Sometimes I get into an e-mail exchange and it takes me two or three messages back and forth to realize that I’m swimming upstream against a strong current with no hope of making any progress. Yesterday was a good example.
I received an e-mail from a fellow informing that I was wrong when I said the animal pictured in yesterday’s blog was a javelina. He told me that javelina are much larger animals, are only found in herds of 20 or more, and are not found in the United States, only in Mexico and further south. He told me what I saw and photographed was a feral hog and that these animals are proliferating all across the southern half of the country.
And foolish me, I had to respond and tell him that they were javelina and that I have seen literally hundreds, if not thousands, of them in the many years I spent living, hunting, photographing wildlife, and hiking in Arizona. I also sent him a link to the Arizona Game and Fish Department website about javelina. As it turns out, they don’t know what they’re talking about either; what all those wildlife biologists and game wardens and folks like that think are javelina are really feral hogs. At that point I gave up and surrendered. Sometimes it’s just easier that way.
Somebody asked a while back why I seem to attract people like this. For years I have been convinced that there is a huge group of people called the International Coalition of The Weird and Strange, and that one of their initiation requirements is that prospective members seek me out and aggravate me.
Even with 3G and 4G signals, a Wilson RV/Trucker Rooftop Antenna and a Wilson Signal Booster in our motorhome, the internet is still very slow here at the Pima County Fairgrounds. It seems like it was faster when we were here last year, but I could be wrong.
By the way, if you’re looking for a good place to stay while you’re in Tucson, the RV park at the fairgrounds is a good deal. $20 a night or $100 a week and all RV sites are full hook up. They have a lot of room and there is even a coin laundry right here on the fairgrounds. And if you are a regular who has stopped here before, you will be glad to know they are building a new WalMart Supercenter a couple of miles north on Houghton Road at Old Vail Road. There is also a new Pilot Travel Center seven miles west at exit 268 on Interstate 10, right across the road from the old Triple T Truck Stop. In addition to eight truck fuel lanes, it has a Taco Bell, Subway, and Cinnabon.
In yesterday’s blog, I mentioned the Southeast Regional Park shooting range near the fairgrounds and blog reader Jeff Savournin sent me a link to the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club’s website. I need to go check this place out. It has 50 trap fields, 13 skeet fields, a restaurant, pro shop, and 200 full hookup RV sites!
Have you signed up for this week’s Free Drawing yet? Over 110 folks have already, so what’s stopping you? This week we are giving away an audiobook of Big Lake, the first book in my Big Lake mystery series, which made the New York Times Kindle bestseller list and has been highly reviewed by both readers and e-book blogs. All you have to do to enter is click this Free Drawing link and enter your name in the comments section below. Only one entry per person per drawing please! The winner will be chosen at random on Sunday evening.
Thought For The Day – I’m sorry I hurt your feelings when I called you stupid. I thought you already knew.
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Nick Russell
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Nick, javelinas from Mexico living in large groups? Of course, you are correct, they are illegal aliens.
Nick, having lived in Corpus Christi for 20 years, I can assure you that javelinas exist in the US. More specifically, they exist in South Texas. In fact, the mascot from Texas A&M-Kingsville University in Kingsville, Texas is a javelina.
Apparently your ICWS reader has never seen a ferral hog. They also exist wreck havoc on South and Central Texas farm land.
Nick I am not sure whats going on but the last 2 days I have tried putting my name in on your free drawings and it sits there forever after trying post, then comes up with “can’t display web page”. Could be me, but we will see if this posts.
Loved your thought for the day!
It just so happens that I have to work with members of the International Coalition of The Weird and Strange, retirement cant come soon enough, 189 days.
Taco Bell, Subway and Cinnabon … that meets all MY requirements!!!!! Oh, and diesel!!
You’re so right about the javelina. But you already know that. I’ve seen them in the Cave Creek area north of Phoenix, and even saw one (traveling alone) in back of our RV site in Cochise Terrace, Benson, down in the wash.
Here is a solution to your problem: Refer these people to a e-mail address set up for Bad Nick to respond for you. The first words could always be the same: “Look dummy, let me tell you……….”
(I know you won’t. You are too nice of a guy)
Did you send the feral hog expert the links to all the websites that were incorrect? I’m thinking those websites would be grateful to know that they’re wrong, and would want to rehabilitate their information as soon as possible. Then again, maybe not… Best of luck to this fellow.
Nick, I just entered my name in the Sunday drawing. I don’t know if it’s legal to enter for myself and also Larry. If it’s illegal, just delete one of them. By the way, when you do the drawing, exactly how do you do that?
Marlene, it’s one entry per person. I use the Random Number Generator at http://www.random.org and enter 1 and whatever the highest number of entries we have and it selects the winner.
We do have Javelina here in this area of TX. They are very dangerous animals and they are causing millions and millions of damage to crops . They hunt in packs. We have a few that hang around a wash that is not to far from the park, we also have a warning system it seems when the donkey starts braying they are in the area. We warn everyone not to leave animals (dogs etc) out at night because of the threat, but then we also have the coyote problem too. Real ones not the illegal kind on two feet. One thing we have learned living in Hondo is it is always open season on these animals and you do not need a hunting license for them. I am sure you do need a valid license though.
We had Javelinas when we were living in Strawberry Az. at 6000 ft. elevation.
DeerTexas.com
Tell the jurk to look at this….I myself have seen a javelina while hog hunting around Leakey, TX back in late Aug. In TX javelina is a game animal and has a season it can be hunted. Hogs on the other hand can be hunted any time of the year, day, night, with or with out dogs and even from a helicopter….just ask Uncle Ted.
Never heard of them, but I was shocked to see actual antelope in the desert (by train). So very Home On The Range.
Wait, I googled it and HOLY COW! I DID see some of those real quick! I said, “what was that?” and my husband said, “probably a feral pig.” Seriously! LOL I didn’t think it was though and there it is, a javelina! Look at that. I learned something today! Thanks
Ferel pigs eh?? Maybe his wife was not up to a good argument that day so he chose you!! You do have a funny way of describing things!! Some people would argue with a signpost they painted themselves!!