Snapping turtles

[dugan]

I Was wondering if anyone had tips or tricks on how to catch snapping turtles. I have been trying to get them out of my pond with a baited line and float, with no luck the bait is always gone. My ducks have been staying out of the pond for about a week now and it is hot.

 

[dugan]

I Was wondering if anyone had tips or tricks on how to catch snapping turtles. I have been trying to get them out of my pond with a baited line and float, with no luck the bait is always gone. My ducks have been staying out of the pond for about a week now and it is hot.

 

[chicks are me]

if they ever come so close you can catch them with your hands do it.
we've never had snapping turtles, but this year i've seen about three!
put thick (leather is the best) gloves on and grab it by the shell, closest to it's tail
and put it where you want it.

I'm scared of snapping turtles...

 

[motherofmolly]

snapping turtle season isnt until the late summer...you are in new york so i am not sure when your season is, but i am sure it is around them...that is when they are done with their egg laying.

if you have a few, you might ask around and see if you can find someone that would like to catch them during turtle season. i am sure a hunter that does this would love to bait on your pond for turtle. dh is planning a hunt during season this year too.

i would guess that if you can find them out of the pond you might be able to relocate them to another pond or lake. if you have one available to you that doesnt mind the snapper.

 

[columbiacritter]

My husband used to clear them out of his family pond this way. Take a 5 gallon plastic milk jug and seal the cap on with silicone to make it a super float. Tie enough high test fishing line to the jug to give about 1 ft of free line and put a chunk of meat on a hook on the other end. The turtle will go for the meat get hooked and not be able to submerge because of the float. Wait a few days then test your floats for turtles. Depending on the size and depth of your pond you might need several baited floats or longer line.

No idea if this is legal but he said it worked well.

 

[aprophet]

I use cage traps I build from 1 X 2 welded wire oily fish is good bat as well as liver chicken liver beef liver etc the dorrs on the traps have a notch in the middle so the turtle can stick his head in, his shell will push the door open when he cannot reach the bait my traps are 26" wide 14 " tall and 48" long

 

[dugan]

Thank you for all the advise we will be trying it.

 

[centrarchid]

I am a snapping turtle expert of sorts being a fish farmer. They eat my fish so they are afforded the same respect as an oppossum. My preferred method of capture is to use a quartered bluegill baited large hook attached to a steel leader which attached to a floating plastic jug. Deploy a few of these and periodically pull them in with a sheperds hook to remove turtle or rebait as needed.

 

[Ibicella]

I agree with the floating jug method. This worked well for my grandparents.

BTW, feel free to look up some turtle meat recipes. Snappers are goooood eatin'!

 

[centrarchid]

I agree with the floating jug method. This worked well for my grandparents.

BTW, feel free to look up some turtle meat recipes. Snappers are goooood eatin'!

Growing up, snappers and soft-shells were stars of our turtle soup festivals. Twenty or more pots of the type used to scald hogs contained the huge range of ingredients from game, garden and feedlot. We even used beer to make stock, that part I did not like as a kid because of the nasty hops taste.