Comments on: Common Snapping Turtle http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/ From Camping to Kayaking, Hunting to Hiking Sat, 17 Jul 2010 21:40:34 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tony Lee http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-679 Tony Lee Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:40:42 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-679 I live in California and as much outdoor stuff we as we do, haven't seen one. As I understand, they are illegal here, but are sometimes known to be strolling around. The Fish and Game folks find and relocate them when found. I do think that all species of turtle are magnificent animals. Their(Snapper)Latin translation of "Chelydra serpentina" should stand for "Don't touch, if you want to keep your fingers". I have seen their cousin, the Desert Tortoise down in the "Mojave" and "High Desert" here in California. They are an endangered and protected gentle creature that ads beauty to the Southwest! I live in California and as much outdoor stuff we as we do, haven’t seen one. As I understand, they are illegal here, but are sometimes known to be strolling around. The Fish and Game folks find and relocate them when found. I do think that all species of turtle are magnificent animals. Their(Snapper)Latin translation of “Chelydra serpentina” should stand for “Don’t touch, if you want to keep your fingers”.

I have seen their cousin, the Desert Tortoise down in the “Mojave” and “High Desert” here in California. They are an endangered and protected gentle creature that ads beauty to the Southwest!

]]> By: Justin http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-627 Justin Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:18:57 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-627 Jesse you're nuts! Is that why so many people are missing fingers in Southern Indiana? :) Around here the neighbor usually catches them on a hook when he's out catfishing. Jesse you’re nuts! Is that why so many people are missing fingers in Southern Indiana? :) Around here the neighbor usually catches them on a hook when he’s out catfishing.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-624 Jesse Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:45:16 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-624 Here in Southern Indiana we catch snappers by noodling for them. It can be dangerous and I don't recommend trying this until you've been out several times with some experienced turtle hunters. Most of the old boys that do this grew up with it and know their waterways. It's helpful to have at least 2 people along on a hunt. One to carry the sack and one noodling. We move upstream wading in mud-bottomed streams carefully reaching and feeling along with a light touch under the bank and drifts until you feel the back of the turtle. Find the rear end of the critter and grab him by the tail. You dont want to grab the business end of these bad boys. Don't get bit putting him into the sack either. And dont throw the sack over your shoulder to carry. I'm sure you can guess why. Turtle soup, gumbo, or skillet fried turtle, a fine reward for a sucessful hunt but this technique is not for the faint hearted! Here in Southern Indiana we catch snappers by noodling for them. It can be dangerous and I don’t recommend trying this until you’ve been out several times with some experienced turtle hunters. Most of the old boys that do this grew up with it and know their waterways. It’s helpful to have at least 2 people along on a hunt. One to carry the sack and one noodling. We move upstream wading in mud-bottomed streams carefully reaching and feeling along with a light touch under the bank and drifts until you feel the back of the turtle. Find the rear end of the critter and grab him by the tail. You dont want to grab the business end of these bad boys. Don’t get bit putting him into the sack either. And dont throw the sack over your shoulder to carry. I’m sure you can guess why. Turtle soup, gumbo, or skillet fried turtle, a fine reward for a sucessful hunt but this technique is not for the faint hearted!

]]> By: Big Hank http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Big Hank Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:43:11 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-504 What a fascinating read! I feel lucky on behalf of my wife and kids after all my years camping all over N. America that we've avoided this terrifying looking creature! I, on the other hand, would not mind seeing one from a healthy distance. I've just now googled some pictures and they look just like you said - completely prehistoric! That thing's a walking dinosaur in a half shell! What a fascinating read! I feel lucky on behalf of my wife and kids after all my years camping all over N. America that we’ve avoided this terrifying looking creature! I, on the other hand, would not mind seeing one from a healthy distance. I’ve just now googled some pictures and they look just like you said – completely prehistoric! That thing’s a walking dinosaur in a half shell!

]]> By: James "Black Bear" Mann http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-405 James "Black Bear" Mann Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:15:08 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-405 I certainly would not get too close to a big snapping turtle I have childhood memories of fishing and hooking a snapping turtle. I was scared half to death and thought for sure it was going to get in the boat and start chewing on us. Even my dad was freakin' a bit and hitting it with the orr trying to get it to let go of the bait. It's a wonder we didn't end up in the lake there was so much commotion happening. We still laugh about that night so many years ago and I think it gets bigger and meaner every time we tell the story. <abbr><em>James "Black Bear" Mann´s last blog post..<a href="http://www.blackbear-hunting.ca/black-bear-outfitters/looking-for-an-outfitters-for-your-black-bear-hunt/" rel="nofollow">Want A Black Bear Hunt in New Brunswick Just Don’t Know Any Outfitters or Guides?</a></abbr></em> I certainly would not get too close to a big snapping turtle I have childhood memories of fishing and hooking a snapping turtle. I was scared half to death and thought for sure it was going to get in the boat and start chewing on us.

Even my dad was freakin’ a bit and hitting it with the orr trying to get it to let go of the bait. It’s a wonder we didn’t end up in the lake there was so much commotion happening.

We still laugh about that night so many years ago and I think it gets bigger and meaner every time we tell the story.

James “Black Bear” Mann´s last blog post..Want A Black Bear Hunt in New Brunswick Just Don’t Know Any Outfitters or Guides?

]]> By: sarah http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-314 sarah Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:46:01 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-314 Hi Im Sarah, I have a snapping turtle and i call him Dino! i had him for about 2 1/2 years people that had him wasn't caring right with him so i took him home and now i love him. But for about 4 days i notice a change on his shell It's Red and his mouth is a little Red, can someone tell me is that a bad thing or is he changing and it's OK??? I don't want to lose he or let him go he's my baby! the people who had them had him when he was very little and now he's bigger then my hand. he hot and a great friend to me cause he's the only one that doesn't brother me, like my kids do...LOL but he's great and i really need to know about the change of his shell!!! Thank you, Sarah Hi Im Sarah,

I have a snapping turtle and i call him Dino! i had him for about 2 1/2 years people that had him wasn’t caring right with him so i took him home and now i love him. But for about 4 days i notice a change on his shell It’s Red and his mouth is a little Red, can someone tell me is that a bad thing or is he changing and it’s OK??? I don’t want to lose he or let him go he’s my baby! the people who had them had him when he was very little and now he’s bigger then my hand. he hot and a great friend to me cause he’s the only one that doesn’t brother me, like my kids do…LOL but he’s great and i really need to know about the change of his shell!!!

Thank you, Sarah

]]> By: Steve Dobson http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-263 Steve Dobson Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:24:17 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-263 Hello, Brian asked about keeping them as pets, well, we had one for about two years. My daughter rescued it when a bird dropped it. The gulls must have found a recently hatched nest and were picking off the little ones as they dashed to the lake. Anyway, it was about 2 inches long when she brought it home. After it got to about six inches long we figured it was time to release it back to the wild. She loved it. I didn't You know how kittens and puppies are cute? Baby Snapping Turtles aren't. They are as homely from day one as they are when fully grown. And, they will bite the hand that feeds them too. Gilbert, as he was called, was never really tame just more or less calm and really too lazy to make much of an effort to snap at you. Regards, Steve <abbr><em>Steve Dobson´s last blog post..<a href="http://dobsonclip.com/blog/2008/11/lessons-learned-as-boy-scout.html" rel="nofollow">Lessons Learned as a Boy Scout</a></abbr></em> Hello,
Brian asked about keeping them as pets, well, we had one for about two years.
My daughter rescued it when a bird dropped it.
The gulls must have found a recently hatched nest and were picking off the little ones as they dashed to the lake.
Anyway, it was about 2 inches long when she brought it home. After it got to about six inches long we figured it was time to release it back to the wild.
She loved it. I didn’t
You know how kittens and puppies are cute? Baby Snapping Turtles aren’t. They are as homely from day one as they are when fully grown.
And, they will bite the hand that feeds them too.
Gilbert, as he was called, was never really tame just more or less calm and really too lazy to make much of an effort to snap at you.

Regards,
Steve

Steve Dobson´s last blog post..Lessons Learned as a Boy Scout

]]> By: Karen of northern Minnesota http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-199 Karen of northern Minnesota Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:54:21 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-199 A week ago, we saw a medium-size snapper (the shell was about about 10 inches long) cross from the lake to the woods. When my friend approached it, it did not seem fearful at all and did not retreat into its shell. Is this normal? And why would it leave the lake and head into the deep woods in the fall? Are they still laying eggs at this time of year? Or do they hibernate? Temps here in northern Minnesota are between 40 and 60 degrees in the fall. A week ago, we saw a medium-size snapper (the shell was about about 10 inches long) cross from the lake to the woods. When my friend approached it, it did not seem fearful at all and did not retreat into its shell. Is this normal? And why would it leave the lake and head into the deep woods in the fall? Are they still laying eggs at this time of year? Or do they hibernate? Temps here in northern Minnesota are between 40 and 60 degrees in the fall.

]]> By: Justin http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-170 Justin Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:36:44 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-170 Brian: I wouldn't recommend keeping it as a pet period. I do not know for sure when the snapping sets in but you do not want to be the first to find out. From what I have read you have to cut their head off to get loose. Brian: I wouldn’t recommend keeping it as a pet period. I do not know for sure when the snapping sets in but you do not want to be the first to find out. From what I have read you have to cut their head off to get loose.

]]> By: Brian http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Brian Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:04:53 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-169 All the photo's I've seen lead me to believe I have just captured a snapping turtle. However, it is quite small - about 4 inches from tip-to-tip. How old/young would someone guess this one to be? Can these be kept as pets while small? When does the instinct to snap kick in? All the photo’s I’ve seen lead me to believe I have just captured a snapping turtle. However, it is quite small – about 4 inches from tip-to-tip. How old/young would someone guess this one to be? Can these be kept as pets while small? When does the instinct to snap kick in?

]]> By: Lisa May http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Lisa May Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:07:35 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-167 We just had a snapper here in Maine. A friend found it on the side of a busy road, we have a brook out behind out house...he's was a big guy, I'd say a foot and a half long, a foot wide...big head!!! He was irritated so we used bungee cords to pick him up by his shell to get him down to the water...he was NOT impressed at first but then went along for the ride down the hill LOL. No worries, he's not injured by any means, but I didn't want him here on my lawn with my dog! What a big bugga! We just had a snapper here in Maine. A friend found it on the side of a busy road, we have a brook out behind out house…he’s was a big guy, I’d say a foot and a half long, a foot wide…big head!!! He was irritated so we used bungee cords to pick him up by his shell to get him down to the water…he was NOT impressed at first but then went along for the ride down the hill LOL. No worries, he’s not injured by any means, but I didn’t want him here on my lawn with my dog! What a big bugga!

]]> By: Justin http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Justin Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:58:33 +0000 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/12/common-snapping-turtle/#comment-120 Jo: I didn't think about how they are big fish eaters. Always get permission from the land owner before dumping anything that is not from a pond/area into a pond or area. When you were a teenager you didn't happen to be a ninja did you? :) Jo: I didn’t think about how they are big fish eaters. Always get permission from the land owner before dumping anything that is not from a pond/area into a pond or area. When you were a teenager you didn’t happen to be a ninja did you? :)

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