Went to the ranch a few days ago and the beaver have made a mess. They started to plug up the crick and we irrigate from it so things need to be done soon. Then I go over to the old shop and a porcupine is goo his head stuck inside a short piece of irrigation pipe trying to hide. They think they own the place. Lol

I have had a call yesterday to trap beaver on that large ranch I trapped on last year. He said he can't keep up with the beaver plugging things up.

Used to always figure about $20 worth of guard hair on a nice porky.

How hard is it to pull the guard hair? How long does it take?

Keith

Here's the current listing for porky guard hair from Crazy Crow Trading post.
Keep in mind this is washed, sorted and bundled to size (1/2" increments).

Porky Guard Hair

Well just grab it by the back and pull him out lol
Or while he's preoccupied tug that guard hair out..... he'll grow it back again and then you can catch it and do it one more time later on next year;)

Pulling porcupine hair is 5-10 minutes. It pulls much easier if you freeze them solid then leave them out for a day and it goes quick. Pull long ones first and seperate piles of hair. Longer the hair better the price. Get most of mine in winter so they are already frozen. Fresh ones are not bad but a little more work. I don’t mess with quills but sometimes grab the bezoar stones.

How common is it for them to have a stone? I've heard of it but never dug into one to try and find the stone.

Who do you sell the bezoars to? Good money?

Easy to pull and I save the guard hair. I sold 300$ worth to a guy from Idaho last year and he was a member here and I never got the money. Wheeler took care of what needed to be done but I never seen the money. Not the first time I got taken trusting people and they never kept up their end of the deal.

Some have stones some don’t. Don’t know if it’s due to diet or what. When I have time I’ll open them up and see if I can find some. I know a Chinese guy that uses them for “ traditional “ medicine but that’s about all I know. Pays by the ounce and is definitely worth it if you have time , can find them, and sell them …… Porkys are on the downswing where I’m at but they move a lot in winter. Pick up more road kills than anything. I’d you hit one with your truck it’s like hitting a stone. Haven’t done it but I’ve seen the aftermath of a few cars that have