My good deed for the day.....

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I was on my way home from the trap range today when something caught my eye on the side of the road. As I slowed down, I could see it was a large (well, larger for this area) snapping turtle, and he hadn't been run over yet.

I don't know if he was trying to cross the road or just trying to keep warm on the asphalt (he didn't say), but he was still in good working order, so I thought I would move him back into the bushes or across the road.

How in the hell can something that moves so slow manage to move it's head and jaws so fast!!!!!! He tried to get me.....twice! Fortunately, for a fat man I can still move pretty quickly. He finally decided to go back in the direction that he came from, and I hope he decided to stay back in there and not come out and sun himself again. I HATE seeing roadkill on the side of the road (mammal, bird, reptile...doesn't matter).....I think it is so unnecessary!!!! Anyway, I haven't seen a snapper in a while, so it was a bit of a thrill.

[skeet]

MMMM dem things are gooood. We picked up many a turtle and took 'em to work.. If'n you know just a little bout cookin 'em. And being a duck hunter...taking them out saves sooooo many ducks. Snappers are a real predator of ducks...and uhhh yeah..they are very quick about chewin on you. I used to catch them for commercial sale...when I was young and dumb

[Larryjk]

Had a near run-in with a snapper when I was about 15. I had on heavy rubber gloves and was setting muskrat traps. He thought my hand looked good so he nailed my thumb. (I hadn't seen him in the muddy water). My reflex pulled my thumb out of his jaws but left the rubber glove. I got him out of the hole he was in and stopped the argument with 6 ea. 38 spc. slugs in the head and back. Scared the he-- out of me.

[skeet]

They can be scary. I ran a turtle line every summer Sold a couple ton every year..at about 6 cents a lb..that was a lot of money to a kid in 1958 -1960. I also crabbed in the summer. Eeled in the spring and lived outside almost all year. Had my first boat in 1957. 24 ft bay built inboard skiff. Had a Palmer hit and miss engine. Anybody ever read the Old Man and the Boy?? That book was fiction of course..but I lived a life just about like that..without the old man. I had a lot of teachers...from the old Black man or two to my father and some of the most odd characters you could imagine. It was an awful hard life..LOL.. I either had a 22 rifle or a fishing rod with me almost every day.. I used them both well. Didn't need a fishin license till I was 16 but had a huntin license..county wide only at the age of 9..and it cost 1 dollar and 25 cents. Got my first statewide license when I was 13..cost 5 25 and I really thought I was impotent then..

[GoodOlBoy]

We had a loggerhead get ahold of a curious dog on the piece of hide between the nostrils once when I was a kid. Took two men to hold the dog down, and one to cut the turtles head off, then cut the jaws apart to get it off the dog. That dog never was that curious about turtles again

GoodOlBoy

[skeet]

Ohhhh DAUMM Thaty hadda hurt somethin fierce. Turtles really aren't anything to mess with. Snappers are especially nasty Best we can do is leave 'em alone if possible

[popplecop]

Snappers are great deep fried or in a stew. Were greatly over harvested here for years, now a season and size limit. We also have northern pike and muskies that eat baby ducks, but those that survive are very fast on their feet and in flight.