Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Interesting observation

The influx of porcupines in our area. When I was a kid there was always the very rare occassional one that happened thru the area. Usually in the western end of this county. But they are everywhere here now. Have three that are regular visitors to one of my feeders about 1:30 of a morning. Cousin over the hill, his old deaf and almost blind blue lacey got tangled up with one in the yard about 3 weeks ago. They are a shoot upon site animal here. All I need is for one to get in the yard with these damn "special needs" dogs we have 🤣🤣🤣🤣

We always saw them out west in the Pecos country and naturally up at the Colorado ranch.

Was headed to the old place other day east of Austin and there were four dead ones on the hwy almost in the city limits of the great whore. Maybe within 10 miles of roadway. They seem to be taking the place of dead armadillos on the road. Neither of which really bothers me.

Just my rambling this morning.

Good eating

This.

Not dog friendly.

Not sure about the "good eating" claim. I have read that porkys are among the most parasite-infested critters out there. One source says they should be considered as desperate survival foods only. I have no evidence either way, those are just things I've read.

Great woods-carry fodder for the 629 up in these parts. Nightmare for an upland bird dog. I particularly enjoy blasting them out of trees. Remind me of tree sloths, but covered in quills.

One of the scariest critters I have ever encountered, they will curl up quickly if you come near.
While walking out of grizzly infested bush in the dark I have had them curl up and scare the shyte out of me, twice lol, within 10ft...gets the heart pounding.

They are also starting to chew on the smaller cypress trees down on the creek. That is really pissing me off.

I remember when possums started to show up in Minnesota. It didn't seem possible but now they're thick.

That was in the 80s. Schit changes.

They seem to be fairly curious creatures as I've had them try and crawl into the treestand with me numerous times. I assume to see what I am.

Time was used to be folks actually went outside. And came upon these and pumped em with lead pills

Nowadays, alla them heroes are on a Bryer’s Rocky Road iv drip and have their eyes glued to Gunsmoke reruns.

Scratch the rocky road

Clarence and Eustice have dat durn diverticulitis

I know some ranchers in Colorado who burn all the porkys they kill to keep the quills from being consumed with grass by the cattle.

I generally don’t do a bunch of activity down on the creek as I have some critters that bed and birth there. I do have some fence to repair in there soon. Up in a hollow. But I think I’ll make a few excursions down along creek and see if I can catch some cactus rats asleep on the tree limbs. Blast em out.

Alger was right. Freaking global warming.

Got one biiiiiiiig cypress down there that has a big bee hive up in a hollow in it. 😁

Thermal.

I have one on a .22. Makes for excellent spotting of critters in trees.

And put them in the burn barrel.

Not at all

Remember 1st encounter , had left a lake in upper NW New Mexico a bit late and was heading toward Farmington.
Came around a turn and there was these two critters in the road , looked weird as hell . Then after easing up to them realized the wavy motion was quills moving back and forth as they walked .laughed and realized we had seen our first porcupines .
With added height of quills the looked pretty big , but later saw a road kill and realized the quills gave that illusion .
Pretty strange animals when you never seen one before .
Kenneth

You can set a dead porky out on a plank or flat rock; come back about a week later and grab the big quills and sell 'em. Maggots will eat the rest.