What did this??? Tree damage

[BO-N-ARO]

My buddy found this on the place in Kansas this weekend. The damage runs up the tree 8 or 10 feet and the trail of chips runs 12 or 15 feet from the tree.
Close to a pond but it wasn't a beaver...... Maybe a porcupine??
What the ....... ?

[Tubby]

Beetles

[Chuy]

MONSTER midget buck!!!

[lameduck]

Yes. Porcupines will strip off the bark and eat the inside during the winter.

[Aggiebush]

I agree with porcupine.

[BigPigSticker]

Beetles

more than likely this

Yes. Porcupines will strip off the bark and eat the inside during the winter.

but possibly this

[super_dave]

Squach!

[Silent Assassin]

Yeah, more likely the porcupine. It will do that to tree like that.

[thomason]

Big foot

[Mac...]

You're suppose to cut the wood, take it home, then widdle.

[Johnybenchrest]

Nutra rat , porcupine, practical joke ?

[Pistol]

Before this happened was the tree dead or alive? I have seen porcupines chew a tree but never saw one that left a trail like this, so I am inclined toward beetles.

[Double Drop]

I agree with porcupine.

[avidhunter75]

Set up a cam and find out for sure!

[West Texican]

Chainsaw practice for Kansas high school kids?