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So Ugly he is almost cute......Picture !!

William81William81 Member Posts: 25,483 ✭✭✭✭
edited October 2019 in General Discussion
I went fishing on Sunday with my Brother in Law and had a good day catching bass and just enjoying a beautiful fall day....as I was walking from one part of the lake to another, I almost stepping on this little fellow...he was about the size of a small saucer and tried to nip my foot !!!!!.....I grabbed my camera and caught some good shots of him before he wondered on towards the lake....

He was pretty determined and a little aggressive....

lisSbK6l.jpg
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Comments

  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 25,372 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    as a kid I had one for a short time as a "pet " then let him go later on in life a caught one by hand about 30 pounds my in-laws neighbor took him to butcher . as for me never ate any turtle
    but the snappers look like prehistoric left over
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  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No critters like that in my neck of the woods, to cold. Looks like a cow pie with legs. With D/R's comments, and your description of its actions, it must be a snapping turtle? Great pics, thanks for posting!
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    snapping turtle it is. I have raised a number of them in captivity. Some like to be rubbed under the chin. Wild ones usually do not.
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  • William81William81 Member Posts: 25,483 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    He Dog wrote:
    snapping turtle it is. I have raised a number of them in captivity. Some like to be rubbed under the chin. Wild ones usually do not.

    I'll pass on rubbing him under the chin, I put a weed in front of his face and he latched on to it and would not let go initially.....!!! I have never seen one this small.
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  • asopasop Member Posts: 9,019 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Great eating if properly prepared! Butchering is another story ;)
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    William81 wrote:
    He Dog wrote:
    snapping turtle it is. I have raised a number of them in captivity. Some like to be rubbed under the chin. Wild ones usually do not.

    I'll pass on rubbing him under the chin, I put a weed in front of his face and he latched on to it and would not let go initially.....!!! I have never seen one this small.

    About the size of a half dollar when they hatch. Nothing for size reference in your photo, but one doing very well could be 3" long at 1 year of age.
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  • Okie743Okie743 Member Posts: 2,736 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've seen them in the 100 lbs area. They could snap a broomstick when they snapped.

    I've seen them the size of a half dollar. They are mean as hell. Seen a guy that had some toes missing from a bite while he was seining bait in the Arkansas river. Some say when they will hang onto you until it thunders.

    They are now protected species in some states.

    I've tied them up in the water so as they would purge out in prep for eating one but eventually just turned them loose. :oops:
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  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If a snapping turtle bites you it won't turn loose until it thunders. :D That's what they used to tell the kids in my part of the world back in the 50s.
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  • BobJudyBobJudy Member Posts: 6,671 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A while back I covered up where a snapper laid her eggs at the edge of the driveway. Made the cover out of hardware cloth and staked it down over the area that she had dug up. About 3 months later Judy noticed ONE baby turtle under the cover as she was going to her car. Called me from the road and let me know. About an hour later I figured I would go get the little fellow and release him in the pond. I pried up the cover and saw TWO baby snappers. Picked them up and saw the ground move. Brushed away the topsoil and before you know it had picked up about FIFTY of the little buggers. Took a few pics and deposited the turtles in our pond. No way of knowing how many are still around that the herons, mink, * and possums haven't eaten. Every year 1 or 2 lay their eggs in the yard but I usually only see the aftermath of something digging up the eggs. I still have a couple bigguns in the pond as we see them every once in a while. Kind of intimidating when you see a head the size of your fist pop up and look around. Bob
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have heard the broom stick stories, but never seen a turtle actually bite through one. I have worked with alligator snappers at 175 pounds that could not. Maybe they only do it when it thunders, or maybe only when the fishermen have been drinking.
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