Porcupine on the Gunflint Trail

     Last week while driving to town we spotted a porcupine on the side of the road.  It slowly ambled into the woods as we tried to get the camera out for a photo.  This was only the second time we had ever seen a porcupine on the Gunflint Trail.     

  I’m not sure why there aren’t many porcupine sightings on the Gunflint Trail or in the Boundary Waters.  We have plenty of food available as there are many trees with bark for it to chew on and pine needles for it to eat.  The answer to this question may be because of what was found at our dumpster the other day, a dead fisher. 

     It is said the main predator of a porcupine is a fisher. For some reason they are unusually good at attacking the prickly porcupine.  We do have alot of fishers in our area as well as wolves who are also predators of porcupines.  We’re not sure what happened to the fisher at the dumpster since it appeared to be in good shape.  Mike thought about picking it up on the way home from town but it was gone by the time he went back.  It no doubt made a meal for some type of wildlife out there.

     If you have any ideas about porcupines in the BWCA or on the Gunflint Trail then feel free to share them with me.