Davis Mountains State Park Javelina/Aoudad hunt

[Shane]

We drew this hunt for January 6-8. Archery only for javelina and aoudad.

I've never been there. I've heard they have plenty of javelina. What about aoudad?

[Puncher51]

I did this hunt around 4-5 years ago, except it was javelina only. There are a couple springs in the bottoms where most of your javelina will be. One day I wanted to do a little exploring and went straight up the hill/mountain right in front of the parking area for the compartment. I found a group of 5 or so ewe's, and a 22"-24" ram. I was able to snap a few pictures before they went over the other side. I'm new to this site so not sure how to private message you, but if you want anymore info just let me know. It's an amazing place.

[Frederick D. Be]

You will see Aoudad for sure and be prepared to hike up the mountains on either side to get them. A lot of javelina as well. It is a beautiful park. Have fun!

[Shane]

Thanks, y'all. Puncher, I don't mind if you share whatever you know on the thread here. If you'd rather PM me, just click on my username.

[noack920]

Just found out I got drawn for this hunt except on the 13-15. Will be following.

[Sika]

The campground is infested with them (where you can't hunt, of course.)
They are more scarce in the hunting area. We hiked all over those mountains and got in to one group. Spot and stalk. Glass and listen. You'll usually hear them long before you see them. It's not an easy hunt...but very fun.
Saw a few aoudad near park headquarters.

[Puncher51]

Alrighty, I can't keep my stories short, so I'm warning ya'll in advance.....
At orientation the Park Rangers told us that there was a spring right next to the parking area in the compartment. They said that's where most folks hunted. There were two other guys hunting, and I was hunting solo. One of the guys had hunted the park before and they said they wanted to hunt at the spring by the parking area. I told them that was fine with me, and that I'd find some other place. When the hunt started I used the topo they gave me, and decided I'd like to walk down the creek bed toward some large cottonwoods at the edge of the hunting compartment. About 1/2 - 1 mile down the creek I found a large spring bubbling out of the ground. I found a place and hung a trail camera hoping it'd help me later. The spring was so strong that it formed a creek about 3-5 foot wide in some places. The ground was tore up with tracks and the smell of javelina. About 50 yards down the creek from the head of the spring I jumped a boar and 3-4 sows. They took off into the thick cover on the edge of the mountain. I kept walking down the creek until I found a large pool of water probably 15 foot in diameter. This is where the creek goes back underground, probably 200-300 yards from the head of the spring. I found a place to sit under some brush overlooking the pool all afternoon.... no activity besides song birds. The next morning I sat at the same area from sun up until 10 am, no activity. I did hear some javelina so I knew they were close though. At lunch I talked to the Park Rangers and told them about the spring. They had absolutely no clue it was there. I didn't really believe them until I checked my trail camera when I got back home, sure enough that night I had pictures of them looking at the spring with a flashlight haha, pretty funny. Back to the story.... around 11 am that morning I decided to hike up the big mountain right in front of the parking area in the hunting compartment. It was almost straight up, but I did find some aoudad trails which somewhat helped me get up to the top. After some pictures, I stalked around the top of the mountain looking for any sign of wildlife. The top of the mountain is fairly open with scattered cedars. Some areas thicker than others. As I came over a little rise I spotted a few aoudad grazing along some tough terrain and a barbwire fence. After a few pictures they heard my shutter and took off along the edge of the fence straight down into a big canyon. I went to where I last saw the aoudad at the top of the canyon, but never spotted them again. By this time it was probably around 12:30-1 pm, so I figured I better get back off the mountain and to my water hole in the creek. Let's just say there was no easy trek down the mountain. It is very steep, there are a lot of loose rocks, and the acacia is extremely thick in some areas. I tried to follow some aoudad trails, but I quickly realized I am not a sheep.
One thing to note, when I went on this hunt 4-6 years ago I found multiple barbed wire fences along the NE boundary of the hunting area. They confused the heck out of me until I finally found some that were marked as a state park boundary. All the fences aren't listed on the topo, so good luck finding out exactly where you are in relation to them.
Halfway down the mountain I spotted some javelina in the shade about 50 yards up the creek from my large pool of water. They were milling around in the mud and the leaves. Long story short I got downwind of them, in front of where they were heading, and belly crawled until I found myself almost in the middle of the group. I was able to pick out the oldest boar in my range and double lung him. That's when I figured out all of the belly crawling was probably overkill. They gave me time for some pictures before they headed down the creek into the head high switchgrass. I had some time for some quick pictures, cleaned the animal, then started the process of dragging him out the 1/2 - 1 mile back to the truck. I luckily had 1 bar of cell service and the park ranger told me to drag the animal to the highway which wasn't but a couple hundred yards away. I was thankful he gave me a drive back to my truck. The rangers were very nice folks and I appreciated their help.
When I hunted you could only shoot javelina, not aoudad. My advise is to hunt the springs along the creek for the javelina. They were definitely thick around the water. I think one of the hunters in the other group killed a javelina at the spring right by the parking area. While I was there though, they only visited the water at mid day. Otherwise they were in the thick cover on the edge of the mountain and the creek. I don't think killing a javelina will be any trouble. The aoudad on the otherhand should be interesting. There are a ton of trails and droppings on the top of the mountain, especially the East and Northeast side. I didn't travel to the far North side, or the west side. I think they'll be on the northside as well up against the breaks. I'd hunt aoudad early in the morning, and later in the evening, and stick to chasing javelina around mid day when they are in the creek bottom.
I can't figure out how to attach my pictures, so I'll look around and see if I can find and help on this site. Goodluck, and if you have any questions let me know.

[Shane]

Good stuff. Thanks, Puncher and Sika.

I'm trying to decide if I want to go on this hunt or not. I was hoping for a preference point, actually. I already drew the aoudad hunt at Devil's River in January. I really don't need to be gone from work that much in one month, but I'm tempted.

[Hillary]

Oh, Shane.
You and your tag-drawing skills are endless!!
We put in for this one, so if you don't mind, just skip out and maybe my pending 2nd might actually come through

Honestly, I think it would be awesome to just poke around the Davis Mountains for a couple days. Go for it!

[Puncher51]

I agree with Hillary, it was worth the money just to hike around with a bow and see the sights. It will be a tough hunt on the aoudad though. Goodluck and let me know what y'all do.

[Shane]

Oh, Shane.
You and your tag-drawing skills are endless!!
We put in for this one, so if you don't mind, just skip out and maybe my pending 2nd might actually come through

Honestly, I think it would be awesome to just poke around the Davis Mountains for a couple days. Go for it!

It's always feast or famine for us, it seems. We didn't draw anything the last 2 years in a row. But when we draw, we usually end up with 2 or 3 in the same year and end up having to burn one here and there.

This is Zach's senior year though, so it will be a lot easier to NOT burn any draws next year after he graduates.

[Shane]

Hillary, we decided we're gonna skip out on this draw. It's the first 3 days of school for Zach after Christmas break, and he's already gonna miss a few days of school 2 weeks after this hunt. I put in for it because of the aoudad, but the Devil's River hunt 2 weeks later is for aoudad, and we'll have a much better chance of getting one there. Javelina don't do anything for me.

Good luck in the 2nd draw. There should be at least 3 permits up for grabs.

[Hillary]

Hillary, we decided we're gonna skip out on this draw. It's the first 3 days of school for Zach after Christmas break, and he's already gonna miss a few days of school 2 weeks after this hunt. I put in for it because of the aoudad, but the Devil's River hunt 2 weeks later is for aoudad, and we'll have a much better chance of getting one there. Javelina don't do anything for me.

Good luck in the 2nd draw. There should be at least 3 permits up for grabs.

Put in a good word for me!!

[Shane]

October 5th is the payment deadline, by the way. So the 2nd draw should happen on the 6th.

[n8tvetxn]

ok ok.... I see you guys talking about javalinas here...can someone tell me how to clean these things and not throw up...also... how are...if you are...preparing the meat to eat...I shot one in freer...could barely dress it out and put one backstrap in the pan it smelled just like the day i shot it and about threw up all over again. made me sorry I shot the fella.