Porcupines--- Do they kill trees?

[SuburbanFarmer]

Yup, porkers are very noisy when chewing on your front door! At night they can be heard breaking the ends of branches and clawing the trees. The attached photo shows one taunting me, knowing that I couldn't safely shoot it from a tree. (Need to work on learning shotgun loads and ranges...)

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And SuburbanFarmer my tractor is a Massey Ferguson FE-35 made in Coventry, England. It has the 3-cylinder Perkins diesel. Cool items!
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Note to 'Edge': That Deisel must really have some pulling power!

 

[EDGE]

Caught another porky today. I had set the trap again last Thursday, caught a red squirrel on Friday, another red on Saturday, nothing Sunday or Monday, but a big Petunia today. I shot her then sledded her home and skinned her out enough to get the hindquarters. She was just loaded with juicy fat across the hips. I had on pair of old leather gloves to protect my fingers in case I happened to grasp where I shouldn't have (though I don't think I ever did) and those gloves should stay supple for a long time. Might stink a bit though.

Yeah, SuburbanFarmer--- I don't know too much about such things, but I've heard it said that a gasoline engine doesn't have as long a wrench as a diesel. The thing I like best about this tractor is that she starts. I had a Ford 8N, and my brothers have had them, and we always had trouble getting them to start--- even though all were converted to 12V. This Massey diesel always starts immediately. If I can, I plug in the tank heater (even if the air temperature is 90 degrees) and wait till the temperature on the gauge reaches at least 150, and not only does she start right up, there is no clatter, no smoke, and no need to let her warm up before working.
About shotguns, one of the best things is that their lethal range is short. You shoot a rifle at a porcupine up in a tree, miss, and the bullet will come down a mile or more away. Shotgun, the pellets will fall in about a fourth of a mile. So, the shotgun is the better choice if you are living in a congested locale.