Few things are as still as a winter night in Maine. I was the only year-round resident on a mile-long dirt road. Snow was piled high along the side of my A-frame, further cushioning me from any outdoor sound.

But the sound I heard one night was so unnerving, I bolted upright in bed. What in the world? I could hear a relentless grinding sound. My dogs were also bewildered, listening to the sound and not making a bark.I tiptoed into the hallway and crept to the back door, pushing the switch for the outside light. Illuminated, and unconcerned, two porcupines turned their heads to squint into the light. I could see splinters of wood in their mouths. They were eating the railing for the deck.When my friend Bill drove up the driveway the next morning, he just shook his head. I was standing in mid-thigh depth snow in the yard, using a bamboo rake to gather the porcupine quills that had been scattered all over the yard when I shot one of the porcupines.Although I haven't seen a porcupine in the woods around here, in recent years I have seen road-killed porcupines alongside the road in Schuylkill County. I assumed their numbers were growing but I hadn't given it much thought.Last month, The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave final approval to reclassifying the porcupine as a fur bearer. That means that porcupines can be trapped, as well as hunted. However, a porcupine trapping season has not yet been implemented for the 2016-17 license year; one will be implemented in future seasons only if PGC staff recommends it. For now, porcupines can be hunted by those possessing either a hunting or fur taker license; and in the future, it may be lawful for them to be trapped as well during established seasons.Other changes proposed by the PGC include:The operation, control, launching or retrieval of drones (unmanned aircraft) is banned on any Game Commission-controlled properties.Last year, someone flew a drone into an off-limits propagation area, which serves as a sanctuary, at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (where there were four other instances of wildlife disturbances caused by drones).The game commission has also gotten reports of drones being flown close to bald eagle nest sites.Sunday use of game commission shooting ranges may be expanded to include longer hours throughout deer and bear seasons. Ranges on state game lands soon could be open longer on Sundays before and within the firearms deer and bear seasons.The PGC board has given preliminary approval that would allow ranges to be open from 8 a.m. until sunset on the Sundays immediately preceding the firearms deer and firearms bear seasons. The board will vote on that when it meets in September. The ranges are currently open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to sunset.Municipalities and other political subdivisions that request permits to manage deer populations will need to more strongly consider managing deer through hunting before gaining approval to use another method.There's an application process for special deer-control permits, and the PGC board has amended the process. As part of the background information on deer populations and damage that permit applicants are required to submit, applicants will be asked to specifically define how licensed public hunting has been used in the problem area previously, and how it will be used during the period the permit would be valid. Commissioners said the measure helps to ensure hunters have an opportunity to manage deer on properties where high deer populations have created problems.