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 Waterfowl
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History
Formerly peccaries were considered a subdivision of the same family (Suidae),
but because neither living nor extinct Tayassuidae have ever been found
outside the Western Hemisphere, paleontologists have conceded them full
family status.
Some authorities believe pigs and peccaries had a common ancestor in the
Eocene age. Peccaries rank higher than pigs in the evolutionary scale
because of their more complicated stomachs.
They are distinguished from the pig family also by the fact they produce
no more then two shoats at one birth, that the hind foot has only three
toes, and that the upper tucks turn downward.
Identification
In Build, the peccary resembles a small pig, except that it seldom takes
on fat. The collared peccary averages about 3 feet in length, from 2' to
2 1/2' in height at the shoulder.
There is little difference in size between the sexes. A full-grown
animal may weigh from 50 to 70 pounds, but not more than 75 pounds.
Though at a distance these animals look black, at close range the color
usually is a dark gray, with a pepper-and-salt effect the individual
hairs are banded light and dark. The collar is light band running over
the shoulders from the sides of the neck. At birth the shoats are a
light yellowish shade and lack the collar.
The heard has small, erect ears and a rather long snout, which closes to
hide the tucks almost entirely. These are well developed, from 1
1/2" to 2 1/2" long with razor edges. There are two in upper
and two in lower jaw
The forefoot has four toes, the bind foot three. The legs are slender,
and the hoofs small. The tail is represented on the peccary by slight
bump. Seven or 8" higher on the rump and between the hips is the
musk gland, which may be rather prominent.
Hunting Methods
Many a hunter who over a period of years has acquired quite a reputation
as a deer, elk, antelope hunter often finds his laurels slipping from
his brow after a few days stalking the peccary.
Stalking these animals along the desert fringes, through the sparse
thickets of valleys is a pursuit that calls for good eyes a knowledge of
sign, contestant attention to wind and when the game is sighted quick
and accurate shooting.
By hunting up-wind the hunter often will be able to scent the peccary
herd and plan his stalk accordingly. Hunting downwind he will hear his
game, as they race through the brush, but will seldom see them. The
hunter who moves slowly and quietly often may approach a herd of pigs
without knowing it, and suddenly find himself almost surrounded.
Experienced peccary hunters snort loudly at the stories concurring
hunters being charged by a herd of these pigs after one of their number
has been wounded. Often a wounded pig may turn and charge, but his
friends and relatives have but one thought in mind to escape
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From the Arizona Republic newspaper
By Dale Hajek
March 8, 2001
The unused permit went out with last week's trash. The rifle, a lever-action
Marlin .30-30, is back in its case. And, at least for another year, the
dust-covered freezer in my garage remains unplugged.
Score one for the javelins.
It would be our first and only shot at getting one of the bristled, pig like
creatures. Work schedules and family obligations forced Valley hunter Tony
Guglielmetti and me to miss the opening weekend of the general season, but we
eventually nailed down a day that suited both of us.
The last one.
We closed out the season last Thursday in the Aquarius Mountains, north of
Bagdad. The country is rugged and roads are limited, but I had seen javelin's
from time to time during other hunts in this remote part of northwest Arizona.
This would not be one of those times.
Maybe the archery and HAM (handgun, archery and muzzleloader) hunters simply
had scattered the javelin's. Or maybe the cold, wet weather earlier in the week
had been a factor. Whatever the reason, all we found were a few roots the
animals had exposed while digging around some of the high-desert scrub in search
of food.
Javelin's aren't finicky eaters. Mesquite beans, roots, tubers, flowers and
berries make up a big part of their diet.
But a veritable smorgasbord of fresh greens - courtesy of frequent winter
rains - apparently gave the animals an added edge in avoiding the barbecue pit
this year.
The key to a successful javelina hunt often boils down to having the patience
to pick apart southeastern-facing slopes, grasslands or prickly pear patches
with a good set of binoculars or a spotting scope.
Not this year. According to Randy Babb of the Arizona Game and Fish
Department, this was one of those few times when hunters could have left their
optics at home.
"As far as we could figure, all of the javelinas were down in the wash
bottoms," said Babb, information and education program manager for Region
VI. "They're just wading around in this stuff (new growth). They don't have
to go to water. They don't have to do anything they don't want to do. All they
have to do is get up, eat and go lie down.
"When we did foot surveys, we hardly found a javelina in our units.
These are wildlife managers who know how to find the animals, who know where the
herds are."
Babb said the only time department personnel would spot javelinas was during
aerial surveys, when aircraft would swoop over draws and ravines.
"You would come down low, and pigs would boil out of them and then go
right back in," Babb said. "One of our wildlife managers had a HAM
hunt right in his own unit, and he couldn't find them.
"I think anybody who got a pig this year was lucky. It was a really,
really tough hunt."
If Guglielmetti was disappointed after his first big-game hunt in Arizona, it
didn't show. Maybe it was because he was so taken by the solitude and panoramic
views of the canyons and mesas.
I lost track of how many times we would stop for a breather, and Guglielmetti
would look around and say, "No hunters, no phone poles, no houses - it's
incredible out here."
Guglielmetti has hunted everything from ring-necked pheasants and ruffed
grouse back East to trophy-sized mule deer (his biggest passion) in the West.
Between now and then, though, one gets the feeling he'd like to be invited on
a few more javelina hunts.
He can count on it.
The weather patterns and habitat conditions are the keys to having a
successful hunt strategy for javelina.
Tice Supplee, Game Branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department,
said if conditions are dry, then pay attention to water sources such as springs
and stock tanks. "Javelina will be tending to bed in the daytime closer to
water."
If it is unseasonably warm, like much of last year during the javelina
seasons, Supplee recommends hunting at first light to catch the javelina before
they head to bedding areas. "If it is unseasonably warm, look for javelina
to bed earlier in the day and be a little nocturnal. That means hunting at first
light."
Supplee said hunters should always check the southeastern facing slopes,
especially in the morning. Also check the drainage bottoms and grassy benches
where it is possible to have an early green up.
"If there is no green up, javelina will be eating prickly pear in most
of the state and shindagger agave in southeastern Arizona," Supplee
advised.
However, if it is a real January (meaning cold), javelina will bed in places
with good cover, including caves. They will rise with the sun and be more active
on a cold and sunny day. At sunset, they will move back to warm cover.
"Your hunt in these conditions can be more leisurely with the start-up
time, but plan to hunt all day. So pack a lunch," she said.
If there is a light rain, Supplee said, don’t stay at home. "Javelina
will stay out and feed all day in those conditions. You can move more quietly,
plus track them more easily."
When there are windy conditions, javelina will feed on the lee side or lower
in the canyons. During calm days, they are likely to be on the ridges or higher
on the slopes.
As usual, no matter where the javelina might be, actually finding them means
wearing out your eyeballs rather than your shoe leather. Good optics can make
all the difference. Javelina blend in well with their surroundings.
By Jean Wilson
Jan 14, 2005
A wet winter and resulting green-up means hunters will want to modify their
hunt strategies this year, Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists say,
making optics and patience the keys to locating javelina this year.
"Expect javelina to be more dispersed due to the green-up and water
availability this year," big game supervisor Brian Wakeling said. "In
the long term, the green-up is good for javelina. In the short term, it makes
finding them more difficult. Plan to wear out your eyeballs, not your shoe
leather. Optics will be the key."
During mild weather, expect to find javelina on south-facing slopes that have
good forage.
"The green background may actually result in javelina standing out more,
but don't count on it. Plan to use your binoculars and spotting scopes a lot
this year," Wakeling said.
During inclement weather, javelina will hold in thick cover. "Javelina do
not have thick fur; they are not cold tolerant. If it's cold or the weather is
bad, try hunting the bottomlands. The best place to start is where you can find
the thickest, nastiest brush around," Wakeling said.
The archery javelina season closes Jan 31. The juniors-only javelina season is
Feb. 4-10 with the handgun, archery and muzzleloader season following Feb.
11-17. The general season for javelina is Feb. 18-24 in most units.
Before leaving for your hunt, be sure to get as much information as you can
about the area you intend to hunt. Check with Game and Fish, as well as local
sports dealers and other hunters. Then, arrive at your hunt unit early to scout
the area. Look for bedding areas and trails. Javelina have a habit of defecating
in the same area as they bed down and along nearby trails. Check these areas for
any recent droppings; the area will smell "piggy" as javelina mark
bushes and rocks with the scent gland on their back. Also check areas within a
few miles of any water source looking for freshly-chewed prickly pear and the
tiny cloven-hoofed tracks.
You might try a varmint call. It might be more curiosity than hunger, but
javelina will almost always respond to a dying rabbit squeal. Javelina are
nearsighted but have excellent hearing and an extraordinary sense of smell so
stay downwind and make as little noise as possible, hunting slowly and
carefully, always on the look-out for fresh sign.
Proper footwear and clothing can play a big part in your stalking game. Noisy
gear can blow it big time. If you have never dressed a javelina before, give me
a call for "How to Field Dress Javelina." It has great directions.
Jean Wilson can be reached at jeanrenegade@outdrs.net or 726-0953.
Things
to do: Odds will always be in javenlinas' favor in the field
The Arizona Republic and Arizona Game & Fish
( This was in the Tucson paper)
It's not the fastest thing on four hooves. It has trouble seeing
past the end of its bristly snout.
Yet the javelina has a lot of things going for it - sharp hearing, a
keen sense of smell and, with its salt-and-pepper coat, a remarkable ability to
blend in with its surroundings or just simply vanish at the first sign of
trouble.
No wonder 3 out of 4 Arizona hunters end up not bagging one.
With the handgun, archery and muzzleloader season set to begin soon
in several game management units, followed by the start of the general season
Feb. 18, one of the state's top javelina experts offers tips to swing the odds
of bagging one of the gray ghosts.
Tice Supplee, 53, is a 25-year veteran of the Arizona Game &
Fish Department. The game branch chief is not only a avid javelina hunter, but
she also wrote her master's thesis about the animals and worked with noted
biologist Jerry Day on a four-year research project in the 1970s.
"The javelins all look the same," she said. "If the
animal you just shot disappears behind a bush, make sure the one that comes out
on the other side is the animal you shot. If it stays cool in February, they're
going to be daytime animals. If we get that weird, hot weather and it's hitting
close to 90 degrees, they're going to bed down.
"The first animal in line usually will be a female. An old boar
will be the one that will stick in the cover when everybody else gets scared and
runs. He will be the last one to give up that safe spot."
Optics and patience are the keys to locating javelina this year
because of recent wet weather
"Expect javelina to be more dispersed due to the green-up and
water availability this year," said Game & Fish big game supervisor
Brian Wakeling. "In the long term, the green-up is good for javelina. In
the short term, it makes finding them more difficult. Plan to wear out your
eyeballs, not your shoe leather. Optics will be the key."
During mild weather, expect to find javelina on south-facing slopes
that have good forage.
"The green background may actually result in javelina standing
out more, but don't count on it," Wakeling said. "Plan to use your
binoculars and spotting scopes a lot this year."
During inclement weather, javelina will hold in thick cover
Firearm javelina season: scout beforehand
Although the archery javelina season will
end Thursday, Arizona's firearm javelina season begins in February (Juniors-only
Feb. 4-10, General and HAM Feb. 18-24).
The season is short, so make every minute count. The key to success is scouting
beforehand so you don't have to waste your actual hunting time locating the
game.
To begin, especially if you are a new hunter and/or have never been in your hunt
area before, become familiar with your hunt unit. Double-check the legal
description of the unit boundaries against the map in the hunt regulations. With
maps, you can get a head start. Road maps will show the main access routes into
your unit. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maps will show
public lands open to hunting as well as private lands, which may not be open.
You can hunt on BLM and state trust lands, but you need an owner's permission to
hunt on private land.
Topographical (topo) maps provide valuable clues on finding javelina, showing
water sources, riparian areas, mine tunnels and similar features that often
attract javelina.
Binoculars should also be your constant companion to scan the slopes while
you're trying to locate your game.
Check areas that look good on the maps. Check damp soil near any water source
for tracks on the soft ground. Dens and resting places (they like to bed down in
caves or rock overhangs) in regular use tend to accumulate droppings as well as
strands of bristly, salt-and-pepper-colored javelina hair.
The eating habits of javelina leave tell-tale signs. Watch for prickly pear
(their staple food) torn to shreds, rather than gnawed by rodents or neatly
nipped by cattle. Agave with its outer leaves stripped and with the heart
missing - much like you'd leave an artichoke - is a good sign of javelina in the
area. Hedgehog cacti with the flesh slurped out and the skins discarded, like
cupcake wrappers, are signs of javelina at work. Furrows grubbed out along the
path of roots are also a sure sign. Forbs (broad-leaved weeds) are a javelina's
favorite in the spring season. Javelina will sometimes pluck the leafy parts of
the plant, leaving just the main stem. Often they will root up the whole plant,
leaving easily spotted furrows in the dirt.
When you find signs of javelina, mark them on your map. You're likely to find
that the signs are concentrated in a relatively small area. Circle the marks on
your map and you'll probably see that there is an obvious center of activity for
any given herd. A circle just a little more than a half-mile in radius is about
the maximum-sized territory for any one herd, so if you can pinpoint the center
of activity, you should be fairly close to javelina anywhere within your circle.
Javelina are easily affected by the cold and you'll often see them stirring
later in the morning after it warms up a bit. Chances are they will feed on
south-facing slopes where it's warmest. They also like cutbacks in washes,
especially near stream beds. Javelina have poor eyesight but they have good
hearing and a keen sense of smell, so don't get upwind of them and be sure to
make as little noise as possible.
Jean Wilson can be reached at
jeanrenegade@outdrs.net or 726-0953.
Keeping warm can make all the difference on next hunt
With spring hunts continuing this month and next for javelina
followed by seasons for turkey and bear, keeping warm can mean the difference
between a good hunt and a bad experience. In addition, hypothermia is something
we all need to think about when taking to the field during our typical winter
cold and wet weather by preparing ahead, using common sense, some tricks of the
trade and a bit of modern gadgetry.
Prepare to keep dry. Wear rain gear and get out of wet clothes fast. Wear
clothing that keeps you warm even when wet, and clothing that resists water
absorption: wool, polypropylene underwear, fleece, fiber pile outerwear.
Stay fueled. Eat often, have hot meals and drinks, especially before retiring.
Carry plenty of high-energy snacks while afield; Hershey's kisses, M&M's,
gorp, trail mix, jerky and nuts are all easy to pack.
Keep extremities covered. Wear good gloves (wool or polypropylene, not cotton or
leather), warm socks and a stocking cap. For cold feet, try wool innersole or
electric socks (there is also a waterproof sock worth trying).
Sleep warm. Zip your bag all the way up and pull the drawstring around your
head, wear plenty of clothes (including socks and hat) to bed, and nibble on
snacks during the night (keep the goodies bag nearby). Be sure you have plenty
of insulation underneath you (foam pads seem to be warmer than air mattresses).
Double bags zipped together are great for couples. With nylon sleeping bags,
insert two flannel sheets sewn together to make an inner liner. Cheat a bit.
Fill a canteen with hot water and place it inside the sleeping bag. Once your
bed's pre-heated, hop in and cuddle up to the bottle.
Carry a thermos filled with your favorite hot beverage and sip it often. Or try
carrying just hot water with cups, spoons and instant-drink mixes. That way,
your thermos stays cleaner.
To avoid hypothermia, keep your torso and vital organs warm. Wear heavier
clothing between your neck and waist. A down-filled vest is ideal. While boating
in winter, always wear a foam jacket-style PFD. Such a life jacket helps prevent
hypothermia on land as well as in the water.
Use a heater in your tent. For a small tent, a white-gas lantern works
surprisingly well for pre-heating and for drying soggy walls. Don't leave it
unattended overnight. Never close up your tent too tightly while running a
heater or stove or the fumes will not be able to escape — you don't want to be
a statistic.
Keep active. Exercise - run in place or do jumping jacks. If you must sit still,
dress very warmly and try to move around when you can. Beware of sweating
heavily in cotton clothing (better to leave the cotton at home): wear
polypropylene or fishnet underwear that allows perspiration to evaporate without
soaking your clothes. Watch for shivering - the first sign of hypothermia.
Last but not least, stay out of the wind. Wind speed plus air temperature may
equal a dangerous wind chill factor, so if you are ill equipped to handle strong
winds, hole up in camp and wait it out. Get wet clothing off as soon as
possible, especially when it's windy. ( Yuma
Sun, AZ -)
The Arizona Game and Fish Has Book JAVELINA RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT IN
ARIZONA by Gerald I. Day. Day - a long-time javelina research biologist,
gives his account of the life history and behavior of a favorite Arizona
game animal
Garlic Javelina
2-3 lb. javelina, boned
4 tbsp. olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
Thyme, pinch
2 cans chicken broth
Cut javelina meat into strips. Cross-cut those strips into small pieces and chop
them fine. Heat Dutch over or heavy cooking pot with olive oil. Add chopped meat
and garlic stirring rapidly with wooden spoon. Keep meat and garlic moving. Do
not allow garlic to burn because it will change the flavor dramatically. Stir in
thyme and tarragon. Add chicken broth and stir to mix. Heat through.
Cooking Tips: To liven up this dish, add 1 lb.
Chorizo, a Mexican sausage. Buy prepared chorizo and cook well. Microwave on
paper towel for 1-2 minutes on high before adding to pot. In addition, 1 lb. of
cooked macaroni can be added with the chicken broth. Garlic is currently seen as
a healthy food. The garlic used here cooks into the meat fairly well and is not
as overwhelming as it may seem.
This spicy dish needs rice and a salad to complete.
Barbecued Javelina or Wild Boar
5 lb javelina or wild boar roast
2 qts. Water
3 bouillon cubes
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 bottle commercial barbecue sauce
Preheat over to 300º. Place meat in a roasting pan
with all the ingredients except barbecue sauce. Cook 4 hours, basting often.
Remove roast and strain liquid, saving 1 cup. Return roast to pan and top with
barbecue sauce. Pour 1 cup of strained liquid around roast in pan. Reduce oven
temperature to 250º and cook for 1 hour.
Javelina
3 lb. javelina meat boned
1 cup port wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ - 1 cup olive oil 3 bunches green onions, diced
1 cup almonds, sliced
See Almond Javelina Sauce
Cut meat into thin slices. In bowl, blend wine and
garlic. Marinate meat in liquid for 4 hours. Heat skillet with olive oil.
Stir-fry meat and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add Almond Javelina Sauce and cook for
3 more minutes. Stir in almonds.
Serve with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables
Javelina Sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sherry
1 tbsp. teriyaki glaze
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Mix all ingredients in small bowl.
Wild Boar Roast
8-10 lb. wild boar roast, boned
Pure lard
1 qt stock or equivalent chicken broth
8 bay leaves
8 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp. marjoram
1/8 tsp. tarragon
¼ tsp. Virginia Olson Savory Seasonings Bake Bend
4 cups beef bouillon
1-2 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper
6 carrots, peeled and coined
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Preheat over to 300º. Brown meat in hot lard in large roasting pan. Lard may be
wiped out before cooking or left in pan. Add stock, bay leaves, garlic,
marjoram, tarragon, savory seasonings and beef bouillon cubes to the roast in
roaster. Roast 3 hours. Turn oven down to 250º, add Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper
and cook until well done. When meat is done, pressure cook carrots, and potatoes
until tender. Add to roaster and cook only 15 minutes longer to marry vegetables
with meat and juices.
Tip: turn roast every half-hour and add stock or broth to keeping it from drying
out.
One leg of Javelina
1/4 cup coarse sea salt
1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
For the marinade:
4 cups hearty red wine
2 dried imported bay leaves
40 sprigs fresh thyme, rinsed
20 black peppercorns
6 cloves
1 carrot, trimmed, peeled, and cut in 1/4-inch chunks
1 medium onion, cut in eighths
1/4 cup best-quality red wine vinegar
To roast the wild boar:
20 whole cloves
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
For the sauce:
2 cups chicken or veal stock
3 tablespoons red current jelly
1. Rub the leg of wild boar all over with the salt and the pepper. Place it in a
shallow dish, cover it loosely, and refrigerate it for 36 hours.
2. Bring the wine, the herbs and spices, and the vegetables to a boil in a
medium-sized saucepan over medium high heat and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove
from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain, reserving the bay leaf,
thyme, peppercorns and cloves, and discarding the vegetables.
Whisk in the vinegar.
3. Quickly rinse the salt and pepper from the boar to remove most but not all of
it. Pat meat dry and place it in a shallow dish. Pour the cooled marinade over
it, return it to the refrigerator, loosely covered, and let it marinate for 36
hours, turning it at least four times.
4. Preheat the oven to 450̊F.
5. Remove the leg of wild boar from the marinade and pat it dry. Make 20 tiny
slits in it all over, and insert a clove into each slit. Transfer the boar to a
baking dish, and pour one-fourth of the marinade over it. Roast in the center of
the oven until the boar is very golden on the outside, and when you cut into it
it is a very faint pink, but not in the least red, which will take about 2
hours. Check it occasionally to be sure the marinade hasn't completely
evaporated, and pour the additional marinade over the roast, one-fourth at a
time.
6. When the boar is roasted remove it from the oven, and set it on a platter in
warm spot, loosely covered, to sit for at least 20 minutes so the juices have a
chance to retreat back into the meat. To prepare the sauce, transfer the cooking
juice and any browned bits from the bottom of the baking dish to a medium sized
saucepan. Whisk in the chicken or veal stock and bring to a boil over
medium-high heat. Reduce by about one-fourth, then stir in the red current
jelly. Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce is smooth and satiny, 8 to
10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
7. Before slicing the boar remove as many of the cloves as possible. Thinly
slice the wild boar and arrange it on a platter. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley
leaves. Either pour the sauce over the meat, or serve it on the side
