What’s a Hoosier to do?...

[H A Higgins]

That is, when there is 2” of ice covered with 3” of snow, and the forecast is dismal for the next several weeks?  Well, if you have a good friend that is a Razorback, you take off on an adventure; heading south for the combined promise of warmth and stickbow opportunities down in the Longhorn State.

(Here’s what I left)

 

This adventure traces back to the 2008 PBS banquet in Pittsburgh.  After the “GOINGs” went and the “SOLD” was called, my friend John found himself holding the high bid to a 2009 javelina / hog hunt in Texas.  The hunt highlighted our annual camping rendezvous that summer at the Cloverdale Traditional Nationals.  It provided the cornerstone for planning a future Texas hunt.  Chasing javelina with a stickbow had long been a hunting goal of mine.  Now with an opportunity in my lap, I was not about to let it slip away.  So it was that after work on Friday in mid February, I pointed my truck west and headed for Arkansas.
After arriving, the guide took us on the grand tour.  Along the way, he stopped and pointed out a javelina.  The desert ghost wasted no time in utilizing the thick scrub in which to disappear.  

(Javie! )

 

The Texas scrub was mesmerizing.  Mesquite and small oak brush was interspersed with prickly pear and hairy cactus along with a multitude of sticker brush.  The ground was rocky and dry.  The next morning, it was no surprise to find myself awake before the alarm.  I stepped from the bunkhouse and was greeted by the singing of three different packs of coyotes.  

(Bunkhouse – really rough’in it!)

 

After furtive attempts to close the distance on several feeding javelina, we moved to a different area.  Soon we found ourselves looking at a tank dam beside a pasture.  Three javelinas could be seen scouring the dust for corn from the overhead feeder.  There appeared to be a large boar in the group, along with another slightly smaller javelina and a juvenile that sported a pronounced limp.
A disagreement broke out amongst friends as to whose turn it was to stalk.  Though I pointed out that I had just recently blown an opportunity, John stood steadfast.  I gathered my bow and began to quickly close the distance.  A shot opportunity appeared and I pulled back the string, shaking as if this was a world record animal!  A bit more tension was applied and the string was released; the arrow flying just under the belly of the biggest javelina.  The animals quickly scattered and moved off along the tank dam.  I followed and was surprised to find them within range as I top over.  A hasty shot again flew low.  Shaking and frustrated at my lack of self control, I returned to look for my first errant shot.  I confessed my frustration to John and he nodded in mute understanding.
After locating my first arrow, I went to gather my other errant shot.  As I pulled this out of a thick scrub bush, I was startled as the javelinas stood up, just 10 yards away.  They began to move off and on impulse I nocked the arrow in hand.  A couple of steps parallel to their travel exposed a small opening.  I watched as the smallest animal moved through this.  Then the biggest javelina, trailing, passed through and my shot was fluid and instinctive.  I returned to the truck.  Expressing concern to John that the shot was a bit back of ideal, I took a drink of water and gave the animal some time.
John assisted with the follow-up, and circled ahead as I searched for blood.  His whistle indicated that he had a visual, and I was able to locate the animal backed into some thick cover.  After some maneuvering; I made a finishing shot on the boar.  John joined me as I admired the beautiful creature that lay at my feet.  I gave thanks for the opportunity and then started the drag through the brush.  Back at the truck, we quickly loaded up and headed to the skinning shed.  The grey overcast had burned off, and the overhead sun threatened to spoil any game left even for a short amount of time.  The javelina tipped the scales at 48#.  With John’s help the skinning went quickly and we soon had hide, skull, and meat in the freezer.

(A nice 1st ever javie for me)

 

[H A Higgins]

For the evening hunt we returned to our starting point that morning.  It did not take long before John was able to put a stalk on a group of javelina, but was unable to successfully connect with the shot presented.  I proceeded to loose track of the group I was following in the thick scrub.  Darkness found me overlooking a dry tank.  As I walked out to the truck, I was serenaded by coyotes as the rising moon cleared the eastern horizon.  As planned, dinner was ready and delicious.  
A heavy fog greeted us the next morning.  After coffee, we headed to a new stand area.  We approached the feeder and were greeted by the sight of three medium size hogs.  John stalked the feeder and I cut into the brush trying to track a red hog that had moved off.  Thick brush was all I encountered and my circuitous route brought me out onto a sendero, just yards away from John.  He proceeded to tell an account about a black and white spotted hog that just did not quite make it to his ambush.  
Heading toward another section of the ranch, we spotted 2 javelinas in the sendero ahead.  John wasted little time gathering his equipment.  A converging sendero offered an ideal stalking approach.  John was quickly swallowed by the thick scrub as he moved in to intercept.  I glassed the scene, enjoying the opportunity to watch the events as they unfolded.  One of the javelina wandered into the scrub.  A few minutes passed and the second suddenly bristled, the hair on its back rising a full 4 inches.  It strutted, stiff legged for a few steps before bounding off into cover.  I impatiently waited for the second javie to appear.  It did shortly, sporting a fluorescent yellow fletched arrow.  Its run was short and ceased as it reached some high grass, the fluorescent fletching flagging the location.  John stepped across the sendero and gathered up his prize.  

(John’s success!)

 

More admiration was done, and then back to the skinning shed where we found this javelina tipped the scales at 50#.  Again, hide, skull, and meat were separated and placed into the freezer.  Shooting practice occupied the afternoon.  The hunt plan for the evening was to sit over feeders, in hopes to ambush visiting hogs.  Later we compared notes.  John had a couple of javelina approach, but decided to stick to his one-a-day self imposed limit.  It was not long before most of the sunlight drained from the sky.
The balance of the trip could be surmised by just saying the javelina opportunities were numerous, however shooting was lacking in ability to connect.  My couple of opportunities at hogs was fraught with ill picked shots.  The food was delicious and the camaraderie was stupendous.  John and I left with the hope that we would return in the future to complete the business we left unfinished.

(A roadrunner)

 

(Somebody’s Lunch!)

 

(Looking across towards Old Mexico)

 

(Texas Scrub)

 

(More Texas Scrub)

 

(More Javelina)

 

[meathead]

Hey Herb looks good so far.

[DannyBows]

Excellent! Great pics and story telling. Thanks for sharing!

[ti-guy]

Awesome,thanks for sharing.  

[David Mitchell]

Well, now, you should be ashamed to leave loving family and friends behind to suffer such indignities as that weather afforded while you endure unending guilt down there!    Really neat place--bet that was fuuuuun!