Snapping Turtle advice

[Nicole01]

Double post...

 

[ChickInDelight]

Graphic Content!!!!

Note that I called all the turtle authorities in my area, and as much as folks claim to love snapping turtles, ours were too big to make a good exhibit for children. I have been shame shamed for not wanting to live peacefully with these prehistoric killing machines, but I much prefer the beauty of the wild Egrets, Blue Herons, and ducks that disappear in large numbers. After losing my beloved Pekin, Pink, I decided to thin the snapper population in my front yard.

Where I live in Virginia, it is illegal to re-home snapping turtles. I have read that if you re-home, you must move them at least 5 miles. We believe we also have Alligator Snappers abandoned in our waters from the eighties days of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze. With a fishing license, it is legal to kill 5 turtles a day for consumption.

The snappers are so large in our waters, they easily take down full grown ducks, however, Canadian Geese somehow manage to live and also reproduce.

Snappers cannot resist bloody meat. Buy tough beef that will stay on the hook. Triple hooks work well. Use a long rope with several hooks suspended by strong wires that can hold up to 100 lbs. and cannot be snapped by a turtle. Ideally, suspend the rope across the water and tie both ends to shore. The turtles cannot resist the bait. When you pull the beasts ashore, ideally, use a shovel to bring them in because they pretty easily snap a line with their full weight and strength. Once on shore, step on the back. Put a plier hear the mouth, and he will snap onto the plier. Pull the head out to more easily severe the tough skin around the neck.

Warning - turtles remain fully functioning after the head is detached. They cannot help but snap, and they can also crawl back into the pond to feed their friends.

These turtles are most active in the hot summer months, so get them now. They tend to like shallow, muddy, algae-covered water. Throw out the baited lines every day until the turtles no longer bite the bait.

Good luck!