NM Javelina

[Ready]

My boys and I drew New Mexico Javelina tags for this winter. Has anyone been hunting there and know a good area to start looking? I haven't ever hunted javelina before and need help in finding info on hunting them. The area is in SW New Mex. Any good ideas on how is best to hunt them? What types of areas should I start to look for them? Creek bottoms? Brushy areas? or just open desert country? Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

[StickFlicker]

Never hunted them in New Mexico, but I would expect it would be similar to Arizona. Javelina don't like the cold! They tend to get up late in the winter, and don't move much at night. They like to stay on the sunlit side of the ridge during the day, to warm-up. They are normally found in rolling lower elevation deserts. They like brush, and they often travel in the dry river bottoms. Their favorite foods are prickly pear cactus pads, and roots of various other desert plants, and sometimes small yuccas or barrell cactus.

Spot and stalk are the best method. Get up high and glass for them. Keep an ear open for them while glassing. I often hear them before I see them. They are noisy, roll a lot of rocks, grunt and squeal. Their eyesite is relatively poor, so just move slowly and freeze (even if you are in the complete open) if they look toward you. They have excellent hearing and sense of smell, so watch the wind and your noise. Good luck! They are really a very fun animal to hunt, especially with a bow.

Marvin