Defensive behavior of a North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsalis)

Just before this video was taken, I had accidentally spooked this critter from the forest floor (out in the Ottawa National Forest, Michigan). I got up on a downed log to get an eye-level view and managed to capture this footage -- I didn't know what a porcupine might do at close range, but North American porcupines* apparently do not "shoot" quills, as is often rumored.
Please do not take my example, however -- the poor animal was probably very frightened of me and would have rather been seeking cover since having been noticed.
*see onlinelibrary....