I just acquired a porcupine to mount & would love to use it for a show. Problem is, I have absolutly no clue where to start! I have heard "stories" that you have to remove the quills? That seems obsurd! If anyone has any tips or suggestions on tanning, skinning, anything at all pertaining to any experience they have had with this type of mount, please post here. Many thanks in advance!
Rebecca
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Stay away from the person who told you to "remove the quills". That's absurd as you've already guessed. Quills are but modified hairs on the skin.
A porky mounts just like any other mammal. I'd suggest working from underneath. LOL.
The quills seldom com into play, but I always lay the animal on an old towel for "just in case". The only time I've ever been stuck while working on a porcupine was when I carelessly jammed a needle into my hand when sewing it up.
Once you get it mounted (I'd suggest using a good coat of hide paste), you can taxi the skin forward with a long pointed wire so that the quills stand up much like a strutting turkey. Good luck.
Rebecca, I just mounted my first porky last week i would reccomend not putting a towel under the pig you will loose a lot of quills.I just used my slick top table the one i use for birds it is slick so that everything will slide around and not pull any thing out.I used the trappers cut heel to heel skin down and flesh i krowtann mine, looks great! Have Fun ED
is to hang it upside down to dry after it is mounted on the form and secured. This helps to keep the quills and hair standing when it dries. On smaller ones it might not make a different but I did a monster one last year and hide paste is good but I didn't have to do much adjusting and such with it drying upside down. I just put a long eye screw through the bottom of a foot (or two if really heavy) and string some stout cord or wire through it and tie it off on a strong ceiling beam.