Geedubya, what did your taxidermist have to say when you got that porcupine mounted. I can’t imagine that was his favorite job.
Here is the story!
I've been using the same taxidermist since the early 80's. He had probably done in excess of 40 mounts, most of which were done between 2000 and 2008. In fact I used to go by his shop once a week and bring him a six pack of Miller Beer and drop a $50.
I'm pretty much out of that routine these days.
Anywho, I had been at his shop, enjoying a brewski and a stogie when I spied a porcupine he had just finished. When I hunted in Rocksprings, Tx. there were porcupines all over, but at this particular time, and the lease I was on, I had only seen one porcupine in the last half dozen years. I mentioned that the next porcupine I saw, if I could take it, i would have him mount it.......
At this point a Sven & Ole joke comes to mind............ Sven had been out coon hunting. He managed to bag a couple. On the way home he warmed up with a couple of sips of schnapps and when he passed by Ole's Taxidermy shop he got an idea. He had numerous mounts but no coons. So he stops, grabs the two coons and goes in. He tells Ole that he would like him to stuff those two coons. So Ole replies, so ya' vant dem' coons mounted, eh'. Sven thinks a minute then replies, "No, Ole, I've got a Missus and kids at home, just have them holding hands!
So of all things, about two weeks after seeing that Porcupine at my bud's shop I was heading up to my lease. It's six miles in off the nearest paved road and it takes about 45 minutes to traverse the distance. I was past the first bump gate when I saw this Porky' crossing the road. I slowed down as he went into the brush. I was cussin' myself as I did not have a rifle or a shotgun at the ready. Well it wasn't but a few seconds later that the Porky climed up a scrub oak a few yards off the road. He stopped on a limb about 10' off the ground. I had this Taurus Titanium Snubby in 44 Special on my hip so I walked over as close as I could get being as the tree was surrounded by cat claw and cactus and commenced to blasting. Knocked him right out. By time I was able to get him out of the scrum, I was bleeding worse than he. So I pick him up by the hind leg and carry him over and toss him on th back of the trailer my 4 wheeler was on. When I got to the next bump gate and passed through I stopped to make sure everything was in working order. I noticed that the porcupine had slid within a foot of the end of the trailer, so like a dumbazz I grabbed him by the tail.
Yowsir!
Anywho, should you ever grab a porcupine by the tail.......
Some say cut the quills as they are hollow and expand with pressure. Others say no. I had a pair of toenail clippers with which I cut the quills. I got them out, but it was not fun.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/atub03J.png)
ya!
GWB
