Porcupines?

They do tasted good! When my oldest son, Nick, now 24, was about 6 he was tagging along with me out in the woods while I was hunting squirrels. We came upon a porcupine and I shot it, as I didn't want it ruining the oak trees.

So we looked it over, nick took some quills, and then I started to leave.
Nick says "Dad aren't you going to clean it?
I said "What do you mean?
Nick says "Well don't we eat everything we kill?"
I replied "Yes we do." and then I skinned it out.

I guess I hadn't told him about varmits yet.

We brought it home and I told Marcia the story. Then told her to throw it out and put something else in the crock pot. She asked what they ate, and I told her just tree bark. She said lets try cooking it up. So we did. We have eaten several more over the years. To me they taste like pork.

hud

If I see a Porkypine and I have the room in the freezer or fridge, I'll take them every time. They are very greasy, but are unique and tastey, they make a very good change up of meat when you get burnt out on deer etc. If I have plenty of meat I always let these guys go, as they are a meat source to me. Ranchers, exept my family, complain about these awosome animals that thier cows will get full of quills and they should all be shot! I say most of you other ranchers should be shot, as you have no respect for real food! How many times have you seen a cow walking around with a mouth full of quills? Never! Cause cows don't like to lick Porkypines. Farmers and ranchers just love to hate wildlife, that's all. :x As for Porkys killing trees? Well they usually don't kill the trees. A lot of times it looks as the the tree will die after getting that much bark ate off of it, but usualy the tree or bush will heal again. I have one of these critters in the freezer as we speak and am reminded to get it out and cook it up soon! Try bakeing these guys on the top rack of your oven. Place a cake pan underneath to catch all the grease drippings. You can put strips of bacon over top of the roast as well, mmm... As for the the toughness of these little guys? Yes sir! Pound for pound these guys have to be as tough as a grizzly! Obviuosly thier quills are the main reason they are so tough to kill. Penetration is very hard on these guys. I have many, many stories on slow deaths of these guys, even with a 30.06. I live minutes from a huge indian reservation and I obviously save the hide, scrape it, salt it, and stretch and dry it. I usually don't have to pluck quills as most of the people who buy them from me do this themselves. You can get pretty good money for a large porky. Don't forget the skull and claws. Please respect these guys and take them if you need them or let them hang around till you do...

Huntrap