Arizona Javelina

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Arizona javelina are descendants of their tropical ancestors from Southern Mexico and Central America. Currently, they inhabit Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. While many hunters in Texas are accustomed to harvesting javelinas in a similar manner to wild hogs, it is quite a different hunting experience in the Arizona desert where they can be glassed and hunted in big, desert, mountainous areas. Javelina feed on a variety of plants and small animals, but they primarily rely on prickly pear cactus and other desert plant roots. Most successful hunters use spot-and-stalk tactics to locate a javelina herd. Tracking methods can also be effective on the low desert floors, but many hunters prefer glassing the mountain hillsides to find a herd to pursue. Javelina are known to have poor eyesight, but they have a keen sense of smell to keep you on your toes. They are most known for their odor secretion produced by their scent gland that has a very unique odor specific to their social group. They rely on each other to keep an eye out for the herd for any approaching danger. Stalking into archery range of these “pigs” hiding in the rocks or tall grass is enough to spark the hunting fever in even the most seasoned hunter.