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haddamhussein t1_j0hsjpe wrote

I know a dog who got hit with the quills at Norbrook Farm in Colebrook so theres some proof right there.

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DarthLysergis t1_j0hyeoy wrote

They are less and less prevalent since the fisher cat was reintroduced. Fisher cats are one of a few true predators for porcupines

Cool Fisher cat story.

There was a huge blight of trees in an area once (I don't remember all the details) but they couldn't figure out why all the trees were losing lower bark and dying.

That lead to them finding out that the population of porcupines had exploded and they damage trees (many times in a beneficial way to thin forest's)

And this was a result of over hunting the fisher cat.

Fishers go after porcupines because they have figured out a tactic to attack them and not get hurt.

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onthelockdown t1_j0i0n6v wrote

This explains why I saw them rarely as a child and never now..

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DanHassler0 t1_j0jsegt wrote

How common are fisher cats in CT? I've never seen one and rarely hear about them.

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DarthLysergis t1_j0jtpqr wrote

They are nocturnal and still fairly thin in number. Vicious little bastards though.

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Resident_Ad_4152 t1_j0l9484 wrote

Not uncommon, but they are sparse. I see them from time to time living in manchester though. They're most active around dusk and dawn.

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himewaridesu t1_j0miab0 wrote

Well their name is a misnomer for one. They’re like evil like weasels.

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Eyeseeno t1_j0i0ntk wrote

Saw one on the Metacomet in Simsbury, the thing was huge! It was just wandering down the trail in front of me so I walked slowly behind if for a couple hundred feet before it turned into the woods.

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yeswehavenobonanza t1_j0i5l69 wrote

I've seen a few in Avon.

One ran up a tree as I was taking pictures, and then tried to pee on me. So, uhh, beware.

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himewaridesu t1_j0mi0q5 wrote

Male Porcupines pee on females to soften their quills for sex. I’m sorry this (sexual) predator tried to harm you!

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[deleted] t1_j0hweo2 wrote

[deleted]

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sox_beer_fish t1_j0i21cf wrote

Same here, North Granby

2

BobLI t1_j0jgbex wrote

North Granby as well, near the Mary Edwards Mountain property last April.

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headwalkcommute t1_j0jxiys wrote

North Granby too. Hiked woods my whole life (40) and have only seen the one and was surprised by how big they are.

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BeachAdjacent t1_j0i1x76 wrote

In New Hartford in the northwest hills of CT

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Defelj t1_j0i7qrf wrote

One got my dogs face years ago in canton

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Maverick8200 t1_j0hsphb wrote

Yes. Middlefield

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Pruedrive t1_j0huelq wrote

Where in Middlefield?

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Maverick8200 t1_j0hujzi wrote

Reservoir

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Pruedrive t1_j0huqdb wrote

Ah I see.. I spent a ton of time in Wadsworth and have only seen porcupines in VT, cool stuff!

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Maverick8200 t1_j0huzme wrote

Yeah I guess technically it was in the Middletown side but all one forest lol

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Pruedrive t1_j0hv3ni wrote

Yeah think Middlefield ends at the cliffs.

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Joggingmusic t1_j0hvuj1 wrote

Never seen one in person, but supposedly are here. We also have a true lizard, a type of skink. Isolated to a few areas.

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mkt853 t1_j0hs430 wrote

I had no idea they could even live this far north. I thought they liked warm weather.

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Prize-Hedgehog t1_j0hwghd wrote

I have seen them in New Hampshire many times. Never here in CT though.

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SonofDiomedes t1_j0i3ygv wrote

When I was a child in the 70s living in Woodstock our dog came home with a nose full of needles.

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bristleboar t1_j0i92eo wrote

See them all the time (dead) in the reservoir area in canton along 202 towards Torrington

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Darondo t1_j0ibqar wrote

Yes, on a trail run in New Hartford in daylight last year. It climbed up a tree when it saw me. It’s the only time I’ve see one in New England.

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Fecal_Enthusiest t1_j0ifkgk wrote

Yes. About 35 years ago in Simsbury. One got my dog in our yard.

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JHolm915 t1_j0igj44 wrote

I've seen a few of them dead from car hits up near Litchfield. Close to the area where 63 meets 7.

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johnstonb t1_j0imlmg wrote

I swear I saw on in Fairfield many years ago. I know that seems too far south but I saw it plain as day.

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FountainLettus OP t1_j0itqif wrote

I ask because I saw some bark chews in Fairfield county that look just like it

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ShlugLove t1_j0j6x7c wrote

Yep. My dog got quilled twice in Litchfield County. And I've seen quite a few when I lived up there. I've seen one in Middlesex County.

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lives4summits t1_j0juxpn wrote

Yeah I see them while hiking frequently. They are often in trees. If you see a random tree with fresh shavings of bark at the base of it, look up!

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Likeapuma24 t1_j0hxpeb wrote

I've seen a huge one in Bigelow Hollow SP. My dog noticed it first. It was impressive watching that big thing slowly crawl up a tree.

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mustelidblues t1_j0i2d3a wrote

i know a great many personally, yes.

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runnermom515 t1_j0i3epk wrote

Never seen one with my own eyes, but my dog sure did. She got a face full of quills when we were hiking in the game refuge in Granby. This was about 10 years ago so a little outdated.

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96greenmonster t1_j0inz1s wrote

Right over the CT line in mass. Seen one dead on the highway before in CT too.

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ArgumentLost9383 t1_j0it7u9 wrote

I’ve seen three in the last year driving around on the side of the road in the north western part of the state.

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maybe_little_pinch t1_j0j31oq wrote

I saw one in west Hartford, middle of a residential area.

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ChalupaBatgirl7 t1_j0j933a wrote

Yes! I live in Hartland and see them a couple of times a year.

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IceTech70 t1_j0jvti6 wrote

North end of the Barkhamsted Reservoir in Hartland. If it lives in Connecticut, there is at least one of everything there.

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Manbearpig147 t1_j0l6ov2 wrote

I saw a little one just the other day in Goshen! Eating hemlock needles in a little tree

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Forsaken_Sherbert_53 t1_j0ttars wrote

I have in New London. Now thinking about it, haven’t seen one since then and it was a very long time ago.

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nuttmegganarchist t1_j0i3mbs wrote

I’ve seen signs of them in the Naugatuck state forest but I’ve never seen one in person.

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jer_mom t1_j0ickq6 wrote

Used to have a family of them near my house in Simsbury.

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spader_13 t1_j0irft6 wrote

I've seen one up near Bear Mountain hiking a couple years back.

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Neek_At_Nite t1_j0irjdt wrote

Thomaston and further up in the litchfield hills I’ve seen them

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Slapchop420 t1_j0iypxj wrote

Once. I think Litchfield area. Been a long time and don't remember exactly.

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[deleted] t1_j0j1kfj wrote

Union,Ashford and somewhere in Northwest hills

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mokaks412 t1_j0j2f3d wrote

Yea just recently

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CompasslessPigeon t1_j0j2hp4 wrote

Saw one in central mass once. Seen many in NH. Never in CT

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JeepManStan t1_j0jbrqs wrote

All porcupines in CT are mountain lions

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SavageWatch t1_j0jjywf wrote

In all my years of hiking, I have only seen a porcupine once and that was in New York in the Shawagunks. . Never seen one in Connecticut.

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sarakuda72 t1_j0jn22j wrote

I’ve seen a few working on the powerline ROWs in the more rural areas.

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considertheoctopus t1_j0jn4lc wrote

Simsbury, along with every other animal on the planet

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LostSerrano t1_j0jpjql wrote

Yes in Woodbury about 15 years ago, lumbering away

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birdiestp t1_j0jplb1 wrote

I saw a deceased one on the road in Woodstock

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rosietoesie t1_j0jrowz wrote

Ask my dog, she’s run into quite a few and they were not as excited to see her as she was them.

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QueenOfQuok t1_j0jzecr wrote

I have seen one (1) in my lifetime, in northern central Connecticut.

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Nosmurfz t1_j0k1s61 wrote

No porcupines only mountain lions

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ClokeB t1_j0km6ey wrote

My father-in-law saw one near Highland Lake in Winsted a couple years ago.

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megapeptobismol t1_j0kt6j2 wrote

Yes. Northeastern CT. I was at a homesteading’s friend property and there porcupine just chilling on the pasture.

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chea5171 t1_j0l0dzw wrote

Saw one 5 years ago about 10 pm on Goshen/Litchfield line

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UrMomsPetGermaphobe t1_j0l4aqr wrote

Never seen a porcupine itself but have seen a coyote with some quills in it

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etchx t1_j0l5rxp wrote

I've seen several in the past few years in Granby. One was massive. Like beach ball massive.

Here's a little guy

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Jimmycapped t1_j0l81fv wrote

Tons in the northwest hills. Unfortunately

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Invincible_Duck t1_j0lv40r wrote

Didn’t see it but a few years ago my dog encountered one in Avon. I still have the quills in a box.

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CovidDrag21 t1_j0swnvq wrote

The only one I ever saw was in the Catskills (NY) while camping. It was in a tree making a scratching sound at night.

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justweazel t1_j0wrc3l wrote

Seen a few around New Hartford, one alive, two on the road

Animals walk a lot

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midmodmad t1_j0ih36t wrote

Not here but in Nova Scotia.

0