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Porcupines

O

one-eyed Jack

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Since his dad has already taken a NH deer with the bow, my grandson, Little Jack, wants to catch up. He has been in his tree stand the last couple of evenings. The first time two porkys came up the tree and went to sleep on the branch next to him. The next time one came up and went to bed. They cared not that he was there. Probably "their" tree. Anyone else have this happen? Jack.
 
Nope, but last year a baby porcupine was living in my yard. I managed to walk right up to him on several occasions and stand there 1 foot away. They don't seem to see all that well and can remain oblivious about my presence until suddenly they are surprised someone is there. He made cute little noises when alarmed. He also ate all my blackberries, branches and all right to the ground. Once done with those, he would sit in my trees for hours, chopping off branches one by one until two entire 40 foot trees were completely absent any leaves or smaller branches. I had to chainsaw down those two trees this spring since he killed them.
 
Prepper said:
Nope, but last year a baby porcupine was living in my yard. I managed to walk right up to him on several occasions and stand there 1 foot away. They don't seem to see all that well and can remain oblivious about my presence until suddenly they are surprised someone is there. He made cute little noises when alarmed. He also ate all my blackberries, branches and all right to the ground. Once done with those, he would sit in my trees for hours, chopping off branches one by one until two entire 40 foot trees were completely absent any leaves or smaller branches. I had to chainsaw down those two trees this spring since he killed them.
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They particularly like asphalt shingles. No clue what prompted this one to eat the shingles, and still to this day none of us can believe it.

Choot em.
 
Damn quilpigs are everywhere in my area. Decimated my apple tree from top to bottom. And they aren't skiddish either. I'm not surprised they climbed up the tree next to your grandson.
 
amm5061 said:
They particularly like asphalt shingles. No clue what prompted this one to eat the shingles, and still to this day none of us can believe it.

Choot em.
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Shingles? I have seen squirrels eat through asphalt shingles, but they were just making a second entrance and were not concerned with actually consuming the shingles.
 
nasty creatures - I had one living in the barn while I was away, it built a nest with its own huge pile of droppings to sleep in. Something interesting I read though, their blood has a natural antibiotic that protects from infection in case they fall out of a tree and stab themselves.
 
I've got them here in the outskirts of Worcester, never seen one personally just seen them as roadkill. My perception of them were that, like skunks, would shoot quills as a self defense method and should be avoided. I guess they are not so bad?
 
BUMPA01603 said:
I've got them here in the outskirts of Worcester, never seen one personally just seen them as roadkill. My perception of them were that, like skunks, would shoot quills as a self defense method and should be avoided. I guess they are not so bad?
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No they are mostly harmless. You can walk right up to them and have a friendly chat. Just don't pick them up or bite them. If you have a dog, that could be an issue. My only issue is they cause tree destruction.
 
Prepper said:
No they are mostly harmless. You can walk right up to them and have a friendly chat. Just don't pick them up or bite them. If you have a dog, that could be an issue. My only issue is they cause tree destruction.
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You really do learn something new every day on this forum! I had no idea that they reaked havoc like that on trees and even buildings!
 
they seem to subscribe to the hold your ground thought process. I've only encountered 2 in my hunting days, one was on a branch in a tree that was at my eye level and the other sighting, it was chillin' at the base of a tree. both never made a move to hide, almost like they figured if they hid in plain sight i'd walk on by...which I did, but not not before stopping and checking them out.
 
Porkies by me don't live long enough to climb into my treestand or freestand.

It's worth queering the whole days hunt with a few pops to end one of those pests.
 
I have a camp in Maine. Last year the porcupines started eating there way thru the T111 siding. did some pretty good damage. we hadn't been up there in a month so they had plenty of time to chew away.
 
looser38 said:
Would love to know if the're as fond of the taste of lead?
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They are not, but I'm here to testify that it takes a LOT of lead to kill one. Pound for pound the toughest critter in the woods. I've had them walk off after being shot with a 308, 6.5 Swede, 35 Whelen, 45 acp, and a 223.
I finally found the ultimate pig-killer: 204 Ruger. It literally grenades them.

It's odd that they take so much to kill with a gun because in SERE school students are taught to kill them by rapping them on the nose with a stick.
 
PatMcD said:
They are not, but I'm here to testify that it takes a LOT of lead to kill one. Pound for pound the toughest critter in the woods. I've had them walk off after being shot with a 308, 6.5 Swede, 35 Whelen, 45 acp, and a 223.
I finally found the ultimate pig-killer: 204 Ruger. It literally grenades them.

It's odd that they take so much to kill with a gun because in SERE school students are taught to kill them by rapping them on the nose with a stick.
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You carry six guns of different calibers to shoot porcupines? ;)
 
yep, porcupines are:
lazy
sleepy
do not give a shit about you

Was walking power lines a few years ago...there on a boulder about eye high was a porcupine, snoozing. I tried to get a rise out of him, but he was fast asleep. Came walking back about 5 hours later....and it was in the exact same place.
 
Mesatchornug said:
I was just about to ask if he used them all on the same poor porcupine. At some point, you have to decide the thing is the second coming*, and let it alone.

*Of whom, I'll leave to the reader...
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Or GTFO. If I shot all six guns at something and it kept waddling towards me, you bet your ass I'd be running. Or at least picking up my brass and strolling away because let's be reasonable, porcupines aren't fast.
 
PatMcD said:
They are not, but I'm here to testify that it takes a LOT of lead to kill one. Pound for pound the toughest critter in the woods. I've had them walk off after being shot with a 308, 6.5 Swede, 35 Whelen, 45 acp, and a 223.
I finally found the ultimate pig-killer: 204 Ruger. It literally grenades them.

It's odd that they take so much to kill with a gun because in SERE school students are taught to kill them by rapping them on the nose with a stick.
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I tend to agree. They're tough bastards.

I've dumped a couple mags through a 1911 into one to get him down and I though I'd need to get my eyes checked... nope. Swiss cheese and sheer will to live; didn't miss once. It takes an embarrassing amount of 22lr to make them stop, too. I've taken to .357 lever gun with home made hardcast - in one end and out the other.
 
I've killed 5 this year. Mostly in the Spring. Don't want them messing up my trees and I don't want the vet bill of my dog gets into them.
If feel bad when I shot them because they are so stupid. A few years back there was a legged one I just didn't have the heart to kill.
 
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