Marty’s photo of the day #5026: Deb, Nellie, and I visited the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge last night—enjoying pizza and beer by one of the big ponds and then heading over to the area where dogs are allowed. After Nellie enjoyed her walk and swim in the shallows at the edge of the Bitterroot River, we hiked back toward the car. That’s when Deb spotted this porcupine in a bush, about ten feet off the ground. From a distance, the porcupine looked like a clump of dead branches, and Deb said she spotted it when it moved.

The porcupine froze when I approached, allowing me to shoot this close-up from below.