From the hills to the table

[WampusCat]

Well, since the spring results are out and I won't be hunting this year, I thought I would make a post that I meant to long ago.

 

I thoroughly enjoy introducing new people to our way of life and that includes preparing and eating wild game. Once or twice a month at work on friday we try to BBQ and I try to bring something wild. They have seen it all from fish, to frog legs, to dove, to elk steaks and everything in between.

 

I bought a left over tag two years ago and headed East with a couple buddies who had never hunted much less eaten Javelina. They had heard stories from a knucklehead at work that came from Texas. He told them about how it wasnt really hunting and the meat was terrible. I was determined to show them a good time and a glimpse into my love need for the outdoors.

 

Being an avid reloader and predator hunter I have spent many summers fine tuning what I think is the best balance in a fur load in several calibers. This trip we were toting ARs in .223 and I had lots of 52gr Speer hollow points loaded from the previous fur season left over. These have been reliably putting down critters for me so I figured they would work on a Stink Pig just fine.

 

We promptly found a nice ridge a began glassing. No pigs but I called a coyote we spotted right in for an easy shot. I think they believe it's just that easy now. They have much to learn. It was the next day before day we glassed a nice herd and closed the distance.

We played the wind and picked a spot that would offer a good shot when pigs came out of the brush. I debated whether to attempt calling them since we have had such a blast while chasing them with archery equipment but I decided against it since everything was falling into place. The pigs filtered out and we watched for a bit. I picked the largest of the group and put a single round in his shoulder. The pig dropped and as I turned around looking for a high five my buddy said the pig was up again. I shot again and the pig was down just as fast. Another round behind the ear for good measure and we were off to check out the pig.

It was a great pig and it was even better showing these guys the tusks where the Javelina get their name.

This all happened inside of 150 yds so I was surprised at what happened. I was even more suprised when I skinned the pig out and found my first bullet just under the skin on the "near side" from where I shot. Absolutely zero penetration. That pigs body armor literally stopped a bullet from entering the pump station. While I love that bullet for fur it is defintely not a Javelina bullet.

We went on to kill one more pig the next day (different bullet) and headed home. Once back home I promised the guys that Javelina was indeed good to eat. It was just a matter of field care and preparing the meat.

The meat was carefully cleaned without touching the hair or skin. After cooling on ice for a day I grabbed a random rub and went to work. After the rub was on I wanted to try something new and weaving bacon sounded like a great idea.

The woven bacon made a perfect wrap that I hoped would help the meat from drying out.

Then into the smoker they went. It's a bit difficult trying to keep a big metal smoker down at the right temperature in the Yuma sun but we made due.

After a few hours we couldnt wait any longer as the smell had attracted a platoon of hungry animals. I diced both of the juicy chunks up, bacon and all. Mixed in a bit of BBQ sauce and served it on a bun with a slice of provolone. There was hardly a scrap left shortly after.

[4Falls]

holy smokes that looks awesome. Im glad I put in for a leftover tag now for sure.

[billrquimby]

 

"It was a great pig and it was even better showing these guys the tusks where the Javelina get their name." ,.................. WampusCat: Good story and good photos, but javelinas were named by the conquistadores, the first Europeans to encounter them. It has nothing to do with their tusks, although it would be easy to think it would because of the English word "javelin." ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, In Spanish, the word for wild swine is "jabali," and adding "ina" to it indicates that it is a young or small animal. English speakers have trouble discerning the difference in pronouncing "b" and "v" in Spanish. Thus, "jabalina" became "javelina." Both literally mean "little wild pig" even though javelinas are new world animals called "peccaries" and not pigs. -----Bill Quimby

 

[WampusCat]

Bill, I knew they are actually peccaries but they look a lot like a pig and well you know...

 

I did not know about the namesake. Someone told me long ago they got the name from their spike like teeth. Made sense to me and had no reason to doubt them. Thanks for the correction.

[firstcoueswas80]

Glad to see about that speer, as I heave s bunch loaded and had thought about using then this coming year.

[WampusCat]

Glad to see about that speer, as I heave s bunch loaded and had thought about using then this coming year.

This is the varmint hollowpoint. It looks like a flying soup can. I still love those bullets. It fulfilled its role perfectly as a non exiting coyote round. Just not the ticket on Javelina.

[firstcoueswas80]

52 gr match hollow point right?

[WampusCat]

No, not the "match" variety. I would think the match version would perform better. I am talking about the plain ole hollow point. It has an obnoxiously large hollow point (flying soup can). It is my go to fur load in .223

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2149480539/speer-bullets-22-caliber-224-diameter-52-grain-jacketed-hollow-point

[Flatlander79]

Sounds good. How long and at what temperature did u have it in the smoker? If you don't mind sharing.

[carpcody]

Man that looks really good!

[billrquimby]

"I knew they are actually peccaries but they look a lot like a pig and well you know..." ...........Yep, I know. I call them "pigs," too, and I've hunted true wild pigs in Africa and Europe. I like the way you wrapped bacon around your javelina roast. I will try that if I ever hunt them again.

 

--- Bill Quimby

[Chef]

Good stuff!

Looks delish.

[capoeirajosh]

That sounds delicious

[WampusCat]

Sounds good. How long and at what temperature did u have it in the smoker? If you don't mind sharing.

I hate to admit it but I dont remember the exact time. It was between 3-5 hours for certain, and fought to keep temps under 300 deg in the Yuma sun. I would do a few things different next time. I was only concerned with getting internal temps up high enough to kill any potential trichinosis. I am not 100% if they are carriers but I wanted to be safe since I was cooking for a group.

 

It was delicous. A lot of non hunters left that day thinking Javelina is delicous.

[1uglydude]

 

Sounds good. How long and at what temperature did u have it in the smoker? If you don't mind sharing.

I hate to admit it but I dont remember the exact time. It was between 3-5 hours for certain, and fought to keep temps under 300 deg in the Yuma sun. I would do a few things different next time. I was only concerned with getting internal temps up high enough to kill any potential trichinosis. I am not 100% if they are carriers but I wanted to be safe since I was cooking for a group.

 

It was delicous. A lot of non hunters left that day thinking Javelina is delicous.

 

 

According to Gerald Day's book "Javelina: Research and Management in Arizona" (page 76), Game and Fish tested 42 harvested animals throughout the late 1970s and all tests for trichina worms "were found negative." With respect to all parasites as a whole, he observed that "t appears that the incidence of parasitic infestation is low and causes no problems to javelina."