6 Porcupines Per Day...

[BCB]

I wonder if the Commission has finally completely lost their minds on killing everthing that can be found to kill?...

Do you think Robins or Cardinals will be next with a limit of 'bout a dozen per day?...

I know porcupines can be destrictive at times and many a hunter who uses dogs knows the fate of "talking" to a porcupine.  But come on...

My license buying days are near the end.  As a matter of fact, this may be the end of it all...

Just my thoughts...

BCB

[Steelbanger]

This is truly hard for me to understand. I suspect there are other interests in the decision to open a porcupine season. My son & I saw one while scouting before deer season. We just observed and walked away, which is standard procedure when running into a porky.

[manofthe45]

I have no issue with the PGC opening porky's to be hunted.  I was a bit surprised at 6 a day, but honestly very few will target porky's as a day hunt.  Targets of opportunity will more than likely account for the bulk of the harvest.  Here in the SE I can count on one hand how many I have seen per season.  Will I take one?  probably to get mounted.  Course it might be harder to find a taxi willing to mount one than it will be to harvest a porky.

Now if only they would open a season for  chipmunks.  Those little buggers are over populated down here and a pain during archery season

[DANNY-L]

Here in upstate NY they are unprotected year round day or night with no limit. They are very destructive to tree's,camp's,garage's,even home's and at times your car tire's.it's hard to figure how they accumulate so fast when they generally give birth to 1 and they carry for 9months. But a small game hunting licence is required. We do take warm winter days just to hunt them following their trails to tree's or rock dens.

[av-doctor]

what is the point of a porky season? meat,fur,pop. control?

[manofthe45]

population control.  try to curb some of the property being destroyed by them.  On a side note porky guard hairs 6"+ are bringing 20 to 25 dollars an ounce.  I have zero issue with shooting them for property damage but there is a reason to use them rather than just let them lay

[woods]

Over population is a big problem in certian areas, that was the hope of bringing the fisher back to help balance the population. I'ts 7 miles to my nearest small town gas station and there are 3 dead porky's on the road on the way there I think that constitutes to many. I realize that they are licking salt but there is only one dead dear, 1 oposum and 2 rabbits also dead on the road that I have noticed. I believe a little thinning is in order. Anyone ever ate a porky my grandfather allways called them survival food easy to kill and catch if you were starving and at a loss for food. Never tried one just not that into quills. I have killed them to keep my dogs out of them have to hang them in a tree to keep my darn coon hound from attacking them after their dead.


woods

[Steelbanger]

population control.  try to curb some of the property being destroyed by them.  On a side note porky guard hairs 6"+ are bringing 20 to 25 dollars an ounce.  I have zero issue with shooting them for property damage but there is a reason to use them rather than just let them lay

I'm not up on current regulations but in the past we weren't allowed to sell anything from game taken. Has the PGC changed the law? I would certainly check before selling any game for profit.

[manofthe45]

How would it be any differant than selling pelts taken from hunting or trapping

[av-doctor]

are they reclassified as a furbearer or as small game?

[DANNY-L]

Have to check your regs. but here in ny they're small game.

[DANNY-L]

porky guard hairs 6"+ are bringing 20 to 25 dollars an ounce

Whats the guard hair used for?

[manofthe45]

Don't know and don't care.  Believe it or not there is a market for raccoon "bones" and tanned sacks from a bull.  $25 is 6 gallons of gas or a couple good used traps maybe some fishing lures or a box of shells.  Any legal means I can get extra money in the play account without having to pull a double at work is a good thing

[melsdad]

Anyone ever ate a porky my grandfather allways called them survival food easy to kill and catch if you were starving and at a loss for food.

Did you know that a porcupine is the only animal that can safetly be eaten raw.

That is how I was told it got the name of a survival food.

[hillbill]

porky guard hairs 6"+ are bringing 20 to 25 dollars an ounce

Whats the guard hair used for?

in times past porky quills were dyed and used for decoration on native american clothing.possibly also for fly tying.cant think of any other uses unless orientals are grinding them up and useing for aprhodisacs like they do everything else

[Ethan]

I have no issue with the PGC opening porky's to be hunted.  I was a bit surprised at 6 a day, but honestly very few will target porky's as a day hunt.  Targets of opportunity will more than likely account for the bulk of the harvest.  Here in the SE I can count on one hand how many I have seen per season.  Will I take one?  probably to get mounted.  Course it might be harder to find a taxi willing to mount one than it will be to harvest a porky.

Now if only they would open a season for  chipmunks.  Those little buggers are over populated down here and a pain during archery season

Chipmunks are bad here in south centrel pa I have been very tempted to smack them with the bow.

[Savage_99]

BCB,

Perhaps I misunderstand your post.  It reads to me that you are against the hunting or shooting of porcupines!

I have hunted them most in VT where they were common with a bounty on them.  They are still considered a pest and there is no limit or closed season on them.

Once I came upon a fawn that had its mouth filled with porcupine quills!  Like that it could not eat etc.

I chased it and finally ran it down.  I pulled out the quills and then the fawn would not leave.  I was camping there in the spring in a tent.  The fawn stayed with me all day and I gave it water.  At night I put it in an open pup tent with water and in the morning it was gone!

I shoot every porcupine that I can.

[BCB]

Savage…99,

Nope, not against hunting them, but the 6 per day seems like a bunch.  Were I live in Western PA, I don’t know if I have ever seen 6 porcupines!!!...

Sure, I have seen them killed on the road, and I have had a couple of dogs suffer the wrath of trying to mess with one of them, but 6 per day just seems crazy…

That is basically putting an open season on them as I would be surprised if anyone could shoot 6 in one day.  I may be way wrong on that…

Chipmunks can sure be pests.  The eat flowers and dig holes around my house and if you get one in your garage, never mind the house(!) you have one hell of a time catching it.  I don’t dare let the garage door open without being in the garage.  And still they can just “blast” right by and get in.  I have honesty sat in the garage quietly and used a 357 with birdshot to eliminate several of them on different occasions. Yet, they are protected…

I guess I started the post as sort of an accusation that the Game Commish does what it can do to entice license buying…

Just a crazy thought on my part…

Guess as one gets older, the thrill of the kill sort of goes away…

But, I certainly am not against hunting—I have hunted for nearly ½ century, and I suppose I will continue to a limited amount, even though I “threatened” to not purchase licenses anymore…

Just my thoughts and when I am on a wooded piece of property that I own and hunt, I will most likely not kill a porcupine if I see one—although it is a rare occasion that I do ever see one—mostly just tracks and tail dragging…

BCB