Weekend #9

Annie got her first and I hope only porcupine. Should have took pictures, but didn't have time. It was horrible and ruined an evening hunt she had just got 3 coveys and I thought was on her fourth in less than 30 minutes. We took them out with needle nose pliers and used gorilla tape to bound her legs. The next morning she pointed 5 coveys in about an hour. Took her to the vet to get about 5 that broke off they said not to worry and give her some antibiotics.

Jealous sir. (of the hunting, sorry to hear about the porcupine)

My dog is going to be a bum next year with the little amount of works he's gotten this season.

Ouch..hope you're right and it's her last.

Saw it happen once in my fifty years of quail hunting. It was wile hunting in North Dakota.

I have had it happen twice, both times were less than 10 quills.

If there were 100, there was two hundred. They were everywhere, but the amazing thing was she would open her mouth and let's us get them out without to much trouble. I shot the porcupine while she was attached or biting it. If there is ever a next time I am throwing the gun down and grabbing the dog. CC bird dog man this was by Big Lake and the old timers say they see them all the time. This is my first in two years of hunting out there.

Ouch! Hope that is the last time. She may be mad at them now though.

I hunt in that area also, haven't seen any yet. Seen a lot of big holes dug in the ground, assumed they were badger holes. Don't know what would be worse, badger or porcupine.
What vet do you use?

Used to use Los Caballos, but now use Arden Rd vet clinic. They have two locations and are both small and large animal vets.

Thanks I've got their info in my phone

Put a pointer to sleep at vet 3 times one weekend to remove quills that gets expensive

I've never seen one in my area.

I have seen them in the Ballinger area several times.

The last porcupine I encountered was in Callahan County north of Putnum. The crazy dog went into a hole and got hit. I also had a dog point one that was perched in a tree about 7-8 feet off the ground up in Hemphill County one time. But the biggest and the baddest I have ever seen were on the prairies in North Dakota. We had dogs hit two days in a row and they must have thrown every quill. Awful!!!! I learned that if you take your game shears or Leatherman tool and cut the exposed end off, it releases the pressure and fluids out of the quill making it much easier to remove the quills by hand. That is my PSA for the week.

Did this the only time I've had a dog hit by one. Was told to me by on old farmer at the coop in Medicine Lodge Ks. Seemed to make it easy to remove them.

We ran into a huge one in Gene Howe. Her e coller was dead. They came face to face about 60 yards away from me. I was lucky to recognize what it was cause all I saw was the quills rise above the grass line. My reaction startled her as I screamed to her to come. She ran back. We just left that area and didn't even hunt there after my screaming:)

Twice this weekend and more times than I care to remember. I'm told some never learn and had a few that proved true. Couple of dogs fought everyone they find. Had a big male skin one. NIGHTMARES

We had a winning derby up on the prairies that got hit by one and then decided to fight it. It took 3 of us all afternoon to get all the quills out. It made him mad and he went to hunting them. He got hit the next time we put him down and even a third time later. We ended up sending him home early. Birds were not on his mind at that point.

My dogs have been more lovers than fighters, just one close call where a male had one pointed and in a tree near Gail that got sent to 'pine heaven by 8 shot just in the nick of time