This is the first I'd heard of Javelina. I did a search, and I had heard of them by their other name - peccary - but I still knew next to nothing about them.

Found this on Wikipedia:

Not large, 44-88 lbs I read.

I've seen big Javelina boars that would go 100lbs and have hunted some that were over 80. The sows are a bit smaller. Interesting animals. The boars actively protect the young, which is fairly rare. Extended family groups stay close and forage together. While not really classed as nocturnal, around these parts they are rarely seen in the daytime. They do most of their damage at night. They root like true pigs and are similarly omnivorous. They'll tear up a compost heap looking for grubs or destroy a garden eating everything in sight. Potatoes are a favorite. Excellent diggers; a great big one will dig a giant hole under a pasture fence and let the whole gang through.
You'll hear stories of people being attacked by them but I don't believe it. They have very poor vision but acute senses of smell and hearing. I gave up hunting them with a .30-30 Winchester lever action after spooking a herd more than once from 50 or more yards downwind just with the click of the hammer. When they spook they panic and run full speed in whatever direction they happen to be pointed. Helter skelter, not as a group. I personally think the "attack" stories were actually just people who got in the way of a panicked one. They are not aggressive like true pigs, except when protecting young.

Thanks El. Nice writup on the Javalinas!

The feral domestics are the dangerous ones because like a coyote mix they don't fear people?

Yup!

So what do you use, an AR-15? I'm guessing even an automatic must be initially cocked. Maybe one could have it ready with safety on. Have not fired one.

I've been watching a lot of vids of hunting hogs with dogs. Seems bulldogs might be best, all in all, for catch dogs. Plenty tough and safer around children than pit bulls. Rhodesian Ridgebacks might be good for bay, or chase hounds. But then apparently numerous breeds are. I read that help can be found in training them for the job.

I see dogs fitted with Kevlar vests to protect neck and chest from sharp tusks. I saw one vid of two of them with a solid grip on the hog's ears with the hog trying in vain to slice them up. In many of the vids, some tough ol' boy reaches under with a knife to slice their lower belly, it looks like, to administer death. In another, a guy shooed his dogs off of the ear bite grip so he could tie the feet, this while kneeling on it. Looked like a young one, maybe 70 to 80 lbs. I can only guess that one was destined for fattening up. Not legal in some states I gather.

But it only makes sense. If it's profitable to fatten steers for more meat, why not for boars? I seem to recall Bot talking about how it reduces the gamey taste, thought I've read that the wild flavor can be pretty good.

There's an exclusive Spanish restaurant in these parts that charges big for wild boar, when it's available. Ah, just found it, I was afraid they had gone away - had to move - real estate is in turmoil these days:

Iberia Restaurant - Belmont | Just another WordPress site

I read an article in a gun magazine mid or early 80's. The guy was treed by Javalinas. They kept under the tree for a few hours. Then wondered off. Also, I think someone 'imported' some wild boar to one of the Carolinas Islands. Some of them swam to the mainland. I think some of the southern wild pigs are a cross. They can get big. 400lbs. or larger. some reports of 800lds, rare. I did see a wild bore in Germany. It was dead though. Hung out in front of a shop. See, Japan should allow some Germans to immigrate. Let them go Old School with spears and Great Danes. The dogs, of course.

The story of the guy treed by Javalinas sounds familiar. I may have read it in some doctors waiting room or such or maybe in another magazine.

Jeez, ugly little buggers. Could you imagine the indignity of being eaten by a herd of these?

https://s20.postimg.org/86foiuutp/javelina_2.jpg

Stupid people feeding them....no surprise they got bitten....lucky not to be consumed.

I read in another article that it was mostly feeding on garbage that got it going. But yeah, feeding any wild critter, especially those who will attack and eat humans is not a good idea.

That does look like livestock feed on the concrete in the pic.

Javelina won't "eat" people. They will however, attack anything they feel is a threat to their young. It is a reaction, not an aggressive move.

Well, I wouldn't want to count on it.;)

Also may depend on how hungry they are. The pic looks like bird food.

Yeah, that's probably a stretch. They're not really closely related to pigs/hogs anyway.