The Turtle

[rayinpenn]

She (the Mrs) said "we have a turtle." I answered "what kind of turtle?" She says "I have no idea?" "I ask is it a snapper?" She repeats "I don't know". I hobble out there and see no turtle. ''I don't see any turtle!" ..."by the curb" I hobble out further to the curb and find a box turtle... this is a different variety then I've seen before I looks like a miniature of the tortoises that live to be 100 on some remote island that we see on National Geographic specials. I leave it alone.

The next dog walk and scouting report reveals the turtle has burrowed into my mulch in the bed by the corner. My old Gal Dusty sniffed her out. Now I worry the turtle end up in the sewer drain.

Turtles and I have a long history..Snapping turtles in particular. My late brother and I shared a fishing addiction. There was a pond not too far away from home where we would fish for catfish. The process was simple - catch a small shiner (minnow) cut it in half, put on a big hook and throw it out there. My pole was a very basic old salt water procured from god knows where. The line an ancient pre-monofilament. My cast was a throwback to days past. Lay the line out on the ground before me and swing the package in a circular motion a couple of times and let er go.

Not long after I felt activity on the end of my line. I lifted the pole and set the hook. It was different from the start-- I was not in control, the beast dug in and I felt like I had hooked a city bus. I could see bubbles and a commotion in the water.. being a little guy at the time I was not match for the pull.. I inched toward the water...in a few minutes I had a couple of buddies holding me around the my middle. It surfaced it was the biggest snapping turtle I had ever seen. It opened its mouth a bit down and the line gave it up.

I won't say just how big it was - I will say this - it was ancient, strong and pretty amazing. -Snappers migrate in the spring.. I've helped many.

Years latter I heard others talk of the giant snapper..
The ancient one is out there somewhere... my suggestion be careful buy the water.

[Blue Collar Guy]

So we had just moved here, the bride is having a smoke on the balcony and she sees some sort of turtle slowly walking in the grass, its about the size of a tennis racket head. I start calling all sorts of animal rescues, etc. I coral him (her?), with garbage pails. As were are trying to do our good deed for the day, and save this creature, the neighbor is a bit frantic running around on the sidewalk. Turns out his daughter prize turtle was put out for a sun bathe hahahaha.

[Rummy]

While Driving on our local 2-lane main road over the mountain last week, a box turtle was all closed up exactly in the middle of the road on the double yellow line. Two cars passing the other way we're already stopping to help Mr Box Turtle cross to the other side. Made me smile.

[braumeister]

This guy is probably at least 400 pounds. Last month on Santa Cruz island.

[grasshopper]

Yesterday on my 2 track.

first box turtle.jpg

[AllDone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Collar Guy So we had just moved here, the bride is having a smoke on the balcony and she sees some sort of turtle slowly walking in the grass, its about the size of a tennis racket head. I start calling all sorts of animal rescues, etc. I coral him (her?), with garbage pails. As were are trying to do our good deed for the day, and save this creature, the neighbor is a bit frantic running around on the sidewalk. Turns out his daughter prize turtle was put out for a sun bathe hahahaha.

The underside of a girl turtle is flat, while the boys have an indentation so that they can balance on the girls' shells when necessary....

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllDone The underside of a girl turtle is flat, while the boys have an indentation so that they can balance on the girls' shells when necessary....

As ever, beware of stereotyping.

These guys are both males.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllDone The underside of a girl turtle is flat, while the boys have an indentation so that they can balance on the girls' shells when necessary....

I had no idea, lol my good deed of the day was almost a turtle kidnapping.

[Chris7]

When I was much younger, we lived in Potomac, Maryland. My mom saw a turtle laying eggs and brought one home.

We put it in our Terrarium where we had 3 small Anoles. A few weeks or so we went on vacation. When we came back the egg was in pieces. We thought the lizards ate it. Then we saw the turtle hanging on one of the leafs. It was a Stinkpot and they can actually climb trees. We returned "him" to the wild after a couple of weeks.

When I was even younger we had a couple of dessert tortoises in Las Vegas. Turns out they were endangered and we had to give them up to the Gov't.

I have always loved turtles.
cd :O)

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris7 When I was even younger we had a couple of dessert tortoises

Yum!

[Koolau]

Used to have a small pond at our place out in the sticks. We took blue gill and bass out at will. One day saw the biggest turtle I've ever seen swimming by. I'm no expert but I believe it was a snapper. Kind of scary as DW used to wade in the pond (emphasis on "used to"). YMMV

[MRG]

Oh turtles.

Around '96 we moved to green acres. Sixty miles east of my job in kc on twenty acres.

We had a few ponds with some small fish and an over abundance of snapping turtles. I'm feeding the fish and the turtles are eating my fish!

I'd been raised to legally take from the land, with the notion of "you eat everything you kill". Well snapper was on the menu!

I took one and we ate some, froze the rest. There's seven different kinds of meat on a turtle. We need to enjoy. DW wasn't impressed with the first batch but there was plenty more!😁. Turtle soup is pretty good.

A buddy came over with a twelve pack one day and after a few beers we convinced ourselves some deep fried turtle sounded pretty good. DW would have nothing to do with our adventure! Well deep fried turtle wasn't that great, at least mine. But we ate it and enjoyed the beer.

Next spring my buddy comes back; same morning I see and harvest the first snapper of the year. I positioned it where he would have to walk past it on his way in. As he greets us he comments that he knows what's for dinner.🤣

[Blueskies123]

Most of what everyone is talking about are tortoises, except for the snapper.

[rayinpenn]

The turtle (tortoise) was relocated by my daughter to a more woodsy spot down the block.

[euro]

Im pretty fond of them too - we have some box turtle visit fairly regularly. Cool creatures