Hi, every one. Please excuse the ingernace. I am in Ohio, but like to read about hunting in Texas. I see alot about hog hunting and it is quite intersting. Every once in a while I see some talking about Javelina. Is there a differnce between hogs and Javelina? If there is can some one tell this easterner what it may be. Thank You, and good hunting.

Javalina isnt a hog at all, its a peccary. Closer to a rodent family I think. Feral hogs are just that, swing that has gone wild over the generations.
Eventually they end up with a long snout and swept back skull. Often when you see a giant "feral hog" they still have the floppy ears and the domestic shaped head. Only a very small percentage of true feral hog surpass 300lbs, regardless of the internet site the photo is posted on. Javalina on the other hand are small, and to me their back slopes from shoulder height down towards the hams.

Despite what the internet says as well, Javelina are in no way closely related to rodents. I have read numerous places where they are claimed to be rodents. I think folks are likely confusing them with capybara, LOL.

Rodents are an Order (Rodentia), not a Family. Javelina are in the same Order as deer, bison, cattle, goats, camels, and hogs, Cetartiodactyla (formerly Artiodactyla, now reclassified with Cetacea) which includes the even-toed ungulates and cetaceans that evolved from even-toed ungulates.

With that said, javelina are not true hogs, but are hog-like and are in the same Suborder, Suina with hogs, but each is in a different family (Tayassuidae for javelina and Suidae for hogs).

So look up Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) which is the one we have in the US and not the size and basic coloration/patterning (which is very consistent in adults) and compare that with anything you find on feral hogs (Sus scrofa).

I stand corrected.

Pic of single hog. Pic of 2 are Javelins.

Thank you for the pic's, but they look like little pigs to me. By the way great looking rifle

Differences:
A javelina is about 40 lbs and hogs can get to be over 400.
A javelina is a native animal and therefore regulated by tpwd. Hogs are exotics and have no limit, you can hunt them using any method, no season, etc.
A javelina only has 2-4 in their litter and wild hogs can have 10+. Hogs reproduce a lot faster.
Hogs are found all over Texas where javelinas are mainly in south Texas and parts of west Texas.

Great explation, now I understand. Thank you

And a javelina has a gland on their back that makes them smell bad.

M

I don't mind eating feral hog for the most part. Javelina - not so much.

Javelina have a light colored collar around their neck that is pretty easy to distinguish. I guess thats why their called collared peccary. I dont think their bad eating if cleaned and cooked right.