Porcupines On The Prairies

T

Thinblueline

Member
If a guy and his two dogs spent a couple three weeks hunting pheasants in the southern half of North Dakota, northern half of South Dakota, what are the chances they have a run in with a porcupine? Are they so numerous in the Dakotas that two or three weeks of hunting virtually guarantees an encounter, or could you hunt there several years without encountering one? My two Brittany’s have never seen one but if I’m out there by myself for a couple weeks and have a dog catch a face full of quills, I’ll have my hands full by myself while dealing with two dogs….God forbid they both get quilled. I’m just trying to gauge the degree of the problem so I can adjust my level of worry, awareness and preparedness.
 
Fairly low. They tend to hang out in shelter belt (tree lines), but can be in dried cattail sloughs if caught moving about. I have seen maybe 5 or 6 on the ground on the prairie (alive anyways). That is over a time period of say 40 years ...

I have two Brittanys quilled. Both in MN forests. Take your time removing them. I do recommend a vet visit. They seem to find the small quills.

Barb wire fences have proven to be a larger issue on the prairie than porkies.
 
I used to see quite a few in NE Montana, but rarely in central SD (maybe never?) and occasionally north of devils lake. I wouldn't worry about it to much, but I'm sure there is always a risk in both states.
Skunks have always been my nemesis in any state.
 
Hunted Iowa for over 35 years, (lived there for over 20 years) and never saw or heard of any porkers. Doesn't mean there isn't any, just never saw any. Good luck.
 
I used to see them almost every deer season when I hunted in the Chippewa National Forest, just east of Leech Lake, MN. Obviously that's not pheasant country, but its good grouse territory.

I've never seen one when pheasant hunting further south, 27 years.
 
All my dogs have never paid much attention to porkies. I have found them in grouse woods in WI and MN thru the prairies in ND and SD.
Pretty much a passive creature. They were protected at one time. Just give them a little room.
 
My brother in law had 2 gsp's attack a porcupine last fall in SD on a reservation. After an hr of pulling quills decided that it was time for a trip to the vet. Over 300 quills were removed from each dogs face and mouth area. Not a pretty sight.
 
Once my dog faced off with a possum! She buried her head under some laid over cattails and out came old snuffles grinning away. Skye started growling and snarling! I called her off and that was the end of that:cool:. I bought a bottle of skunk spray, so hopefully that means she never gets skunked?
 
Ive had my share of porkys in ND. Had them quilled in consecutive years from 09 to 12 but I think that was just a stubborn female who thought she was gonna kill the sucker that got her. Finally learned not to mess with them. Man she was her own worst enemy. Lol. But we see them about yearly , just do a better job of keeping away. Usually around cattails both wet and dry.
 
My then young Drahthaar got into one. I was glad I was prepared with leather leash, leather gloves, short piece of dowel rod and my leatherman. Over the years our farm dogs would get into them, usually enough that a trip to the vet was warranted.
Porcupines eat the bark off of small limbs on trees. Once you see this pattern you will recognize that there are porkies in the area.
 
I was hunting around New England ND about 5 years ago and one of my GSP's found one that required a trip to the vet in Dickinson. Crazy thing was, it wasn't in a thicket or around trees, it was out in a CRP field. I only wish I could find a Porcupine avoidance class to put my dogs through.
 
NavyChief said:
I was hunting around New England ND about 5 years ago and one of my GSP's found one that required a trip to the vet in Dickinson. Crazy thing was, it wasn't in a thicket or around trees, it was out in a CRP field. I only wish I could find a Porcupine avoidance class to put my dogs through.
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Last one I saw was in a CRP field in western Nebraska. There wasn’t a tree within 5 miles and I was able to get the dogs away without being quilled. The one before that, in the Sandhills, required the removal of about 300 quills, a trip to the vets and some antibiotics.
 
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