A Monster In My Yard

[longbarrel]

Friend bought a log cabin sharing a good sized lake recently. He says between the snappers and the beavers, he gets plenty of target practice! I keep asking if he needs any help but he always says "Nah"!!!!

Sounds like a good time!

 

[jackadew]

To clean the turtle you will need a sharp knife, pair of pliers and a water hose. Put the turtle on the ground and stand on its tail, with pliers in one hand and the knife in the other. Open the pliers and when the turtle bites down on them, you clamp down and pull his head out and cut the head off. Then take the water hose and insert it between the neck and the skin covering the neck...hold tight around the neck and spray the water a few times. This will break the meat away from the shell and its bottom plate. Take your knife and cut around the edge of the shell and if you done the water hose trick correctly the meat is already skinned. Just cut it up the way you would a rabbit or squirrel. I like to flour it and fry really slow like chicken.

 

[rhinoabe]

Dang it you guys made me hungry. I haven't had turtle meat in 20 years. I am on vacation this week i guess i will have to try to catch me one.

 

[ghitch75]

i like to throw mine in a barrel of clean water for a couple weeks....change water every couple days.......grab upper jaw with priers nice sharp hatchet and chop the head off....take sharp knife cut around lower and upper shell and cut out the tasty goodie's.....soak over night in salt water and bread and fry....

 

[Hop]

Geez, the little guy was just trespassing and you want to kill him?

 

[UNCLE HARLEY]

Geez, the little guy was just trespassing and you want to kill him?

I didn't kill him. He's still on the loose.

 

[booey50]

Geez, the little guy was just trespassing and you want to kill him?

isn't your quote suppose to be purple, you are in the hunting section

 

[bwframe]

I didn't kill him. He's still on the loose.

I always took pause, killing something that could be as old as me.

 

[Mgderf]

Not to thread jack, but any tips on how to clean the shell as well. how to get the extra meat and stuff off of it so i can keep the shell. I just cleaned one about 50 percent bigger than that one, but the shell is sitting in my freezer because i do not know what to do with it.


To the OP, check out youtube, lots of good how to videos on cleaning, not so much on eating.

This is actually easier than you might think. It does involve a little mess, and considerable stink, so do it outdoors, or in the garage/sheds, whatever, BUT,

Go to Payless, Kroger, most any large chain grocery store. Go to the household cleaning supplies isle and look for Arm & Hammer "washing soda".

This stuff can be a skin irritant, so it's best to wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.

Clean out the shell the best you can with a knife and pliers...
Turn the shell upside-down and support it so it won't tip.
Insert a cup or so of washing soda and another bit of water. Fill shell to the top and let soak.
This may take a couple of days, and it would help to change the mixture, to revitalize it.

I've cleaned several deer skulls this way. It will even remove all the left-overs in the brain cavity without having to dig at it.

It takes a little time, and like I said, it does stink, but it works, and it's cheap!

 

[ATOMonkey]

I didn't kill him. He's still on the loose.

Since it was out of the water, it was most likely a Her looking for a place to lay eggs, or just got done laying.

 

[LegatoRedrivers]

Careful, if he overhears you talking about eating him he might call in backup.

 

[Somemedic]

The other shift pulled one out of deep river a few weeks ago and ate it for soup. Shell and head are still in the freezer at the fire station. Seems kinda fun to put the frozen head in another fireman bed ...

 

[starbreather]

That's no monster is Godzilla!!

 

[ghitch75]

That's no monster is Godzilla!!

that's Gamera....

 

[peberly400]

Any of you fish for snappers? Im hitting up some local lakes (around warsaw) and I have been using chicken livers and some chunk meat with no luck? Any tips or really good places to find some snappers?

 

[hammer24]

Any of you fish for snappers? Im hitting up some local lakes (around warsaw) and I have been using chicken livers and some chunk meat with no luck? Any tips or really good places to find some snappers?

You may have better luck at smaller ponds. I always straightlined on the bottom with chicken liver on a treble hook. Make sure
you have HEAVY tackle and good knots, when they dig their feet in the mud it'll feel like you're reeling in a boulder.

 

[peberly400]

Ok. I have been trying to fish up and around carr lake. My only probably is I dont have any small ponds to fish

 

[bwframe]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkI40-bi3CU[/ame]

 

[Rshelbu]

My bad....I appreciate the info hoosierdaddy

negative. that is a common snapping turtle. alligator snappers have rows of ridges along the top of the shell, not just serrations on the back edge (which are found on both species)

here's a photo of both side by side

 

[Spikedog]

I had one like that walk down my street last year. The neighbors and I caught it with snow shovels and put it in a portable dog cage until the animal control could make it.