How far can a porcupine shoot its quill?

Porcupines cannot shoot their quills; instead, they release them when threatened. The quills are barbed and easily detach upon contact, embedding themselves in predators. While a porcupine can’t actively shoot quills, they can flick their tails, causing quills to fall out and stick to an attacker if they come too close. The distance they may effectively reach is typically only a few feet.