NATURE - NO PORK HERE

THE COLLARED PECCARY - JAVELINA
by Jim Foster

There is a wild animal roaming the deserts, pear flats, and brush land of the southwest. Over the years it has earned a fearful reputation that is not only not deserved but is flat NOT TRUE. This is the story of the collared peccary or better known as the javelina.

The javelina or collared peccary are pig like creatures that are very different from other split-hoofed animals. The javelina has four-hoofed toes on its front feet, but only three on the hind feet. It has a short, pig-like snout; crushing molars and nearly straight and very sharp canine teeth some hunters call tusks. These canine teeth are very dangerious and one the reasons they have picked up a bad reputation.

In spite of the resemblance, the javelina is not a pig.

The javelina has acquired the reputation of being an aggressive bad tempered animal attacking on a whim and deadly to man and beast. The javelina has been known to kill dogs in a scrap but the rest is just not true. Traveling in small groups, the dog is many times outnumbered and most of the time the loser.

The fact is the javelina has very poor eyesight and when encountering man the javelina will do its best to escape. At times they will scatter in the direction of the person leading them to believe the little animal has charged them. The javelina with young will protect them, as will all wild animals. Early hunting writers were mainly responsible for giving the javelina its vicious reputation. Trying to add adventure to what is normally a very dull hunt they added quailties to the little critter it doesn't have.

The javelina lives in the brushy semi-desert where prickly pear cactus is a conspicuous part of the flora. They are commonly found in dense thickets of prickly pear, chaparral, scrub oak, or guajillo. They are also found in rocky canyons where caverns and hollows afford protection and in barren wastelands.

They are active mainly in early morning and late afternoon and often bed down in dense brush or prickly pear thickets during the heat of midday. The peccary is absolutely harmless to the range, to livestock, and to people except for a rather bad smell. There is one exception and that is the javelina does not like dogs and many a unwary bird hunter have lost a dog to a small group of javelina.

They travel in groups ranging from a few animals to several dozen and have a rather limited home range. In the brush country of South Texas, for example, marked individuals moved within home ranges varying in size. Home ranges of adjacent peccary herds may overlap slightly, but usually only one herd at a time is found inside this "border." The boundaries of the home range are marked by scent emitted from the conspicuous musk gland on the animal’s rump, which also serves the individual in keeping contact within the herd.

Peccaries are chiefly herbivorous and feed on various cactus, especially prickly pear, mesquite beans, and other succulent vegetation. In areas where prickly pear is abundant, peccaries seldom frequent water holes because these plants provide both food and water. Contrary to the habits of the common pig, peccaries rarely root in the ground but rather, push around on the surface — even where the soil is very sandy and loose — turning up chunks of wood and cactus. Mast, fruits, and terrestrial insects will also be eaten.

In some states, the peccary was hunted commercially for its hide until around 1939 when it was given protected game animal status in many states. Perhaps a far greater value is in its relationship to range vegetation as peccaries are able to control by eating certain undesirable cacti.

As a game animal, the javelina can be a good start for the beginning hunter, the bowhunter, and beginning handgun hunter. Seasons are open in many Southwestern states where the animal flourishes. The peccary’s poor eyesight allows hunters to get close.

As for the quality of the food value, there is a wide range of opinion. Many hunters believe its meat should be left alone, while some say tamales made from javelina are better than those made from pork or venison. The bottom line is, it is a matter of taste, but it doesn’t taste like chicken.

In most of the states with populations of peccary there are regular hunting seasons. In some Texas counties there is no closed season and the statewide limit is two a year. It is always a good idea to check the hunting guides in the state and county you are hunting for any special rules or regulations before hunting.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please e-mail him at: jim@jimfosteroutdoors.com