Lot's of folks say hedgehogs are super deadly in the beginning of the game. This is true until you get a pair of gauntlets or boots, once you have either you can kick or punch them much more safely. A trick I always use at the start of the game is to go to new attnam and get some banana peels from Huang Ming Pong. I usually scitalk with the banana growers for a wis/int boost and get at least 6 peels. Then when you meet a hedgehog, run and drop peels behind you. the poor little critter will slip and die.

Hedgehogs are not THAT deadly... but here are some tips for dealing with them until you get weapons

1) Accuracy MATTERS: Low accuracy weapons may be amazing later on when you can train them... but early on that leaves you open for attack that will murder you. Shortswords are excellent
-I may be wrong

2) The dog helps: Keep your dog alive... a team up attack will kill almost any hedgehog.

3) Know when to run: A Hedgehog may cripple a bodypart... but in the end they only really delt 2 damage or so... running and then healing the tiny bit of health you don't have will get you back in the fight.

4) "No survivors": If the hedgehog runs... KILL IT!!!

I am slightly at a loss to understand people's entire hatred towards the hedgehogs... Ive been killed by them but I find many enemies in this game to have been harder and to have killed me more often. (Ive been killed by a Spider's Web more)

I've had a hedgehog take off my head in one hit.

I don't find hedgehogs THAT deadly, even though that was my impression for the first several times I've played. I still always devour them right after killing, though, as a sadistic revenge tradition of sorts...

Neonivek
1st point - definitely true. I always go with spears & short swords first. Since spears and halberds are both polearms, using a spear will also train you for the halberd later on
2-4 - all good points as well