SIGforum
Big Snapping Turtle In My Pond - Dispatch It?
April 21, 2019, 03:07 PM
a1abdjBig Snapping Turtle In My Pond - Dispatch It?
I have a small pond on my property that is roughly 90x60. I usually prefer to leave wild critters be, but when I was mowing around the pond today I noticed a very large snapping turtle. I'm guessing about a 2 foot long shell from head to tail.
Being such a small pond with such a large critter, I'm assuming he may eradicate a lot of what else is living in the pond. Am I concerned for no reason? Should I see if I can catch it and relocate it? Send it to the big shell in the sky?
April 21, 2019, 03:26 PM
ZSMICHAELTrap and relocate.
April 21, 2019, 03:30 PM
egregoreCall your game warden and have them trap and relocate it. It works on those Animal Planet shows.
April 21, 2019, 03:31 PM
cgodeI’m in the relocate crowd as well.
________________________
Those who trade liberty for security have neither
April 21, 2019, 03:32 PM
sigalertIf you’re going to relocate it, be sure to put it near a pond.
“Crisis is the rallying cry of the tyrant.” – James Madison
"Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." - Robert Louis Stevenson April 21, 2019, 03:35 PM
jljonesSplash it. They are so hard on other wildlife. If you have any ducks or geese that use your pond, he'll eat any of the ducklings that he can surface and catch.
April 21, 2019, 03:45 PM
lymanmy grandpa, may he RIP, loved to eat Turtle soup,
he caught ever snapping turtle he could,
https://chandlersfirearms.com/chesterfield-armament/
April 21, 2019, 03:51 PM
FN in MTI'm in the relocate camp.
April 21, 2019, 03:52 PM
RHINOWSOMMmmmmmm, turtle soup is gooooooooood!
NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM
April 21, 2019, 03:53 PM
Mr.9mmquote:
Originally posted by jljones:
Splash it. They are so hard on other wildlife. If you have any ducks or geese that use your pond, he'll eat any of the ducklings that he can surface and catch.
This. They are tough on small ponds. We used to catch them out of a friend's pond and sell them to the local marina. Guys there loved turtle soup.
April 21, 2019, 03:54 PM
GT-40DOCEat it!!! They make great turtle tacos.
April 21, 2019, 04:11 PM
bendableit was how big ?
Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.
Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
April 21, 2019, 04:17 PM
Sig2340A snapper that big could be 100 years old.
Please, please have the Fish and Game folks trap and relocate it to a safe place.
We want the spern or eggs from that turtle out there because animals that survive long enough to get that big are from the deep part of the gene pool.
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government."
Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
April 21, 2019, 04:36 PM
a1abdjquote:
it was how big ?
Really big. I'm assuming he relocated here from a larger pone in the area. I've seen some pretty good sized turtles out on the Mississippi river, and this guy was just as big as some of those.
I'll see if I can't sneak up on him at some point and get a photo.
quote:
A snapper that big could be 100 years old.
Which is why I was hesitant to bother him outside of the fact that I don't want him in my pond eating everything.
We have fish, other turtles, frogs, mussels, snakes, a pair of geese, and the occasional duck that call the pond home too.
April 21, 2019, 04:39 PM
Lt CHEGI’d prefer to relocate it as well. I was brush hogging my property a few years ago (I have a small pond too) and I accidentally ran over and killed a good size snapping turtle. I felt so horrible about it that I actually gave the turtle a proper burial. Part of what my wife and I like so much about where we live is all of the wildlife. We don’t hunt or allow hunting on our property because we don’t want to scare any deer away. We really make every effort to coexist with our animal kingdom neighbors and have been Rewarded by regularly see some spectacular wildlife out or back windows regularly including cranes, hawks, tons of deer (including some trophy bucks) and even an eagle on a couple occasions. I’ve trapped and relocated woodchucks that had become pests, and unfortunately had to dispatch a coyote that kept moving in closer and closer and appeared to have lost its fear for us. Other than that I tried to let things be.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” April 21, 2019, 04:57 PM
DSgrousecheck your local regulations. THey may leave you in a sticky spot
here in VA.
https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/...fe/nuisance/turtles/ quote:
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries staff do not come to your home or property to pick up/remove/relocate turtles. (It is illegal to relocate, or liberate, turtles in Virginia, 4VAC15-30-10).
April 21, 2019, 05:10 PM
arfmelMissouri law:
https://mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/nu...pping-turtle-controlI’d leave it alone even if the law didn’t require me to do so. He’s just doing the turtle thing, and the variety of other critters using the pond are apparently able to do so despite his presence.
I like turtles.
April 21, 2019, 05:33 PM
tatortoddquote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
MMmmmmmm, turtle soup is gooooooooood!
NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM
I vote for buying a bottle of sherry and making Chef John Folse's Turtle Soup
quote:
T’ FRERE’S TURTLE SOUP Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 6 Servings
Comment:
There’s been much debate as to whether restaurants should feature turtle soup due to the endangered species issue surrounding sea turtles. However, in Louisiana, turtle soups such as this are made with snapper. This delicious meat arguably makes the best and most sought-after turtle soup in the world.
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turtle meat
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green bell peppers
¼ cup minced garlic
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2½ quarts beef stock (see recipe)
1 lemon, sliced
Louisiana hot sauce to taste
½ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ tsp nutmeg
3 boiled eggs, grated
6 ounces sherry
Method:
Season turtle well with salt and cayenne pepper. In a heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat ¼ cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Pan-fry turtle until water has evaporated from meat and turtle is caramelized and golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels then set aside. In same pot, heat remaining vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until a dark brown roux is achieved. (See roux recipes.) Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in tomato sauce and cook 2-3 additional minutes. Slowly add beef stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until it reaches a soup-like consistency. Return meat to pot, add lemon slices and season lightly using salt, cayenne pepper and hot sauce. Bring soup to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 45 minutes or until turtle is fork-tender. Add green onions, parsley and nutmeg. Cook 2-3 minutes then adjust seasonings if necessary. When ready to serve, ladle a generous portion of soup into a serving bowl and garnish with grated eggs. Gently pour 1 ounce of sherry over each bowl of soup when served.
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity
DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer. April 21, 2019, 05:43 PM
trapper189quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
Missouri law:
https://mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/nu...pping-turtle-controlI’d leave it alone even if the law didn’t require me to do so. He’s just doing the turtle thing, and the variety of other critters using the pond are apparently able to do so despite his presence.
I like turtles.
That's not Missouri law and even says to check Missouri Code for the current snapping turtle season.
"(3) Seasons: Common snapping turtles
throughout the year; soft-shelled turtles from
July 1 through December 31."
Found here under Chapter 6:
LINK Alligator snapping turtle, leave it alone.
Common snapping turtle, do as you please.