Turtle Trapping

David LaPell

David LaPell

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I really wanted to go turtle trapping this past summer but with my arm surgery and non-stop physical therapy I never did to do a whole lot, but this summer I plan on getting out to trap some turtles. I am looking to see what kind of traps I want, either a hoop type or a floating basket type. I don't want to run lines because with all the tourists and kayakers that show up and run right into them. Who else traps turtles? I look at one of those big turtles and think of soup and some fried turtle meat. Only four months to go.
 
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While I have never trapped turtles, I have taken, cleaned & eaten them.

As a kid, I remember visiting my Great Uncle, who lived on a small
river up in the western UP of Michigan. How he lived reminded me
of the opening scene of where the Beverly Hillbillies had lived
before they struck oil. A one room cabin with no electricity.

I can still see his turtle traps sitting off to the side
of his "yard", back when we used to visit him.

Here's the shell of a Snapping Turtle that my
Great Uncle Earl trapped back in the 1960's.

Hopefully the tennis ball will help with size reference.

395018731.jpg
 
I always pictured that if you took the shell off a turtle you'd be looking at a bunch of spaghetti.

Dunno...it's kind of a mystery to me as to what's inside that shell.
 
Texas Star said:
Can you describe the appearance without the shell and how you get the meat out?

How do you get the shell off?
Click to expand...

Easier done....than said. At least for me it is. :o

To get the meat out you run a knife between the flat,
lower "plate" of the shell and the top portion.
The two are connected by thick skin.

The way I was taught, you take hot water and pour it over the
turtle before opening it up, which helps clean off the algae.

I've seen turtles where the skin ended up being
white after getting the "green" off.

I'll leave it to others, like Dave, to describe the internals,
but will say, they don't look like spaghetti. ;)
 
Trapping turtles brings back memories of the ponds on my uncle's farm and the mystery of disappearing ducks. Turtles back then were taken with thick gallon jugs, with large fishing hooks tied to them and baited with chicken livers. I do not know if that method is still used or even legal today.

I still know a gentleman that has a large "V" shaped scare in a most sensitive spot from a turtle. He made the mistake of holding it by the tail in one hand and bending over to pick up his fishing tackle the other. He admits to being quite the center of attention at the emergency room.
 
Last edited:
Smokin' Iron, Thats how we used to catch them snappers back
at grandpaws gravel pit ponds. Gallon milk jugs, string, some chicken
parts on a big ole hook and wait. Kept a john boat close by for when
the jugs started walkin'.

Chuck
 
Stainless44 said:
I always pictured that if you took the shell off a turtle you'd be looking at a bunch of spaghetti.

Dunno...it's kind of a mystery to me as to what's inside that shell.
Click to expand...

Here's a pretty good video of what's inside a turtle and how to get to it. This guy seems to know quite a bit about trapping and skinning them out. You will see here just how much meat you can get out of a big turtle, and depending on who you ask, there is 6 or 7 different types of meat on these snappers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvjAxhc9D3M
One thing about those jaws and you will see it in the video, they work if that turtle is alive or dead and if the head is attached or not to that turtle. I know my grandfather shot one once in shallow water of his pond and took his canoe and went out and got him by sticking his canoe paddle in the water. That dead turtle bit on that paddle and he pulled it into the boat, he had to pry that turtle's jaws off with a knife to get his paddle back.
 
I always heard that it was best to "live-trap" the snappers and to keep them in clean, fresh water & well fed for about 10 days. This was to get the muddy taste out of their meat....kinda cleaning their systems out so-to-speak.

Don
 
David LaPell said:
Here's a pretty good video of what's inside a turtle and how to get to it. This guy seems to know quite a bit about trapping and skinning them out. You will see here just how much meat you can get out of a big turtle, and depending on who you ask, there is 6 or 7 different types of meat on these snappers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvjAxhc9D3M
One thing about those jaws and you will see it in the video, they work if that turtle is alive or dead and if the head is attached or not to that turtle. I know my grandfather shot one once in shallow water of his pond and took his canoe and went out and got him by sticking his canoe paddle in the water. That dead turtle bit on that paddle and he pulled it into the boat, he had to pry that turtle's jaws off with a knife to get his paddle back.
Click to expand...

David, Thats a great video and explains it all. What does it taste like fried?
 
woodsltc said:
I always heard that it was best to "live-trap" the snappers and to keep them in clean, fresh water & well fed for about 10 days. This was to get the muddy taste out of their meat....kinda cleaning their systems out so-to-speak.
Click to expand...
Never found that to be necessary with snapping turtles. With freshwater mussels, yes. Those should be kept in clear water for several days, mostly to get the sand out. Otherwise they're too crunchy. :)

MarineSgtjimh said:
Is a turtle without his shell considered homeless or naked?
Click to expand...

Neither. Such a turtle is considered dead.
 
mjr said:
With freshwater mussels, yes. Those should be kept in clear water for several days, mostly to get the sand out. Otherwise they're too crunchy. :)
Click to expand...

I learned this the hard way back in the 70's. :o

While eating my first batch I said something like,
"It would have been a lot easier if I would have scooped
some mud out of the bottom of the lake and eaten that." :(
 
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We have 4 ponds on the farm where I live and always see big snappers. Two years ago we started catching alot of fish with big bites taken out of them. My brother-in-law is a Pennsylvania hillbilly that lives to eat turtle. He's caught them all his life and he came down for a visit. When I told him about the problem he was so happy he lost his mind. We used steel leaders and big hooks with about 8 feet of para-cord tied to a goose decoy floater. He proved one thing...deer meat is the absolute best bait you can use, period. I tried several other meats and fruits but the deer meat caught within an hour or two. When hooked they go to the shore to try and wrap around a log so they can pull the hook out. You have to check the jugs or decoys often or you will lose alot of turtles. To clean them he just plunged 'em in boiling water for a minute and the shell pulls right off. There is alot of meat and it is not bad but in my opinion, entirely too much like work for what you get. We caught 11 in one day...haven't seen any bit up fish since.
 
The severed head retains the ability to bite for an hour or so. I saw a beagle with one clamped to his nose for a few seconds until he was able to sling it off.

The dog was not happy, but was far more scared than hurt.

I learned to cut the head off by grabbing the lower jaw with channel locks and then extending the neck out as far as possible. Slice the head off and dispose of it where it can't be a hazard. The feet need to have the claws removed or the turtle (even with no head) will claw at you as you try to work.

As for taste, the neck is white and tastes like very clean fish without the fish taste. The legs run a little darker and remind me of a cross between fish and frog legs. There is a small amount inside the shell up on top that is similar to the leg meat but has a stringier texture. Cut the pieces off the bones, soak in salt water overnight then flour and fry like chicken. Very, very good groceries.

You may find them with eggs and these can also be eaten; very rich and oily, scramble if you like. If you click two of them together they make a sharp sound almost like two small pool balls but they don't crack. You must cut them open.
 
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