Porcupines by State 2025

Yes
36
No
14
State
Porcupines Present
Hunting Laws
Specific Habitat Range
Alaska Flag
AlaskaYesPermitted w licenseThroughout all of Alaska except the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak, Nunivak, and St. Lawrence island
Arizona Flag
ArizonaYesHunting prohibitedMost common in Northern Arizona
Arkansas Flag
ArkansasYesPermitted w licenseFrom woodlands and forests to rocky cliff
California Flag
CaliforniaYesPermittedMost common in montane conifer and wet meadow habitats, and can be found in the Coast Ranges, Klamath Mountains, southern Cascades, Modoc Plateau, Sierra Nevada, and Transverse Ranges
Colorado Flag
ColoradoYesPermitted if porcupine is damaging crops, property, or livestockThroughout Colorado in wooded and brushy habitats but probably are most common in woodlands of ponderosa or pinyon pine
Connecticut Flag
ConnecticutYesPermittedForest areas; Northwest corner; most common in northern Litchfield County
Georgia Flag
GeorgiaYesPermitted w licenseThroughout Georgia - mountainous and hilly regions
Idaho Flag
IdahoYesPermitted w licenseThroughout the state
Kansas Flag
KansasYesPermitted w licenseThroughout Kansas except outheastern portion of the state
Kentucky Flag
KentuckyYesPermitted w licenseThroughout the state
Maine Flag
MaineYesPermittedStatewide in hardwood/hemlock forests
Maryland Flag
MarylandYesPermitted w licenseWestern part of the state (Allegany, Garrett, Washington and Frederick)
Massachusetts Flag
MassachusettsYesPermitted w licenseWestern and central parts of the state and occasionally observed in Middlesex County
Michigan Flag
MichiganYesPermitted w licenseStatewide in forests areas
Minnesota Flag
MinnesotaYesPermittedThroughout the state excluding the southwestern region of the state
Missouri Flag
MissouriYesPermittedPorcupines are not native to Missouri and have only been documented a few times in the state.
Montana Flag
MontanaYesPermittedThroughout the state
Nebraska Flag
NebraskaYesPermitted w licenseStatewide in forests areas
Nevada Flag
NevadaYesPermitted w licenseDispersed across the state, besides in Nevada's most southern deserts
New Hampshire Flag
New HampshireYesPermittedThroughout the state in coniferous and mixed forested areas
New Jersey Flag
New JerseyYesPermitted w licenseNorthern part of the state
New Mexico Flag
New MexicoYesPermittedThroughout the state
New York Flag
New YorkYesPermittedUpstate New York, most common in Finger Lakes
North Dakota Flag
North DakotaYesPermittedEastern part of the state
Ohio Flag
OhioYesPermittedOccasional sightings in Northeast Ohio
Oklahoma Flag
OklahomaYesPermitted w licenseThroughout the state (mostly northwest)
Oregon Flag
OregonYesPermittedThroughout most of the state east of the Cascade Range
Pennsylvania Flag
PennsylvaniaYesPermitted w licenseThroughout the state (in areas of extensive forests)
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode IslandYesPermitted if approved by Dept. of Environmental ManagementRare
South Dakota Flag
South DakotaYesPermitted w licenseWestern half of the state
Texas Flag
TexasYesPermitted w licenseWestern half of Texas, including the Panhandle
Utah Flag
UtahYesHunting prohibitedThroughout the state ( wetlands, deserts, and shrub-land habitats)
Vermont Flag
VermontYesPermittedThroughout the state
Washington Flag
WashingtonYesPermittedForested areas or brushy wetlands throughout the state
Wisconsin Flag
WisconsinYesPermittedNorthern half of the state
Wyoming Flag
WyomingYesPermitted w licenseThroughout the state
Alabama Flag
AlabamaNo
Delaware Flag
DelawareNo
Florida Flag
FloridaNo
Hawaii Flag
HawaiiNo
Illinois Flag
IllinoisNo
Indiana Flag
IndianaNo
Iowa Flag
IowaNo
Louisiana Flag
LouisianaNo
Mississippi Flag
MississippiNo
North Carolina Flag
North CarolinaNo
South Carolina Flag
South CarolinaNo
Tennessee Flag
TennesseeNo
Virginia Flag
VirginiaNo
West Virginia Flag
West VirginiaNo