Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Javelina Gun

Javy's are range Rats, covered with flea's stink like hell I wouldn't eat one unless I was Starving then I would have to hold my nose, if you see them shoot them do us all a favor. Rio7

Flintlock.

The half grown ones are best but I have had full grown ones that were good too. Avoid touching the scent glands, wash your knife and change your rubber gloves after skinning them. I like to quarter them and cook over coals. Brush a little of your favorite barbecue sauce on just before done. I have heard all the stories " they stink - covered in fleas - taste terrible" But that's not my experience.

I have cooked dozens of them I shot in West Texas and they were all good.
btw - They eat prickly pear cactus.

Friend of mine shot one in his back yard at night in San Antonio, TX with a Marlin Model 60. He said it was good on the BBQ grill

They smell like a skunk.

I read a story in a gun mag in the 60's about a guy who hunted them with a Marlin M62 in .256 WM. It must have impressed the s%&t outa me as I bought a used one in the early 70's

Fast forward about 35 yrs, and I made a trip to Texas and shot my javaline the first day with the ,256WM and two days later took the second one with a Win. M43 in .218B

They are not big animals----don't over gun them and you will have a ball!

Hip

Yeah, I know they don't take much killin'. I remember Layne Simpson talking about shooting one with a PPK .380 from a few feet away. You know how it is, thinking about what gun to take is part of the fun.

Always thought my Riger 22 Hornet would be about perfect on one of those.

GreggH

I can't imagine a better excuse to hunt with that 25-20.

Open sighted handguns are a fun way to go, along with chorizo for the end product.

They are fun to hunt when nothing else is going on. We have killed them with .223, .243, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308.

I shot one when I lived in AZ. I used my 270 loaded with Remington's Managed Recoil load (I didn't handload at the time). Worked perfectly. Ballistics were a 115 grain PSP at 2710 fps., but I think they're discontinued.

As soon as I saw .25-20 in your list I knew what I'd take if I were you. If I were going myself, I'd take my .25-20 if I could get it free from my grandson. That being unlikely, I'd probably go with my .30 carbine or a revolver os some sort. Maybe a Glock 20.

The scent gland is stinky. They use the scent to communicate with one another. Try not to spook them. I also recommend head shots on them.

I think deer cartridges/loads work great. I wonder about shooting the big boars weighing ~500 lb’s though.
I suspect if I knew there were huge ones about, I’d probably look more carefully.

Interesting! I’ve heard the same about many animals and typically they come from people who don’t know much about cooking or game preparation. Black bear gets a lot of bad attention in PA and many say similar things about them as far as being “edible” or not. Some of the best meat I’ve ever had was bear and many of those eating it had no idea what it was but no one complained and most thought it was excellent. I’d love to try Javelina and if I ever get a chance I will! I’d probably use the .25-20, .256 win mag., 22 Hornet, 32-20 or something in that category. Going after one with my 1873 Winchester in .32-20 would be great fun!!

Good luck on your hunt!

PennDog

Many years ago, the wife and I bought some available licenses in Arizona. There was a good reason that these were available……we got skunked!

However, we were also expecting close range shots (under 150 yards), and took our big game hunting rifles shooting cast bullets. I think that they’d have worked just fine…..had we had the opportunity to test them! memtb

Never even seen one but from what I gather reading about them I'd take either my 22mag with 40gr bullet's or, a 223 with 55gr bullets. Good excuse to buy a new rifle, haven't had a 223 in years! If I was to go with a larger cartridge I'd do it with cast bullets. Sounds to me like they are pretty small and I think about meat damage. Think also head shots only to try and keep from destroying meat. I'd eat one! Took a bear I got in Montana years ago to a processor after I quartered it up. had him cure it and was like I was eating Canadian bacon, stuff was great! Got a wild feral pig here last year, 186 pounds. Used my 6.5x55 with 140gr bullet and shot where the neck goes into the head. Dropped it like a rock. Think my 22 mag would have done the same thing with that shot. Great eating! Shooting one leaves me thinking of shooting rabbit's. When I hunted them, snowshoes hares, I used a 22 mag and head shot everything. Hit it in the shoulder and you'll probably lose both shoulder's.

500lbs??? They go maybe 80lbs max

The ones I've take have been 40 lbs and under, and usually under.




These two were taken with a 7mm-08 and 140 gr. Ballistic Tips.



8 x 57 JRS.


ya!

GWB