Close Range Snapping Turtles

[onondaga]

Here is a very good example of close range Snapping Turtle hunting, Video link:

http://www.wimp.com/snappingturtles/

Gary

[-06]

That guy is nuts. I have a very healthy respect for those jaws of steel. We did a week long winter survival course and I gained weight. It was in Feb. and I poked around to find a hybernating snapper-and a few frogs in a shallow stream. It provided plenty of protein, a bowl, and "spoon" (shoulder blade). Between cat tail roots, birds, and tubers we ate fairly well. Oh yes, there were the worms and grubs. We rigged snares and traps but never caught one animal. Caught one fish with my hands but it took a long time and my hands nearly froze. Would build a fish trap if it were to do over or a funnel to run them into.

[frankenfab]

I can't wait to see the Gatorade commercial.:)

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

I do believe there is a reasonable possibility that this ole boy was dropped on his head as a child....... several times
:bigsmyl2:

Mike

[obssd1958]

I do believe there is a reasonable possibility that this ole boy was dropped on his head as a child....... several times
:bigsmyl2:

Mike

From a great height!!!!!




;-)

[JeffinNZ]

I do believe there is a reasonable possibility that this ole boy was dropped on his head as a child....... several times
:bigsmyl2:

Mike

Now THAT'S funny.

He's a raving lunatic but ya can't help loving him.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I grew up along the Paw Paw River in SW Michagen. My neighbor had a Grumman canoe so his son & I put it to good use one of which was spearing carp in the spring overflows (garden furtilizer). One day my friend Mike was wading with his spear & started yelling to get the canoe to him quick. I paddled over to him and up he brings the biggest unhappy snapper speared through a hind foot. Snapper was deposited into the front of the canoe, while I was in the back. I yelled at the other Mike " What am I suppossed to do with this ?" That was a mistake as the snapper now knew who his revenge victim was to be. Snapper looked straight at me and let out one of those nasty hisses. You cannot imagine how fast an angry snapper can charge down a hallow canoe bottom. Well I was not prepared to be attacked by a dinosour so I did what was easiest and bailed out of the grumman canoe. Snapper got to the back seat, climbed up and over the side it went still hissing death & destruction. We both piled back into the Grumman and paddled out of that AO.
A large snapper can bite through the old wood push broom handles like a toy.
I fired a fish arrow (point made from drill rod) from a 45# shakespear bow at less than 5 feet straight down at a large snapper.. arrow struck at just a slight angle reversed course and stuck in a tree limb about 8 feet above me. Tough ol´buggers.
Mike in Peru

[Boz330]

That boy is just down the road aways from me. Believe it or not that and noodling cat fish is big sport in this part of KY. My old family doctor did this sort of thing on the weekends. The other thing they do is sink 55gal drums in the river with a hole cut in one end and go back later and dive down and pull out whatever is inside. Definitely not a sport for the squeamish. Personally I'll stick to gigging frogs and fishing with a pole. Besides this time of year you can just go pick up all the snappers you want as they go to lay eggs.

Bob

[WILCO]

Happy fellow doing what he likes. Good stuff. Thanks for the link.

[firefly1957]

I have caught more than a few snappers though I do not think I will try it his way! I will not say anything bad about him as he is have good legal fun, Does anyone know how many fingers he has? and did the tree get him or the saw?

[Olevern]

Snapper soup....ummm....yummy

[Rio Grande]

A snapper was caught at our range the other day. A big one, 10 or 12" dia. maybe 6" tall.
Put in the back of a pickup. It was rather angry.
I was amazed at how fast that thing could strike. About as fast as a snake I reckon. Fast.
I've no doubt it could take a finger off. Probably could snap a good sized snake right in half.
Although the man who caught it was a cajun (there's a saying, 'cajuns make better lovers 'cause they'll eat anything') that good ol' boy released it after a while.

[Chicken Thief]

Flapper, drapper, snapper, what ever!
He lost his frigging front teeth in a chainsaw accident http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Blandet/Smilere/tmi.gifhttp://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Blandet/Smilere/scared.gifhttp://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Blandet/Smilere/35-1.gif

[troy_mclure]

we used to turtle gig all the time, occasionally youd pull up one big enough to drag you with it as it swam away.

[bootsnthejeep]

I always gave snappers a wide berth as well. Until I ate some. That stuff's delicious. Right up there with catfish. I haven't seen one to catch since. I know of a pond where there was a monster one, I only saw him twice, sucker looked as big around as a truck rim. I don't know as I'd hook onto him with my bare hands.

They're kind of a chore to clean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJv2AV_cjVI

Just a warning, that video is not for the squeamish. I'll try most anything, but even I found parts of that kind of hard to watch. But its good information to have.

[rmcc]

I respect him..... but that guy is NUTS!!