Two rescues in one day

[gumpus]

The snapper is about the size of a half dollar and probably one day old. Every year we see the little guys and way too many get squished by cars so sometimes we help them get to the river.

The box turtle "ran" out in front of my car so I had to stop. It couldn't quite climb the curb (although the climbing technique was excellent) so I gave it a boost.

 

[Alan Gage]

Nice saves. On my normal walk they created a carp barrier consisting of large rocks to keep carp from traveling from the lake to the slough. In the spring turtles heading to the slough fall into the gaps in the rocks and get stuck. I check every day or two. Usually about a dozen each year.

 

[MyKneesHurt]

I'm a sucker for turtles. Glad you helped those two out.

 

[Erica]

Thank you for saving the turtles. I save them too. Stopped several lanes of traffic to pick up a large turtle, put him in the well of the passenger seat and took him out to a strand where he rapidly moved across the ground and into the water.

 

[SouthernKevlar]

As I walk my dog along the road by our neighborhood's small lake, I usually help several turtles along during each of the warm months. They are mostly Painted Turtles, Snapping Turtles and Box turtles. The Snappers usually get moved along with the help of a large stick, but at least they are safely out of the road.

 

[gumpus]

As I walk my dog along the road by our neighborhood's small lake, I usually help several turtles along during each of the warm months. They are mostly Painted Turtles, Snapping Turtles and Box turtles. The Snappers usually get moved along with the help of a large stick, but at least they are safely out of the road.

One time I had to leave a snapper in the road because I could not find a stick and the turtle made it very clear that it didn't want my help.

 

[Gamma1214]

You can safely pick up snappers by the tail (admittedly, it IS safer to use sticks, shovels & buckets). Unlike other turtles, their mouths can reach every other part of their bodies

 

[SouthernKevlar]

If I were a turtle, I think that I would rather walk along while being herded with a stick than having someone grabbing my tail.
Personally, wouldn't want to risk a foot-wide Snapper getting a taste of me!

 

[Crawforde]

Safe is a relative term, and if the turtle is heavy it may not be good for the turtle to pick it up by the tail.

 

[lowangle al]

I saved lots of turtles on my lake from a one way trip to New York City, courtesy of this guy. It's a private lake and the guy told me he had permission to be there from his niece, who lives on the lake. She said she never gave any permission and was not a fan of him taking turtles. She asked him to bring the big one back, but he didn't. He hasn't been back since, and that was in 2022.

I found out from another guy that he has multiple tubs on his property filled with turtles that he then takes to NYC to sell. Supposedly the guy is a millionaire with lots of real estate holdings. He told me he takes them because his nephew likes to eat them, so he's a liar, trespasser and probably a poacher too. If I ever see his traps again I'll remove them.

 

[Erica]

I saved lots of turtles on my lake from a one way trip to New York City, courtesy of this guy. It's a private lake and the guy told me he had permission to be there from his niece, who lives on the lake. She said she never gave any permission and was not a fan of him taking turtles. She asked him to bring the big one back, but he didn't. He hasn't been back since, and that was in 2022.

I found out from another guy that he has multiple tubs on his property filled with turtles that he then takes to NYC to sell. Supposedly the guy is a millionaire with lots of real estate holdings. He told me he takes them because his nephew likes to eat them, so he's a liar, trespasser and probably a poacher too. If I ever see his traps again I'll remove them.View attachment 147283View attachment 147284

That is distressing, what this man was doing. I’m glad you have put a stop to it.

 

[lowangle al]

Yeah, I don't know if what he was doing was legal or not, but at any rate he felt guilty enough about it to lie. He also told me that he like our lake because he sneaks into our local water company resevoirs to catch turtles and that their security is always after him.

 

[Erica]

Yeah, I don't know if what he was doing was legal or not, but at any rate he felt guilty enough about it to lie. He also told me that he like our lake because he sneaks into our local water company resevoirs to catch turtles and that their security is always after him.

Groan.

In Florida all turtles are protected, except possibly the soft-shell.

 

[Crawforde]

When I was in Florida we saw people illegally trapping large numbers of turtles for sale. A call to the FWC can help.
For a couple of years I was working with amphibians and reptiles in the western marsh of Lake Okeechobee for work.
Legitimate live traps will be flagged and marked with the responsible Agency/ Biologist contact information.
Poachers usually hide their traps.

 

[gumpus]

Yeah, I don't know if what he was doing was legal or not, but at any rate he felt guilty enough about it to lie. He also told me that he like our lake because he sneaks into our local water company resevoirs to catch turtles and that their security is always after him.

It seems like the niece is in the best position to hold him accountable. If it's illegal take him to court. If it's legal but against her wishes then ban him from visiting. If I had a relative that liked to visit so he could hunt on my property against my wishes that would end abruptly and dramatically.