Javi Quest

1S1K

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I've been bow hunting since 2007. I got a doe my first season, and decided I wanted to try for a javi at the end of the 2007-08 season. I got a good deal from "7Mag" on a javi/predator hunt in January of 2009. I hit a javi on my first night, but we were unable to find it after it ran quiet a ways and then rolled under a cedar sealing the wound on both sides.
I booked another hunt shortly after that with an un-named ranch and was sorely disappointed with just about every aspect of the hunt. The only good thing that came out of that hunt was meeting a guy from PA.
We decided to book a hunt together this year and since they are from out of state, I offered to try and find a better place to hunt that offered both javi and predators.
What I came up with was a hunt with ShoestringSafaris. While it was more money than I thought I'd ever spend on a javi hunt, Randall claimed about a 98% shot opportunity. I had a score to settle with the javis and decided I'd spent about as much as he charges on the two hunts I booked last year so if I was successful I'd only need to book the one hunt this year.
Unfortunately, Predatoraddict and his buddies were unable to come after all, but I decided to go ahead solo.
I drove to Cisco on Thursday and met "Ben" while I was in town. I spent the night at my lease so I could break up the drive a little. Friday morning I was on the road early and headed towards Fort Stockton.
I got there a lot sooner than what Googlemaps estimated and met Randall shortly after. Randall was a little concerned with the lack of activity he'd seen in the last two days. I was his first hunter of the year. We checked several corn lines that were untouched, then went in to town and got the rest of the groceries we needed.
Once back at the ranch, we unloaded the stuff we'd picked up in town then got ready to hunt. We went to an area of the ranch he hadn't checked yet and drove up on a pile of javi unexpectedly. We drove past them, hoping to park and circle back on them from the down wind side. After about an hour of trying to get back on them we went back to the truck, defeated. We checked another hole and found nothing.
On the third spot we stopped, we hit the jackpot! We spotted javis from 60yds or so and I began a stalk. The brush in the area was unbelievable, and I don't take shots over about 20yds. Not having ever stalked javis, I had no idea what all I could get away with movement wise. I had about 8 bunched up feeding, then about 10yds to the right of them was a smaller one and a couple of burnt logs. When I got to about 30yds, I noticed one of the 8 was looking my direction. It was laying down, but looked like it was staring a hole right through me. As I got to my comfortable shooting distance, I had a mesquite branch right at face height. I paused and assessed the situation and though the javi had noticed something was up, I had to get on the other side of the branch for a shot. As soon as I crossed under the branch, one of the burnt logs stood up! By this time one of the feeding javi and the one that just stood up, were now heading towards me! They were closing the distance and were pretty much side by side. I was drawn and waiting for one to charge or turn a little so I'd know which one to shoot. Finally the one on the right turned broadside and I released the Rage tipped arrow.
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At the shot, javi seemed to explode in every direction! It looked like I hit her a little far back and a sick feeling came over me. I watched where she entered the brush and made a mental note.
Randall and I had a congratulatory handshake and I thought, "we gotta find this thing before we get too carried away." We began to track right away. The sun was setting fast. Oddly, there was little blood found, but we found her piled up after only 30yds or so.

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I would highly recommend www.shoestringsafaris.com for a fully guided, all inclusive type hunt.
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According to his scale, the sow weighed 64lbs.
 
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Originally Posted By: bighornboyGood sized sow, hope you enjoyed the great city of Fort Stockton!
Wasn't a lot to see in town, but loved the terrain out that way!
 
They have a gov't trapper working the ranch so I was told I wouldn't so much as hear a coyote at night.
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That was wrong, I did hear a few Saturday night. We got so wrapped up in chasing javi's on Saturday that I didn't even break out the call until Sunday morning before I left. On the first set, just a minute or so in, I saw something slink through the draw below the call. I got ready for the shot, but never saw whatever it was again. I'm guessing a fox or maybe a bobcat. Looked thin across the back and grey. The wind was really high and we threw in the towel after two stands. I'll go back for some calling one of these days and through a javi hunt in for good measure.
I gotta say, the spot and stalk part of the hunt was the best! It was a lot different than the sit and wait hunting I've done all of my life.
 
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Govt trappers arn't putting a dent in the varmint population out here, imo. Tim I am up 2 on ya, what do you think of my javi and Mikeys javi??? Can you say wth???
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Mikes Javi, yes bow kill
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Mine from this past yr
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