Porcupine
Recently, I gathered up some fishing gear and left 
early to go and fish at Lock #8 north of Kittanning. I imagined now that the rains had a chance to slow the Allegheny River should be in a good condition to fish. Well, sorta..kinda! I entered the site about 6:30 A.M. and another fisherman was present. The water was being “let out” at that hydroelectric plant thus we had fast-moving and churning water. 
The fisherman had been on site for about fifteen minutes. He said the water was calm as glass until the moments prior to my arrival. I threw in a baited hook and after about ten minutes I retrieved the line. Time for a hike!
The hike was perfect. the temperatures were still comfortable at this hour. I saw plenty of wildlife during my excursion. I saw six deer; a ‘coon; a rabbit and some squirrels. I saw a flock of turkeys on the railroad tracks too.
A mussel.
Sassafras seeds/berries
The highlight of the morning was the sight of a porcupine. I was able to get quite close to the prickly little guy. He immediately chose to get into his defensive posture once I became known to the ‘pine.
After, a few minutes to take photos and observe the porky. He/she decided it had had enough of the foul- smelling human and departed to a tree.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
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