Would-Be Farm Porcupine Sighting

With the Bobcat and the tractor both roaring away a few yards away, this porcupine was sound asleep in a tree.

​When I crashed around the base of her tree, she barely lifted her eyelids. I imagine she's a teenager, probably lazing her way through yet another sunny day to the despair of her folks.


As we were closing up Base Camp later in the summer, Jeff spotted something at the other end of the field. Instead of reaching for the field glasses, we just hustled off to investigate.  

It was a windy day, which meant a lot of leaves rustling and a strong breeze carrying our scent away from the slow-moving blob on the horizon. ​

Of course it turned out to be a porcupine. Who else in our animal kingdom is going to be ambling along in broad daylight in the middle of an open field? Only a few predators –– at their hungriest and most desperate –– will take this rodent.

No, they DON'T shoot their quills when threatened.  And though I did really really want to pet his furry little snout, I kept my hands to myself.