After a busy and successful fall, I found myself biting at the bit to get out in January and search for deer and javelina here in Arizona. Not only for myself, but also for my wife and my father-in-law as they too had rifle javelina tags in their pockets. I figured I could use January as a long scouting trip to ensure they had a successful hunt in February.
Being relatively new to archery hunting, I found harvesting any animal with my bow to be a rigorous feat. Several friends and I went out in January to try and find a deer for them to hunt. It seemed while glassing for deer, we would find javelina, get sidetracked, and begin hunting them. My friend, Austin, was able to fill his javelina tag quickly, while I took a little longer to find success. After several missed shots and different opportunities throughout the first week, I became slightly frustrated. I remember trying to shake it off after another missed shot and kept telling myself, “This is part of archery hunting.”
The afternoon was wrapping up, and we all agreed to head home. As we were driving out of our glassing spot, my friend, Jon Moeck, saw a deer which we had seen before up on the side of the mountain. About 600 yards away, Austin told me this would begood opportunity to practice spot and stalk archery hunting. I made my move and watched two bucks with two does wander along the hillside and bed on the same face. I got within 200 yards, and the does got up, not spooked, and the bucks followed them and they fed over to the backside of the mountain where I lost sight of them. It began getting close to dark, and I knew I had to make a move if I wanted an opportunity. I began just walking right to where I last saw them before going on the backside of the mountain. As I got to that point, I heard the deer below busting out and splitting up. I saw the does go uphill and the two bucks go downhill. I figured since I was there, I may as well sit patiently and see what happens. I then intentionally put myself in between the does and the two bucks. Approximately 80 yards from the does, I lost sight of the bucks. I waited and waited and ranged several bushes around me just in case an opportunity arose, and sure enough, the smaller 2-point buck made an appearance and saw the does. I then ranged the buck at 50 yards and drew my bow back, ready to take a shot. The buck began sprinting directly to me as I was in between the does and him. At full draw, the buck noticed me and stopped in his tracks at a bush I previously ranged at 20 yards. With no shot opportunity, I thought he would spook as he was unsure what I was. However, the buck sat there staring at me for what I assumed was a minute and a half. Finally, the buck felt comfortable enough a to step out behind the bush and begin waking towards the does once again. I put my 20-yard pin on his vitals and let my arrow fly. I watched the fletchings bury through his vitals and heard my arrow skipping rocks behind him. I could not believe it, how fast and exciting everything had happened. I walked to my arrow and saw it covered in blood. I looked over and saw my first archery buck crashing 50 yards away. I was ecstatic, and at that moment, I understood people’s passion for bowhunting.
I went out one more time to try and harvest a javelina with my bow that January, and thanks to the help of my friends, we were able to find some javelina and put together a successful plan, which led me to harvesting my second javelina with my bow. These experiences led to a successful January and made me excited to share my passion with my wife and father-in-law, Ted, the following month.
The day arrived for opening day of Courtney and Ted’s javelina hunt. I thought it would be a good idea to start lower where we had seen javelina and would be a little closer to home. The morning came and went with absolutely no sighting of any javelina. At that time, we planned to go back to where I harvested my deer and glass over there as we had seen them there before. The afternoon came and went with no action. The day was quickly coming to an end, and we made the plan for the next day to go back to where I had harvested my javelina the month before. This time, we had Austin with us. With a lot of hiking and glassing but no javelina, I knew if we were going to be successful, these two would be earning it.
We went back to one of our normal spots to end the evening, and with less than 30 minutes of daylight, Austin glassed up a herd. Ted and Austin made a dash for them as Courtney and I stayed back in the glass. We watched the herd go up and over the ridge and used hand signals to direct Austin and Ted to follow. As I lost sight of Austin and Ted, I soon heard the javelina call screaming and figured there could be a shot opportunity. Shortly after, I heard the gun fire off. It was a clean miss, and the night was over.
The next morning, it was just Ted, Courtney, and me. After two long days in the Arizona sun, we slept in a little later. We went to the same spot where we found the herd yesterday and were met with a curveball. Someone was already in our glassing spot. With another spot down the road, we headed that way. There, we were met by another hunter who was asking for a ride to the glassing point we were headed to. Frustrated, we gave him a ride to the other glassing point and it was there that he told us his friends were already on a herd and getting ready to shoot. He then told us we could come with and watch, and if a shot opportunity arose for us, we could take a shot. In disbelief with the generous offer, we did not hesitate to take him up on it.
We made it over to the other hunter and spotters who were already in position. They were set up in the gun, ready to shoot and waiting for us. They only had one tag, and at that point, we needed to decide who was going to shoot first, Courtney or Ted. Courtney harvested a javelina about four years ago with Austin and me, and she wanted to watch her father do the same. Courtney and I tried to get Ted set up and ready to shoot. Another generous offer was given to us from our new friends. They asked if we would like to use their gun after the hunter shot. With their gun in a tripod setup, a chair at the perfect height, and a much steadier rest, we had to take the offer. The hunter was ready to shoot across the canyon at the bedded javelina. I got in my glass along with other spotters. Boom! The gun went off and was immediately followed by a “Whop!” Everyone in the glass confirmed it was a hit and the javelina was going down. It was Ted’s turn. He jumped on the gun, and the javelina were moving up the mountain. Between all the spotters, we got Ted on one. He was ready to shoot. Boom! The first shot was high as we told him to hold higher than he needed. We continued to range and told Ted where to hold. Boom! The second shot was a good hit, and the javelina was bedding down. Another round was put into the javelina, and it was a successful harvest.
After all was said and done, I was amazed at just how this day had worked out. From getting a late start, to meeting a stranger and giving him a ride, to them sharing a herd and letting us not only get a shot off, but use their gun, it reminded of what the hunting community is all about. I was extremely happy for Ted successfully harvesting a javelina and extremely happy for the other hunter as it was his first ever harvest. Not only that, but I was extremely happy to meet some great new friends during this hunt and to make memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for everything, Scott, Ryan, Dave, Grant, Briella, and of course, my beautiful wife and her amazing dad, Ted! We could not have done it without you and will remember this hunt with you all forever.
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