Handgun Javelina

[galvweld]

Favorite knife by Joel Clark, Athol, ID. Used suppressed 9mm F&N Compact. One shot at 25 yards. Took two seasons to harvest my first Javelina. Plan to have skull cleaned for display. Hunted Unit 16A in the Hualapai Mountains.

Read More

 

[Gomer]

Where abouts in the unit did you take that one? I have a buddy that's in the Pinion Pines area that sees a lot of them but a lot of that area is "residential" so it's not the most ideal place to hunt.

 

[galvweld]

BLM land lower elevation. South of Lazy YU subdivision. UTV required. Access Ranch House Road.

 

[canary]

Got one a few years back with my G20 at 36 yards in 18A.

 

[Gomer]

Good to know, thanks!

 

[klwdesigns]

A skull mount? Nice! I think I'd like to do that.

 

[galvweld]

Yes. Found a local to clean the skull for $40. Hopefully they are good enough. Have Alaska moose and Wyoming antelope in European mount. Several bear skulls on the shelf. Excited to add javelina.

 

[klwdesigns]

Yes. Found a local to clean the skull for $40. Hopefully they are good enough. Have Alaska moose and Wyoming antelope in European mount. Several bear skulls on the shelf. Excited to add javelina.

I have cats in my neighborhood, I could probably just leave it outside overnight!
But I have heard that it's a nasty job, probably worth the $40 to have someone else put up with the mess.
How long until he returns it to you?

 

[galvweld]

Just a month. My son in Idaho usually does them. Hard to ship a nasty skull. Told him it was on the way. You can imagine his comments.

Cats wouldn't get the brain out. Slow simmer, outside. Or tank heater in water with introduction of fresh bacteria from manure.

 

[curtmini14]

we just leave them on an ant hole clean in a week i mean spotless.

 

[galvweld]

we just leave them on an ant hole clean in a week i mean spotless.

I have predators along with ants. They will relocate my bones. Game camera pictures at the house of fox and coyotes, keep me entertained.. Plus other numbers of javelina. Ants alone will work for sure. How do you keep the maggots under control?

 

[Sunky Heribeck]

Maggots don't usually have a chance of developing on a carcass covered in ants but if any do, the ants will eat them.

 

[DunRanull]

You took this wild stink-pig at 25 yards with a 9mm? Good shooting! What bullets did you use- Weight, solid, HP, soft nose?
How much did Mr Piggy weigh in at, and can the meat be cured and made edible? Thanks 😃
Oh, uhhhh.... asking for a friend...

 

[nvshooter]

If a man likes to hunt, I have no problem with that. I shoot targets. Never have to gut them. Never get any blood on me, either...

 

[DunRanull]

If a man likes to hunt, I have no problem with that. I shoot targets. Never have to gut them. Never get any blood on me, either...

I don't mind killing for food or defense, but I lost most interest in actually hunting for sport a few years back. Too old I guess, and much more aware of the miracle that is LIFE....

 

[galvweld]

You took this wild stink-pig at 25 yards with a 9mm? Good shooting! What bullets did you use- Weight, solid, HP, soft nose?
How much did Mr Piggy weigh in at, and can the meat be cured and made edible? Thanks 😃
Oh, uhhhh.... asking for a friend...

Wasn't planning on using 9mm. Have a Freedom Arms .454 with Sig Romeo and handloaded with 250 grain 45 Long Colt. Good accuracy to 100 yards off the bench at the gun range. In the field use shooting sticks. Happened to have F&N Compact with Vortex optic and fitted with Griffin Optimus suppressor when critter presented opportunity. It was loaded with Berry's 115 gr. One shot with round nose copper plated round through heart lung area.. As the question about eating it we processed it and have it frozen with idea of cooking slowly outside. Along with some fat trimmed from a beef brisket for experimentation. One friend suggested fire pit roasting underground. Another insists on making chorizo. Going to cook tenderloin with charcoal. Not much meat from so much bone, tendon and sinew. No fat! Critter weighed a healthy forty plus. Hide was extremely tough.

First time to ever field dress using the gut-less method. Have participated in this, new to me method. Really clean approach to skinning and harvesting food. Let me emphasis I shoot many calibers as often as I can on paper and steel. The instinct and God-given ability to harvest meat with respect and dignity to God's creatures is something to treasure. There is true joy in this experience of being alive and rediscovering my role in stewardship of this world.

The young man I shared with is 38 and has all kinds of bad life experiences from being raised in the city where food is either fast or comes from the grocery store. Our time together allowed me to share some wisdom and experiences to respect life, human above animals.

Have always aspired to harvest game with a handgun. Avid target shooter , so felt very comfortable with pursuit. Don't take random shots. To best of ability and opportunity prefer to dispatch animals with a one-shot-kill. Anything I shoot is headed for the table. I'm six months out from three levels of back fusion, was my fifth back surgery and am 72. Abilities and opportunities are limited and so much enjoy the total challenge to get as close as possible to wild animals. Best end to this is the young neighbor who has no experience with processing game was able to participate. He even took the bones, trimmings and silver skin home and pressure cooked it for a first experience. There was off-putting aroma during cooking but the meat was tender and pleasant to taste. This lengthy expose' was written for your friend....

 

[DunRanull]

LOL! Thanks for your thoughtful and quick response... My friend is also 72, and is grateful for your interesting and detailed account!
I guess I never really considered the 9mm-anything as an "outdoors" kind of gun, tho I do carry a bone-stock 5th gen G19 Glock around these days. Normally In the hills and woods of Colorado I carry a .357 or even an (overkill) Redhawk .44 mag.
I've hunted feral hogs but have yet to see any habelina. Good to know that a 9 will stop the clock, so to speak. Good shooting!