I had taken something to my taxidermist a year or so ago. Can't remember what, think it was a fox. He had a porcupine mount he had done. I liked it so much that I told him if I saw one, I was gonna shoot the little beastie and have him mount it.
I have been hunting The Texas Hill Country for many years but had not seen one since '01. Well about a week after I had made that statement to my taxidermist I saw one crossing the road at my Reagan Wells lease. He crawled up in a tree adjacent the road. I popped him with my 45 acp. I picked him up and deposited him on the trailer behind my truck. While opening a gate for my bud who was driving, I noticed the ATV was shifting back and rolling over the critter I planned to mount. Like an idiot I reached down a picked him up by the tail. Big mistake. Spent the next hour digging out quills. If you ever get porcupine quills in you, cut the quills in half. They are hollow and filled with air. When you squeeze it causes the barbs to expand out. If you cut them in half they don't bulge and you can get them out easier. Any way, he is the latest critter to go in my "game room".
GWB

Great mount!
The Good Lord sure had a sense of humor and design when He made porcupines.

Nice! I like the porky-pine.

I always like to see some unusual critters in a collection. I have a possum that I had mounted several years ago, and I get more comments about that thing than I do most of my other 'trophies!' Go figure...

Those quills are real nice when your dog gets into them.

here is another that I like, done by the same taxidermist. It is a ring tail cat.
GWB

Your "cat" has good taste in beer.

and variety is the spice of life.....



but some get carried away.
GWB

Love the Ring Tail.

Nice mounts!!!!! I'll bet your taxidermists hates you for the porky though! How much extra did you have to bribe him to do it?

This same guy has done 30 or so mounts for me over the last 20 years. I go by every couple of weeks and take a $50 bill to pay on current and future mounts and a six pack of beer, so he doesn't mind me showing up too bad. He had his girl that does the fleshing do the skinning. Those quills are definately sharp. Just touch them and they are embedded.
GWB