huge turtle in the yard

[dart3404]

Had a little visit from this guy the other day. Damn thing was huge. The fence that it is standing next to has 3 ft sections, so this guy or girl was almost 3 ft long and was about 40 to 50 lb.  We put it in the truck and brought it back down to the river. I wanted to keep it but the hubby said no... lol

[dart3404]

 

[dart3404]

.

[Drache]

Aw it's so CUTE! 

[Rack]

Wow. That's awesome.

I don't think a turtle would grow that size here. Too many a-holes around here that would kill it before it got that big.

[Telvis]

That bad boy looks like he could snap your hand clean off.

[Silver R/T]

awww...so cute

[terrible one]

Haha that's cool!

[TheGhost]

That bad boy looks like he could snap your hand clean off.

Because he could.



Closest I can come to that is the Garter Snake that lives in our yard.  Cute little fella, I'm half tempted to catch him and keep him.

[Drache]

Those make good eatin!

Scooped him up with a snow shovel?

[Mefirst]

Isn't that a "Snapping" turtle???

Ive seen a nature doc about those critters and they are just wicked. The program guy put a stick, thick as a mans arm, in the turtles mouth, and the turtles bite split the stick into two... Id be careful where I bathe with critters like that hiding in the water, it would suck to stick the toes into the mouth of that thing...

But cool pix... Kinda makes you wonder where the turtle was going? Maby to the nearest Pub?

[4402tuff4u]

It sure looks like a snapping turtle to me. I saw one once snap the hickory handle off a shovel like it was a tooth pick!! my kids have a baby one, about 1.5" in diameter I saved at work from a seagull that was just about to swallow it! The one we have will be going back to the wild once my kids get tired of it.

[6pkrunner]

Nice for you to take the poor dioriented guy back to the water. Never seen a snapper that huge before.

[firefighter3931]

Nice save Jen !   


Ron

[nh_mopar_fan]

I saw a snapping turtle "open" up the end of a shovel the same way that you use to open cans with one of those pointy can openers.

wow.

Supposedly, they are more afraid of you than you are of them.

I'm not taking any chances....

[4402tuff4u]

I forgot to mention that the snapping turtle that snapped the shovel handle hissed like a mad cat. One of my demented brain lacking friends tried to pick it up from the shell towards the back away from his head and as soon as he picked it up his back legs came forward with his claws out and peeled my friends hands off the shell. He had two cuts in his hands from his claws. If his mouth does not get you, his claws will!

[PocketThunder]

Isn't that a "Snapping" turtle???

Ive seen a nature doc about those critters and they are just wicked. The program guy put a stick, thick as a mans arm, in the turtles mouth, and the turtles bite split the stick into two... Id be careful where I bathe with critters like that hiding in the water, it would suck to stick the toes into the mouth of that thing...

But cool pix... Kinda makes you wonder where the turtle was going? Maby to the nearest Pub?

A turtle walks into a bar and the bar keep says................

[CaptMarvel]

Long time turtle geek chiming in here. That is definitatley an "Alligator Snapping Turtle" watch out for him. When I read the post heading, I thought I would see a cute little Box Turtle. Wow! you must live somewhere east of the rockies? We dont get those out in Calif. If you get close enough to him, ck out the tongue, it wiggles to attract fish on the river bottoms, his prey comes to him. Hmmmm, reptiles may be smarter than those mammals, they are always chasing down their prey....

[REDNECK]

idve shot em with my 12 gage

[MOPARHOUND!]

Biggest one I've ever seen.

Several years ago had a co-worker saw something huge moving in his field, strange.  Drove out to it and it was a giant snapping turtle.  He said it was like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.  It barely fit between the fenderwells in the bed of his pickup.  He took it to the Fish and Game people, and they said it was over a hundred years old.

They are shot around here because they eat all the fish out of the farm ponds.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Damn.....never seen a turtle that big except behind glass in a zoo!

[derailed]

idve shot em with my 12 gage

Wouldnt surprise me 

[Lightning]

"man, he looks pissed off..."


that's a BIG turtle.....

[Rack]

Long time turtle geek chiming in here. That is definitatley an "Alligator Snapping Turtle" watch out for him. When I read the post heading, I thought I would see a cute little Box Turtle. Wow! you must live somewhere east of the rockies? We dont get those out in Calif. If you get close enough to him, ck out the tongue, it wiggles to attract fish on the river bottoms, his prey comes to him. Hmmmm, reptiles may be smarter than those mammals, they are always chasing down their prey....

Doesn't the alligator turtle have a "spiky" shell? Or is that one just really old and the spikes worn down?

[694spdRT]

I bet that old boy has been around longer than most of us.

[MOPARHOUND!]

I bet that old boy has been around longer than most of us.

At the risk of boring y'all:

Physical Characteristics
The Alligator Snapping Turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in the world. These turtles can measure from 15 inches to over 30 inches in length. Their weight upon maturity can range from 35 to over 200 pounds. Males are typically larger than females. The tail on this turtle can be as long as its shell. The large shell is rough and three-keeled, meaning it has 3 pronounced ridges running from front to back. It has a large head with a hooked "beak" and very powerful jaws. The eyes are on the sides of their heads unlike the Common Snapping Turtle whose eyes are situated on the top of their heads. These turtles can be gray, brown, or black in color.

Range
This gigantic turtle can be found from Southern Georgia to Northern Florida, west to Central Texas and up to the north in Southwest Indiana, Illinois, Kansas and the Mississippi Valley.

Habitat
These turtles enjoy the deep waters of larger rivers, lakes, swamps, bayous and canals. They can be found along the banks of these waterways, but they spend most of their time submerged under water concealed in the mud floor.

Diet
An omnivore, this snapping turtle usually forages for food at night. They will eat almost anything. Their favorite food is fish, but they will eat snakes, frogs, clams, carrion, other turtles and aquatic vegetation.

Reproduction
These turtles lay anywhere from 9 to 52 eggs in a single clutch. These eggs are 1.25 - 2 inches in diameter. Alligator Snapping Turtles mate in the Spring and a nest made up of mostly sand is built about 2 months later. The eggs incubate between 100 - 140 days. Only one clutch is produced by females each year. Temperature determines the sex of the offspring -- high and low temperatures yield more females and moderate temperatures yield more males. Sexual maturity is reached between 11 and 13 years of age.

Life Span
Alligator Snapping Turtles have lived up to 70 years in captivity. The life span of this species in the wild is not known.

[Blusmbl]

That's a big, mean lookin' turtle!   We don't get any cool creatures like that around here.  I did find a litter of kittens in a work vehicle though, and had to take all of them to the shelter when their mother was found deadon the side of the road in my industrial complex... 

[dart3404]

It was a regular snapper not an alligator snapper. The shell was smooth and it didn't have the point that the alligator snappers have on their mouth when they open up. Regular Snappers can get to 60 to 70 lb and live up to 70 years also.

I wasn't about to try to pick this guy up without the shovel. 
It was cute. My guess is it was a female looking to lay her eggs. June and July are when they go and find a place to do that, or she was lost after she layed them and was trying to find her way home. Its all good, she got home safe... 

[REDNECK]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

[Old Moparz]

 

[Rack]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

That's the intelligent way to solve a problem... shoot it.


Bastard cut me off! Shoot him!

ATM machine says I don't have any money! Shoot it!

Stubbed my toe on the coffee table leg. Shoot it!

My gf is being a nag. Shoot her!

Jethro won't qwit hittin' on ma sister! Shoot him!

A turtle is in my pond. Shoot it!

[AKcharger]

Rack, I don't think it's intellegent to shoot an ATM or a coffie table, in fact seems kind of wacky to me...also the ATM shooting thing is against the law, hmmm so is the girlfriend thing!

[dart3404]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

They have to eat too.

[Drache]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

They have to eat too.

That bloody turtle is older than anyone on this message board! I think that old guy has the right to eat whatever he wants as long as it's not part of a charger!

[CaptMarvel]

Like I said, I'm a longtime turtle nerd. I kind of agree with Redneck though. They can be a real problem. A baby snapper just about took my dad's finger off when he was eight growing up in southern missouri back in the 40's. Shoot them! then mix up a kettle of some nice turtle bisque...yum! (I like turltes on several levels)

[4402tuff4u]

Like I said, I'm a longtime turtle nerd. I kind of agree with Redneck though. They can be a real problem. A baby snapper just about took my dad's finger off when he was eight growing up in southern missouri back in the 40's. Shoot them! then mix up a kettle of some nice turtle bisque...yum! (I like turltes on several levels)

No problem shooting them if you are going to consume them, but just to shoot them because they eat other species is a bit senseless. If that is the case, with that rationale, you better start shooting alot of living things in this earth!

[REDNECK]

thare fun to shoot

[Johnny SixPack]

thare fun to shoot

[Lowprofile]

thare fun to shoot

Shame on You.

Wether you like it or not, that Turtle is part of the Eco-system & has every right to pass thru your yard, pond, etc...  Besides, its one of Gods creatures.

Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.  

[REDNECK]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

[Lowprofile]

I guess its a good thing for you that Turtles can't shoot back. 

schmuck

[Johnny SixPack]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

So by that thinking, since I was once bit by my little sister, I should have the right to shoot her?

Or maybe all little sisters everywhere?

Sweet revenge is finally mine!

Muwhahahah! 

[moparguy01]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

So by that thinking, since I was once bit by my little sister, I should have the right to shoot her?

Or maybe all little sisters everywhere?

Sweet revenge is finally mine!

Muwhahahah! 

No really, a moose once bit my sister..........

[Johnny SixPack]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

So by that thinking, since I was once bit by my little sister, I should have the right to shoot her?

Or maybe all little sisters everywhere?

Sweet revenge is finally mine!

Muwhahahah! 

No really, a moose once bit my sister..........

Kill 'em all!

By God it's your right! 

[REDNECK]

im not trying to hijack this thread but, lowprofile whats up did i ever once insult you so why insult me im just havin fun. now back to the orignal thread.  

[Rack]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

Dang, poor turtle must have missed his mark.


By the way, a redneck once hit me (when I was 8 no less), should that give me the right to shoot all rednecks now?

Finally the sheep of america can walk the farms without fear!


J/K 

[Todd Wilson]

I had turtle this morning!   

And then I sat down and read the auto shopper and all was well!



Todd

[REDNECK]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

Dang, poor turtle must have missed his mark.


By the way, a redneck once hit me (when I was 8 no less), should that give me the right to shoot all rednecks now?

Finally the sheep of america can walk the farms without fear!


J/K

if they doint shoot first

[Rack]

one bit me once so i theink i have the right to shootem if you have a problem hears  a pic for you 

Dang, poor turtle must have missed his mark.


By the way, a redneck once hit me (when I was 8 no less), should that give me the right to shoot all rednecks now?

Finally the sheep of america can walk the farms without fear!


J/K

if they doint shoot first

I'm pretty trigger happy so I doubt they'd shoot first. 

[TheGhost]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

My my, aren't we the tolerant one?


Tell me, if you were lost, looking for your home, would you want to just be shot, because you MIGHT cause some minor damage?


Moron.

[Old Moparz]

[REDNECK]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

My my, aren't we the tolerant one?


Tell me, if you were lost, looking for your home, would you want to just be shot, because you MIGHT cause some minor damage?


Moron.

is $15,000 minor damage? because thats how much a  septic ponds can cost

[Drache]

Put a huge strong fence around it then 

[Rack]

Put a huge strong fence around it then 

But that would be the intelligent thing to do.

[MassCharger73]

Jen, I hope that there wont be any turtle burgers or turtle soup @ the cookout on Saturday. 

[Drache]

Put a huge strong fence around it then 

But that would be the intelligent thing to do.

My mistake! 

[REDNECK]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

My my, aren't we the tolerant one?


Tell me, if you were lost, looking for your home, would you want to just be shot, because you MIGHT cause some minor damage?


Moron.

it takes one to know one budy

[dart3404]

Jen, I hope that there wont be any turtle burgers or turtle soup @ the cookout on Saturday. 

lol. no. The turtle was taken back to the river where she should be. Lucky i found her and not some gun happy fool who just likes to shot things for the heck of it...  

[REDNECK]

if your talking about me i dont shoot thing for the heck of it. i normaly shoot targats and cans and people who make me mad just kiddin about the people

[AKcharger]

This is Panda head, he says "I can't believe this thread has gone on so long and you guys are suckered in to red necks comments about shooting turtles" He's just trying to get a rise out of ya' babe.

Personally, shooting animals is cruel. Now clubbing them to death... like say those vicious little baby seals! that's diffrent

[TheGhost]

i still woulda shot em. thay can Cose damage to septic ponds and thay kill all the fish in a small pond to

My my, aren't we the tolerant one?


Tell me, if you were lost, looking for your home, would you want to just be shot, because you MIGHT cause some minor damage?


Moron.

it takes one to know one budy

A 4 year old comes up with better comebacks.