Porcupine Car Protection?

[Rainier_Wolfcastle]

Doug, Castle Creek was the worst I've encountered for porcupines. We car camped there before getting some fencing (instead of chicken wire we purchased some coated 36" rabbit fence..it is sturdier and doesnt scratch the car) and were woke up every 20 minutes by one of those sneaky basterds. FYI, I ordered some coyote urine once....I would not recommend it (maybe the pellets are better)...dealing with liquid coyote urine is like dealing with radioactive waste.

[Jon Frohlich]

Doug, Castle Creek was the worst I've encountered for porcupines. We car camped there before getting some fencing (instead of chicken wire we purchased some coated 36" rabbit fence..it is sturdier and doesnt scratch the car) and were woke up every 20 minutes by one of those sneaky basterds. FYI, I ordered some coyote urine once....I would not recommend it (maybe the pellets are better)...dealing with liquid coyote urine is like dealing with radioactive waste.

I've used coyote urine a few times with great success in Chicago Basin. I agree though, double or triple bag it. That is not something you want all over your pack. However, you won't have any critters in your camp. You can buy it at Sportsman's Warehouse.

[Presto]

by Jon Frohlich » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:00 am
I've used coyote urine a few times with great success ... I agree though, double or triple bag it. That is not something you want all over your pack. However, you won't have any critters in your camp. You can buy it at Sportsman's Warehouse.

+1. Very effective (works well sprayed around a vehicle as well as a campsite). Sportsman's Warehouse has had it every time I've been there.

[Doctor No]

You guys are the best! I'm wavering between a few peaks because of weather, but I'll be picking up fencing today regardless (since Home Depot won't be open at 1am when I make my game-time decision). Happy hiking!

[justify429]

Are animals bad at lead king basin? About to head that way in a couple hours.

[tmathews]

Are animals bad at lead king basin? About to head that way in a couple hours.

I have heard of porkys out there, but I've parked my truck at the TH overnight and throughout the day another time and haven't had any issues. Not sure about this year, though.

[macondo22]

Well I have to say I'm a pro at this topic. It is the salt they love it! Once they get turned on to it. It takes a long time before they stop coming in. The salt must be 100% out of the field
for one or two years before they stop. We had thirty of them around our cabin one night! We always had one every night and my dad killed twenty on a good night. We dug a deep trench and busted out the chicken wire like hell. They kept coming. $1,200 worth of cedar porch shot, Finally we figured out by one of them chewing on one of my dads hammers that it was the salt. They were coming in from miles around also because some salt we put out on a deer scrape to view not shoot deers. It was summer cabin my dad built. See don't mess with nature if you sleep in those woods! Knowledge equales respect. Oh yeah hikers will bring salt/food in so Chicken Wire is king! I remember my dad bought that 44 mag and damm that kicks butt drops them cold! We had so many coming in he had to switch to 22lr; too much cash to spend on 44 mag bullets. They come in solo, pairs, and I have seen gangs of six at a time. I have also seen over twenty around the cabin in a sitting of less than an hour. They will run but mostly they are fearless; they walk away.They like it in that engine compartment at night because they stay warm in there. 100% go to/snuggle a warm engine block. Last guy in the lot is the first car they go to! Oh the wires are in the way no problem they chew cheww them up. I hope this helps/gives insight.

[JQDivide]

I had my car wires eaten this past weekend 5 miles outside of Crested Butte on Washington Gulch Road.
Camping, woke up and the car wouldn't start.
Tow cost $250, which State Farm paid for. CB Towing.
And the guys at C&B Auto fixed it for $100.
Marmot/Porcupine ate the wire to the fuel pump.

JQ

[bob863]

Maybe try spraying Ammonia around your car, it's cheap and very strong smelling. Just a suggestion, since I haven't actually tried it...

[Doctor No]

Parked just shy of the first Castle Creek creek crossing today. One application of Critter Ridder, and I didn't bother with the fencing (although I brought it with me). No porcupine damage! :D

On the other hand, I'm embarrassed that I didn't try the creek crossing in my Ford Ranger, when there was a Ford Ranger parked at 12,800' today.

[Winter8000m]

I was doing a car bivy at the TH for the Bells when I woke up by a huge porcupine scraping and eating away the brake fluid and probably the tires. I noticed it pretty fast as it was loud. Turned on the car and it ran away very mad.

The Bugaboos have a very big problem with it along with marmots. So bad that my tent got chewed on and the marmots entered there own way pooping in my sleeping bag and all over the floor therefore ruining my tent. They ate my cliff bar.


There invading!

[unclegar]

Not sure if it has been mentioned in this thread but this has been discussed before. (probably more than once) I did a cut/paste of my reply about coyote urine from last year and will reference the thread below. Not sure if this is valid for this year since I believe some porcupines have been trapped and moved this year at the Maroon overnight parking lot. I used the granules at pretty much every TH last year and never had any wiring/hose damage.

https://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=26000

I have used the spray before (successfully - I think) . Also there is a granule form that contains coyote/fox urine that can be found in some gardening sections (i.e. McGuckins in Boulder and some Ace Hardware stores) that I prefer to use since it doesn't smell as bad as the spray. This year I bought a fairly large bag of granule stuff from Murdock's that listed porcupine as well as others on the package. It is supposed to irritate the intruder's sinuses and cause it to leave. It doesn't smell too good to me either but I plan to use this at the Maroon TH and other Elk locations. In fact, I usually sprinkle some around the car at most TH's.