I'm hunting in Schleicher county near Eldorado and for the first time since being their we are seeing porcupines. I was bowhunting and he was tearing up the corn. My son and I thought it was cool and told a few buds. Some said to kill all you see because the sheep, goats, or cows frequently get spined by them and can die. Are they that big of a problem other than pounding my corn, or should I spray and pray?

I get pics of them fairly often on the lease in Eastland county. these are always there at night and you are correct they will tear up on the corn. The land owner said if we get the chance please kill them, and that was before a $100 + vet bill

I would not kill them personally but that's just me. They ain't out there tracking cattle to prick em.....

We used to not have any of the trashy things, but now they are all over.

I kinda got porcupines classified with skunks. Still trying to figure out why God put'em here on earth. I know there is bound to be a reason I just haven't figured it out yet.

I'd ask the landower and follow his request. Unless you are the landowner.

We have a bunch as well. But I only kill them if they are near our young fruit trees. There are folks around Eldorado that think you should kill everything that don't eat grass. I have found them partial to alfalfa as well.

I agree, or blaming barbed wire for animal cuts. Too many hunters are just kill crazy regardless of what it is.

Isn't that the truth.. Can't figure that one out..

City boys have been cooped up all their lives.

Why is it that us hunters take to the woods to see and enjoy all of the native wildlife, placed here by God Almighty, and then want to kill off everything that makes the woods interesting? I just don't get it.

Same answer City Boys!

I was on a friends lease a couple years ago and we ran across one while we were running around during the day. My friend took the shotgun and just shot it. They also killed several raccoons, another porcupine, and a ring tailed cat. (They mounted this one). I didnt really see the point to killing all of them, I thought they were interesting.

Roger that.

At my aunt's property, the porcupines will hide in the protein feeders, and when the deer come to eat they will spike them in the face. The ranch hand over there said he has actually lost a few baby deer that way, so we shoot them whenever we see them.

Any of you that like them so much and want one for a pet let me know and the next time I catch one I'll save it for you.

Every Porcupine I have seen was way to big to fit inside a protein feeder unless the top was left open.

I dont think anyones saying we love them...def wouldnt want to give one a hug. I think people aren't aware of why some might consider them a nuisance....So, besides what I would think is a very rare circumstance of a porcupine slapping deer in the face from a feeder, whats the harm they are doing?

Educate me

right.....and then the chupacabra cleans up the mess. I think the ranch hand over there has been working alone too long.

Cool to look at until they get your dog or horse. Big vet bill in both cases. Tear a tree up quick too. I shoot them and skunks on site when their near my house.

On our place in Sutton County I see them all the time. I like to watch them. I have seen some deer with quills in their faces though. Some guys on our lease shoot them but I just enjoy watching them.

Appreciate the info guys. I am not the landowner but like to help in anyway I can. I don't kill just to kill just to kill but never came across these critters before and the sucker is living in a tree beside my feeder. Would hate to let them walk and lose a calf, deer, etc. Notice I didn't mention the goats, no tragic loss there. Can't stand the goats.

Not protein feeders, sorry. I don't know what they're called, but near the feeders there are these raised metal boxes that have an open side that they'll get in. I wish I knew what they were called, but I guess its besides the point

Yes those can be called protein feeders. My bro in law has one and they can be used for everything from feeding deer to goats, even calves. That is the biggest problem with those style of feeders, the porcs & coons can just get in the dispenser bin, lay down and eat away.

I've heard of some livestock getting stuck on rare occasions but it doesn't hurt to thin them down some either, I have found a lot of brush that would've been good deer feed if the stinking porcupines hadn't barked them top to bottom. When there's plenty to eat about the only problems they cause is the unexpected speed bump, but this year without any green around they have really hammered the hackberry, acacia, and littleleaf sumac.