Here is the critter that J. and I caught yesterday. First, playing it cool, then giving a warning, then in all out threatening mode:
He whips his tail around with more provocation. It's a wonder the dogs didn't have even more quills embedded in them.
If only you could read people as well as you can read this porcupine.
We released him way off in the woods, at the end of a dirt road, on the other side of the Penobscot River. It's the same place J. took the first one, so I hope they'll find each other.
Just to be on the safe side, we thought, let's just put the trap out one more time. Sure enough, there was another porcupine in the trap this morning on my first walk - the dog free one. But I left her quiet - a young one.
It was nice to stand here by the still pond and just listen to the morning chorale. Robins are twittering and chirping, chickadees phoe-be'ing, blackbirds, brrrrrr-ing and buzzing, in multiple resonant variations, cardinals and titmice all joining the music. At the same time you hear the low burbles and occasional harumphs of bullfrogs, who make small splashes as they hop in the water when I pass.
I went out a second time with the dogs, and the sun was rising higher. When this year is over, I am thinking I might continue a backyard blog, but not confine it to sunrise. The character of the light and atmosphere change so much during the sun's daily rounds. Even 10 minutes makes a difference.
You can see my tracks in the dew from my first walk out to the porcupine glade...
Just LOVED your last few posts! We don't have the porcupine problem at our house, but we did have a HUGE skunk and snapping turtle issue.
ReplyDeleteNot too sure why you and Jonathan think the Penobscot is going to solve your porcupine problem...you obviously inhabit PRIME porcupine territory and I'll bet the porkies on your side of the river are lining up to fill the niche you've emptied. I hope NOT, but I suspect the solution is temporary at best. Perhaps you need to think about getting a pet Fisher.
ReplyDeleteI hope the little one finds its parents! Poor relocated porcupines :( S'pose they deserve it, though.
ReplyDeleteI've considered either a fisher cat or a great horned owl. My understanding is that owls prey on porcupines by knocking them out of trees and then gobbling them up after they've broken their necks in the fall. True? Not sure, but it's a neat bit of the animal kingdom to imagine...
ReplyDeleteAnd don't be so pessimistic. I intend to trap them until they are gone and then cut down their tree. Alternatively, I'll cut down their tree FIRST and then bonk them all on the head as the emerge!
One thing I will NOT do is resign myself to a life of keeping 3 dogs on leashes in my 13 acre "back yard...!
You might need to cut down ALL your trees! I hadn't heard the owl thing and somehow it doesn't ring true. Big owls are good for skunks, but I think porcupines would be last choice on the menu.
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