 seasons I've gotten them to come in to a call 50% of the time but there is no guarantee any of them will offer a shot.

Don't get me wrong having a bunch of pissed off pigs charge in on you is about as fun as it gets. My personal strategy is to put a stalk on them then resort to the call when/if they bust you.

 

[BackpackHunter]

Calling is a 50%/50% thing, typically the bigger the herd (5+) the better. Javelina are so easily stalked I personally would not call unless you could otherwise not stalk within bow range.

What he said. They have poor eyesight.

The couple of times I've hunted them, we would spot and stalk. We were able to walk within 15 yards of them, without them spooking (no exaggeration). We kept the wind in our favor and insured we had some kind of background to break up our silhouette, but made no real effort to hide. It was comical how close we could get to them.

 

[boom]

Calling is a 50%/50% thing, typically the bigger the herd (5+) the better. Javelina are so easily stalked I personally would not call unless you could otherwise not stalk within bow range.

they are the best bow target!! personally, i wouldnt even shoot one with a rifle. my first javalina, i was lead to them by a rancher wearing blue jeans, cowboy boots, a white button up shirt..and he was smoking!! i was sneaking around like a ninja..he looked and me and said, "what are you doing? follow me". we played the wind and walked up to them.

i was an idiot and only had my 20 pin sighted. it was a chip shot. i think their eyesight is VERY poor.

 

[Blackcow]

Finding them can be the hard part. I'm not sure how many I've shot with my bow since I was ten (41 now), but I'm positive I've never shot one over twenty yards.most much less.My son shot his first the Jan. Before last at 12 yards, and that was after it walked off when he drew at 6.A jackrabbit call does work, usually, if you bump em some. They're fun to hunt, especially combined with deer.You can shoot two a year now as long as one tag is a leftover, for either a different unit or weapon. If about a dozen of you guys want to sit on my roof and "hunt" some, my daughter would love ya. (Jk) She hates to go out the front door after dark, since they cruise the street knocking over trash cans and generally being a PITA.