How to prevent/deal with a snapping turtle?

[neo71665]

Sliders will go after bait so hook & line you can accidentally catch them going for snappers.

Catch them by putting a treble hook right next to a cork. Bait with fish. Use a rod a reel thrown out near where they are floating. You'll see the cork start swimming off and they rarely take it under. Put up a pretty good fight.

 

[aart]

I prefer to relocate them from our little stock tank

How would they get into a stock tank?
Tank must be buried?

 

[Chuckie chicken]

How would they get into a stock tank?
Tank must be buried?

It's a "little stock tank" complete with reeds and a bank, that you have to wade out into to catch the turtle.

 

[Coops Dad]

How would they get into a stock tank?
Tank must be buried?

Stock tanks in Texas also include ponds created for livestock watering use.

 

[aart]

Stock tanks in Texas also include ponds created for livestock watering use.

Ah....

 

[neo71665]

Stock tanks in Texas also include ponds created for livestock watering use.

Most people I know call them stock ponds if they are in the ground. Stock tank is above the dirt.

 

[Coops Dad]

Most people I know call them stock ponds if they are in the ground. Stock tank is above the dirt.

I grew up in Virginia with the same understanding. Texas filks, or at least those from the central part, seem to call any body of water on ag land a "tank". Google image search "stock tank Texas" and that's what I found when our realtor told us a place had a tank on it. I was confused the first time I didn't see an above ground reservoir but ended up happy enough with a rain-replenished pond.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

I grew up in Virginia with the same understanding. Texas filks, or at least those from the central part, seem to call any body of water on ag land a "tank". Google image search "stock tank Texas" and that's what I found when our realtor told us a place had a tank on it. I was confused the first time I didn't see an above ground reservoir but ended up happy enough with a rain-replenished pond.

Man I hope you at least got on some good, thick, preferably hardtoed boots when you wade in there after them, just in case they get the same idea.

 

[MissE]

What do you do with trapped turtles....soup?

Deep fried snapping turtle is really good. It's tough, and visually, the texture looks like pot roast when it starts to shred apart, but when you chew it, pot roast is not what comes to mind. It gives your jaw a workout, but is quite tasty. Not fishy like I expected. No, it does not taste like chicken.

 

[Moreducksplease]

My sympathys! I am dealing with same thing. I had one trapped but here it has to be someone licensed because Snapping Turtles are protected. I had a licensed person come and remove it.

I learned two things:

1. Canned sardines in the trap are by far the best thing to use. They smell much stronger and are safer for the pond. We had the huge snapper in under 24 hours.

2. The trap can trap fish and painted turtles so other creatures will get stuck and prob die in it unless you free them every day. One of my fish died anyway when trapped.

Hope that helps! My ducks wont go back into the pond and I dont know what to do. Will yours after the attack?

Edited because I forgot one thing: I would check out using a net trap for snapping turtles. That was what was suggested to me.