Whats wrong with turtles.

K

kraigwy

New member
My wife's mother lives on a little farm in Eastern OK. She has a nice little bass pond on the place.

My wife takes an annual road trip every spring and I figured next spring I'd go with her and thin out some of those bass.

MIL said I should bring a gun and kill off the turtles on the pond. I've heard about this before. I don't know anything about turtles but why do people want them shot?

Maybe you southern guys can chime in. I don't want to shoot turtles just for grins. Is there a reason, are they a real problem.
 
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Part of the problem with turtles is they have to eat. Usually, around here it is snapping turtles that are a problem. They will take ducklings and gosling while they are in the pond.

They will eat the fish. I have caught some fish that have had part of their fins bitten of.

I usually use a .22 long rifle. I put a piece of log, laying from the bank in to the pond, and wait for the turtles to come out and sun themselves. I really do not bother with the smaller turtles.
 
Juvenile bass are a delicacy to the turtles... They also eat young catfish which are real important to a naturally clean pond.

Brent
 
Captain, just swing by here and pick me and my two son's up and we'll roll up our sleeves and go to work on those bass, and since we're "total hell" on turtles, you and the Mrs. can just relax, and it'll be bass and turtle for dinner!!!:D
 
Along with the other reasons, turtles can be tasty. The other folks on this thread can probably give you better advice on cleaning and cooking them, I've only eaten them, but I can say that they make a fine soup.:)
 
I guess it depends on the geographic area, but my wife stops to save the turtles and there are a lot of them(many kinds) in virginia. I couldn't even tell her I ate the philadelphia canned snapper turtle soup one day. Lol
 
Some states also protect turtles, so whether you can even hunt them or not, can vary depending on where you live.

Bullfrogs are a far more harmful predator in my point of view. I've never killed a turtle, but I have shot a handful of bullfrogs. They are very soft bodied, so a 22 mag or 17 HMR really does a good job making them splatter.

The main danger in hunting either turtles or bullfrogs, though, is that they live in water. And that increases the danger of ricochet greatly. So you have to be really careful in shooting them.

The 17 HMR is really the most ideal rifle round for such shooting, since its bullet is so very tiny and fragile, and traveling at such high velocity. Much safer to use than a .22 LR

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Much safer to use than a .22 LR
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Your right LanceO,
Not only have I intentionally skipped .22's off the water, I've also UN-intentionally skipped them off turtles shell. The 17HMR would be safer.
 
As for skipping rounds, As a teen me and buddies would not only skip the .22s but would set up targets on the other side of the pond and do "bank shots" (as we called them)... Yes we were 100% positive that there was nothing for a few miles on the other side of the pond...

Skip a .22 off the pond and FINALLY hit a soda can makes a kid real proud...

Brent
 
In a farm pond, if there are lots of turtles there aren't many fish of any sort. So, if you want fish, eliminate turtles. Sorta like coyotes and sheep, I guess.
 
Well, Bullfrogs are a much safer target than the hard shell of a turtle, in my opinion. Very soft targets.

I had a pet turtle as a kid, too. So I doubt that I could ever bring myself to shoot one, simply because of that, if not for any other reasons.

Bullfrogs are an invasive species here in Oregon, and considered to be a significant ecological threat. They can be killed 365 days a year here. The state has even created a fact sheet about the danger that they pose to the environment, which can be viewed here:

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/invasive_species/docs/bullfrog_fact_sheet.pdf


It is very helpful to know what animals your state considers to be varmints, and can be shot without restriction. Can assist you in finding new ways to practice your hunting skills in the field.


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Many years ago family friends had some big snapping turtles in their pond. They did a number on the bass. The bass in there never got huge but it was nothing to catch 8-10 bass in an afternoon (we threw everything back) and get a couple that were 2 pounds, this was in PA. They shot the turtles from their deck at the house cause as soon as they saw you they went under. They just pulled out the deer rifle and let them have it. I am talking about ones that were 2 feet across or better, best I remember it.
 
Head shots work best and a sunny day is important. If you shoot too many in one day the cows won't drink the water. Go ahead, ask me how I know. :rolleyes:
 
Your ramblin don't rattle me.
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I looked at the link and see that they do not list the method I use to clean a snapper.
Well to start with (the touchy part) get hold of the jaw with a pair of pilers and stretch the neck out so you can get a good clean whack at it with a sharp hatchet(very important to have a good clean cut), then chop off the tail about mid way. Then slip a nice straight hard wire through the spinal canal from tail end till it comes all the way through (The turtle will not keep still for this).
Then make a bend in the wire and then cut the wire at the bend. You want a sharp kink that will scratch the spinal canal as you slowly withdraw the wire. As the wire is withdrawn the legs will go limp and will make it easy to finish the the butchering job. There will be a little mussel activity but no strength that will actually aid in the skinning.
One of the interesting things is even the next day when the meat is cooked it will almost roll itself over the 1st time.;)
We always take any eggs and bury them close to water.
Very good eating, however we do not eat as many today because they can be high in mercury according to some sources.
 
the best way to start:
one foot on the shell, the other pushing in on the butt, once he sticks his head out smack hard as you can with a 2x4.

this not only kills the turtle quickly, but breaks the "wishbone" which is difficult to clean around.
 
but why do people want them shot?
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They are water varmints :) Used to put a high sided water tank close to the bank maybe in the water a little bit. Put a wood 2x12 plank onto the side of the tank, put chicken livers on the plank and some in the tank, turtles will get in they cant get out.

When I was younger we noodled them.

Used a jack handle to catch the lower jaw and cut off the head, slide the knife along the side of the shell and take it off then cut it up and skin it. Them jaws will keep on snapping for awhile so we nailed them to the tree :) made garden hats out of the shells.....
 
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