Gun Dog Forum

Do some dogs never figure out porcupines? I have a dog that will be four years old in November and he has gotten tangled up with a porcupine four times in the last year (twice last spring, twice this spring) and five or six times in his life. Can you set them up on porcupines as you would a beagle on deer? Or, is the only solution to this problem a permanent one?

Live trap one, leave it in trap, put a shock collar on dog, let dog "find" porky, hit him with everything the collar has. Repeat if nessasary.

Dad used to kill one and tie it to dogs collar. After a day or two dog wouldnt have anything to do with them. Not sure if this is the way in todays world...

Thanks Mark. Any advice on trapping them?

bawloffire wrote:Thanks Mark. Any advice on trapping them?

Use a large hav-a-hart trap and bait it with apples and carrots. Place the trap in an area with cover, like the edge of a brushy fence row that has some 8-12 foot trees in it.

We always find them in creek bottoms at dusk, with a spotlight. How you get them out of the tree is 100% up to you.

We have them bad out here. Luckily mine have never bitten one only pointed them and after a couple times of getting lit on fire with the collar they learn to leave them alone.

I don't think it's that some never learn but some are certain they should have won the last encounter. Proofing is the only way to go if you have a problem with them.

In the past two weeks on our nitely walk 6-7 pm we have encountered at least one most night's two as they were not bothering anyone just exercising I guess & feeding. Max has made everyone before me. I just have been telling him no and it's been working. max did get into one when he was young and I think that it left an impression on him. Or he just listen's well I don't like porky's but I guess they have a place in life. We have been leaving them alone and they have been leaving us alone.