OK, waiting for snow here in the Green Mountains. There is a bad case of bark scraping going on and I can't find the pointy rat that's doing the dirty deed.

Where do they hide during the day?

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
..... I can't find the pointy rat that's doing the dirty deed.

Where do they hide during the day?

Ann,

As slow as the "pointy rats" move it is hard to believe they have the ability to hide, but hide they can, and very well. After working in the woods for over 20 years I have tracked down many porkies and you will have better luck when the snow comes.

You may know this already but they den in trees that are hollow at the bottom and quite large. There will be a large amount of droppings at the entrance of the "hollow". The droppings are unique in that they are cylindrical and about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. Porky will crawl up inside the hollow and while away.

If you can find the den tree you will have the edge on them. They usually will be out on the sunny days and den on the coldest days. In the summer they will be out all day, every day.

A good old fashioned walk-about on the nice days will often solve your problems. (take the 22, not the dog)

Jim

If not a den tree ,then they will climb a tall tree and rest in a crotch.easy way to spot them is look for a round ball in the top of a tree.

They eat all kinds of things !! My friend had his new barn chewed ,he liked the chemicals in the wood .They have been known to eat rubber ,anything with salt such as an axe handle .Years ago the 'NYS Conservationist 'magazine had a photo of an engine block chewed by a porkie !!!

The way My friends and I always hunted them in winter back in Michigan was to walk around the woods and look for their pellets on the snow and look up in the trees for blobs like squirrel nests.

Ann;Here in Montana I have killed some out of willow trees.They climb the tree get out on a limb,kind of look like a magpie nest.I have driven by them did a double take.But finally figured out they were PQ,S.w/regards

Well, I have had no luck, first waiting for snow, then we get it, and there is close to 5 feet of it on the ground now.

The only spoor I see is deer tunnels. It is just too deep and snow shoes are not much help either. I've been cruising the roads hoping to see one hanging out in a tree, no luck yet.

Have not seen even coyote spoor, it's too deep for my lab as well, she will not even try fetching anything I throw out in the powder! Not even a big dog cookie.

Ann:

Like they say: "be careful what you wish for"
hehe, FIVE Feet huh?

Wish you well, would invite you folks out here on the plains where it's bare ground and sunshine. BUT: you'd have to dig out first. Might not be worth the work that would take.

George

actually,the best time to shoot porkies is in the early spring,when the trees first start to bud out.The aspen trees are first to bud out around here,and all the other trees are bare,so you have great visiblity.they will be in the tops of aspen trees eating the fresh new shoots,after a winter of bark .They really stand out.Wait another week and the other trees sprout up,and you cant see them at 50 yds .

In a lot of the west they are protected as an emergency food source.

The thought being that you can whack one on the head and throw his ass in the fire.

Porkypines's make nice full size mounts.

JB:
Best time is whenever you see 'em.

450: Bet that would teach the a/ho's to keep their hands off things.

Ann: Hope the snow's melting and muds not too deep, nor rivers too high either.

George

From my post above - I talked to my friend and he said he cured the barn eating problem by spraying Chlorox on the barn. That will have to be renewed every two or three months. This will also keep racoons out of the garbage cans !!

I keep a salt lick close to my cabin. The porkies eat anything they can, wood, leather,or anything they can for salt. That won't kill them but it keeps them from destroying your property.

ANy underground culverts? IN western MA ever little pipe that goes under the road usually has porkys in it. The droppings will be at the entrances.

quote:

In a lot of the west they are protected as an emergency food source.

I never heard that before... What state??



Cal30

Certainly not here!!!! I had always heard it was in the heavily forested east that they were protected, but I doubt that too, they do too much damage to timber!!

They are protected here in Idaho.

Porky pigs will find any hole they will fit in including the ground... they love the heavy willows and in the winter will seek out marsh areas... they will climb thick willows that are no bigger than a pencil... you can make some decent money by skinning and drying the pelt... quills are a good market...they make execellent 600 yard targets in a quaky tree...

quote:

They are protected here in Idaho.

[


OOPS


Since when?


Cal30

I shoot porkypines on sight. The bigger the gun the better. Put Ive killed dozens with a 22. My 416 does a good job. The last one was with 210 gr hard cast out of my 41 mag.. After chasing it out from the crawl space of the hunting shack.

Kill them all let the porky gods sort the good ones from the bad ones.

Porcipines are protected in Wyoming as well as a emergency source of food.

I always thought it would be neat to have a mounted one.

As far as I know they are varmints here,we kill them by the dozen at my friends ranch, the kids use base ball bats! I guess i don't know any one that passes up the chance to kill one any time any place.

photo: Tourism Board
A Coyote. Coyotes and jackrabbits are legally classified as predators along with raccoons, red fox, porcupines and skunks. Under Wyoming law, these animals may be taken year round and no license is required. (from a hunting rules site) r in s.

Have you ever tried to eat a Porcupine? You have to braise the sucker for 8 to 12 hours before even thinking of roasting it.

Most times I've seen people cut off a small piece, chew on it for 10 minutes, cut off about half of the piece, chew another 10 minutes, cut off about half, chew another 10 minutes, spit it out, and reach for the venison.

But the quills are very useful for sewing designs onto your game hides, and the hair, which is not quite a quill yet, are wonderful for fly tyeing. They look like a stripped feather, but are much more durable. Got to be careful removing the hairs, though, as the quills are right there!