First kill with my 204 Ruger

[yorketransport]

I picked up a model 16 in 204 Ruger back in July because a store out here had it on clearance for $400. I just wanted the action, but I thought I'd try out the 204 just for fun. We really don't have a whole lot going as far as varmint hunting here in Western Washington, but I thought that the caliber would be fun for a walk-about rifle. For when those "targets of opportunity" pop up. While we don't p-dogs, or ground hogs around here, we do have plenty of possum and porcupine if you know were to look. Since these guys don't present much of a challenge with a rifle, I usually only shoot them with a handgun, and save the rifle for coyotes or maybe a bobcat.

I went out today to do one last scouting trip before deer season opens next weekend. I took a break to double check the sights on my 22 pistol when this guy crawled out of the brush pile I was using as a backstop. He was not ammused. Since I've already taken 5 porcupines with the Ruger Mk III, I thought that this would be the perfect chance to try out the 204.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t260/collegekidandy/100_0346.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t260/collegekidandy/100_0347.jpg

I have never seen anything so funny in my life! ;D There was a cloud of quills and fur. The quills were stuck into the trees and sprayed 15 yards behind the little critter. The down side to the whole thing is that now I couldn't really do anything with what was left of him. I normally take them home and eat them. That's only if I make a head shot though. I'm not taking any chances with eating a quill. So this guy got left behind for the coyotes.

[358Hammer]

Thank you for sharing! 204 sure ruined this critters future tree destruction.

Neal

[TRAVIS 204]

yorketransport: Nice shooting. Looks like the PA groundhogs after a 40GR Hornady from my Model 16 with a Nikon Monarch scope. The 2010 season is here in SW PA. Thanks for the pictures.

[Uncle Jack]

I'm not quite sure I want to ask, but do you have favorite recipe for porcupine?

uj

[Hutch]

mabey....skewerd???


Hutch

[yorketransport]

I'm not quite sure I want to ask, but do you have favorite recipe for porcupine? uj

I'm not proud of this, but I actully do! A few years ago I found a recipe for beaver chili. Porcupine is a perfect substitute. Cooked over a fire in a dutch oven and it's the perfect camp food. It's way better than my roasted porcupine was.

It's funny that this post would turn back up now. This weekend will mark the 8th annual Easter Porcupine Hunt. It's a tradition I started with my father in law. It gives us something to do while everyone is making dinner

Andrew

[Slowpoke Slim]

I've only had porcupine once in my life, and at the time, it was delicious. It was many years ago, when I was in (military) survival training school. We hadn't eaten anything in a couple of days, and I had seen a couple of critters running around. We walked up to this huge old porc'y waddling down the trail at dusk. He started to climb a tree to get away, and I was on him with my machete' and decapitated him. He was a heavy old male, we lashed him to a walking stick to get him back to camp, and I said, "I killed him, someone else gets to skin him."

We ended up roasting him over a fire on a spit, and boiled his organs in an old coffee can we found. I remember my Captain saying there was "No way" he was going to have any (along with a few others in the party-there were 12 of us). But when the time came, every one of them came forward for their "share" of the meat.

The next day, we came upon a stream feeding a small pond teaming with crawdads (craefish), and some trout in the stream, and we ate like "kings" that night.

Good times...

Can't say I'd want to eat a porc'y again though...

[yorketransport]

Can't say I'd want to eat a porc'y again though...


That's what I said after the first one. I just can't bring myself to let them go to waste though. As far st the skinning goes, it's taken a little practice but I'm getting pretty good at it. It's getting them out of the woods that's the hard part. ;D

Andrew

[Three44s]

I've been told that the right Native American will pay a PRETTY PENNY for those guard hairs!

Nice work ..... I thank you, cattle thank you ... dogs thank you .....


......... and TREES THANK YOU!

(Now, you're still in the market for a Savage action ........ right? ..... LOL!)


Three 44s

[borg]

Can't say I'd want to eat a porc'y again though...


That's what I said after the first one. I just can't bring myself to let them go to waste though...

I have your solution. The .204 mangled it pretty good, but a .243 should make it completely inedible. Nothing leftf = no guilt.

[yorketransport]

I have your solution. The .204 mangled it pretty good, but a .243 should make it completely inedible. Nothing leftf = no guilt.

;D I hit one with a 185gr Berger VLD at around 225yds one time, and that's pretty much the result that I got.

I have to say that porcupines are suprisingly tough. I've hit them with a 22 LR, 204 Ruger, 41mag, 44mag, 454, 223, 7mm TCU, 300 WSM, 10mm, and 375 Ruger. They take can take a lot of lead before they stop kicking sometimes.

I've been trying to find somebody who would be interested in the guard hairs, but I have a hard time finding any takers around here. So for now, I'm just doing my part to to save the trees, dogs, and other fuzzy woodland critters. ;D
Andrew

[borg]

I have your solution. The .204 mangled it pretty good, but a .243 should make it completely inedible. Nothing leftf = no guilt.

;D I hit one with a 185gr Berger VLD at around 225yds one time, and that's pretty much the result that I got.

I have to say that porcupines are suprisingly tough. I've hit them with a 22 LR, 204 Ruger, 41mag, 44mag, 454, 223, 7mm TCU, 300 WSM, 10mm, and 375 Ruger. They take can take a lot of lead before they stop kicking sometimes.


You should see what a 12 ga slug at 15 yards does to them.

[phantom]

I have never eaten one, but ended a lot of the tree eating critters lives . . they will kill a Cottonwood in no time at all. I usually do the favor with a 22-250, takes all the starch out of them and rings them out good . . My other favorite is the .308, "it do make the Quills Fly" . . ;D I guess they would be good to eat, they eat the bark off of trees, they are not a scavenger, just kill trees. I used to see a lot of them in the High Sierra's in Pine Trees, eating the bark and the pine cones . . . Still not sure that I want to address the meat though . . yuck !! Skinning one would be a real trick, those quills are "All" over them, just touching one gets you Quilled . . ouch !!

The Quills can be used by Fly Tiers, they are hollow and will float, I have a couple of friends that request them from time to time. I use a soft glove and just touch the quills and make a rotating motion on them and then yank the hand away . . about 20 or so will come with the glove and I can remove them by hand and not get "Stuck" . .