Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

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TravisK
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Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by TravisK »

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PhoenixBird
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by PhoenixBird »

On the surface they look soft and fluffy. :D
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by Antonsrkn »

Awesome! I have wanted to see one of these for years but no luck so far, I have seen the central american variety they're pretty cool also but I just want to see one of them up here.
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gbin
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by gbin »

Many years ago in northern WI, I once came back into camp at the end of the day to find a porcupine in my tent (which was old enough that it only had ties, not zippers), busily chewing holes into my sleeping bag (which was actually fairly new up until that point, unfortunately). Apparently they're quite fond of salt, and this one found whatever perspiration I had left while sleeping on top of my bag during the previous warm night to be very tasty. The dang thing didn't want to leave it's treat when I tried to shoo it out, either, and sensed that I wasn't about to grab it and pull it out by force. I ended up pulling up the stakes, picking up the opposite end of the tent and literally shaking the animal (and all my stuff) out onto the ground. Even after tumbling out it only sauntered away at a leisurely pace, annoyed but not overly concerned by my having disturbed it.

Gerry
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TravisK
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by TravisK »

LOL. Gerry, that is some story! It would be hilarious to see that happen to a buddy or at least funny for you in retrospect.
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gbin
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by gbin »

Yeah, my buddies laughed the whole rest of our outing about it. Me not so much, but after I could afford a(nother) new sleeping bag I was more inclined to see the humor in the situation. ;)

Truth is, I've lived in the south a lot of years now, and miss seeing the occasional porcupine. Armadillos are fun, too, though.

Gerry
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Dell Despain
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by Dell Despain »

gbin wrote: (which was old enough that it only had ties, not zippers)
Good god Gerry, how old are you? You should have shot the bark eater/salt licker with your musket. :P

-Dell
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gbin
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by gbin »

Ok, Dell, I admit I deserved that. :lol: In defense of my age, though, I'll fess up that I got almost as much grief from my pals on that outing about my antiquated tent as about the porcupine that managed to get into it. My now-sainted mother had given it to me years before (heaven only knows where she got it, as it was already rather out of date when she bought it new; doubtless she got it for me because "it was a bargain"), and I hadn't yet gotten enough money together to replace it. I often went camping without a tent, anyway - in no small part because of its poor bug- and weather-proofing, and its weight, too - hence my spending my meager funds instead on a decent sleeping bag.

There! Now don't you feel bad for making fun of your elder? :P

Gerry
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Dell Despain
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Re: Erethizon dorsatum - North American Porcupine

Post by Dell Despain »

:lol: :lol: :lol:

-Dell
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