Turtles Under Ice

[LoaderGuy]

  My Fur-Fish-Game mag. came in the mail yesterday and this letter was in the Letters from the readers; it went like this.

Turtles under ice
  I learned a long time ago in school that snapping turtles go under the mud on the bottom for the winter, to keep warm untill spring. But then while setting traps I saw a group of turtles under clear ice. I thought they were frozen until I broke a hole in the ice and tapped one's shell, and he moved away slowly. The next day I went back to check the traps, and as I walked along the edge of the lake, I saw turtles everywhere - some with heads as big as my fist. I'll bet I saw 20 to 30 turtles through the ice. One had his head sticking up out of a hole where I had taken a rat the day before. I shot two of them to eat. The biggest, lifted by the tail, felt like it weighed about 40 or 50 pounds.
       New Wilmington, Pennsylvania


In my years of hunting, trapping, and fishing I have never seen anything like this.
Any comments?
  Steve

[reelbigfish]

This screwed up year (weather wise) has mother nature confused.  I've seen a
butterfly and other active bugs, a frog, lilac buds the size of a nickle, tulips trying
to break through, groundhogs, robins, and other signs of spring in mid Feb.  One
worry is that in a year with no frost in the ground the fleas and other parasites on
birds and animals may lead to a rash of distemper and other illness.  And what about
the fish and aquatic weeds?  What effect does an iceless year have on them?  No
dormant period / kill off.  Can't be good.




Ted

[C.C.]

I've never seen anything like that before. The thing I can tell you though is that guy that wrote that isn't very smart. Here in Pa. there is a season on turtles and it's in the summer time. I'm guessing he didn't have a good day when the right person read the article.
          Jim

[xp600]

People eat turtles???     

[crowkiller]

never seen a turtle under the ice

[MXFISHER656]

I was driving home from some open water fishing last night, and there were large bugs hitting the windshield. Crazy to see bugs hitting the windsheild in upstate ny in Feb. uh!



656

[taxi1]

I saw a turtle under the ice in Indiana once.

[toothfish]

Turtle is real good. I have never cleaned one but I hear there is a skill to it. I have ate alot of turtle. We used to have a fellow that fished , cleaned ,and cooked snapping turtle all summer. He would have turtle feeds at a bar or a park ..and I'm telling you "it is good"  The way I get it he would keep them in a large tank for a few days to let them "clean out" before he would process them. Sorry to say the turtle man passed away a few years back...haven't had turtle since.

[marshrat]

Yep thats what we do we keep them in a big tank and just let them clean out sometimes for a month they are fine and are very good eating

[OTIS]

I agree Turtle is awesome.  Down in New Orleans eating turtle is very common.

[blue mule]

as a boy i used to catch snappers and sell them. they're a gormet (sp) dish in some places. tie a big hook on about 6-8 ft. of chalk line, bait with a small bluegill (dead),old meat, i've even skinned ground hogs for turtle bait. (i'm older and wiser now though lol). i remember my father telling me about taking the brake rod out of a model t ford, put a hook in the end and poke in the mud for turtles. listen for the sound when you hit the shell, kinda like tapping the wall to find a stud. if they bury in the mud in winter, sounds like it might work.
 i've also heard of people catching them through the ice. when you see one just chop a hole, reach in and grab him, and chop him out. i've been told, being cold blooded, they're pretty slow, but fish are cold blooded too, and can be hard to catch on a hook, much less chopping a hole above their head and grabbing. anyway, putting my hand between a snapping turtle and an axe or hatchet sounds about as smart as peeing on an electric fence.
   the hook and chalk line will work, i know from exp. turtles through the ice, i've told only what i've heard. the next method i've no experience with, but have several buddies who belong to a select group of "good ol' boys" who have great success catching snapping turtles by "feeling". they reach into brush piles, muskrat holes, under tree roots, etc. i was told, keep your fingers together, move slow. turtles are used to sticks and things in the water bumping them in the face. (so i've been told) when you find one, feel around for the back of his shell, and grab him by the tail. personally, imho, i've seen more snakes and muskrats and other things going into holes under the bank that i don't want to grab, and i don't want to be surprised. i'd rather pee on an electric fence.

[crowkiller]

thanks Mac i just learned something new

[pirkaus]

LOOKS LIKE CHICKEN

[crowkiller]

no it tastes like chicken

[toothfish]

no it tastes like chicken

Some of it does and some tastes more like beef and some like pork..That's the deal on turtles..different parts taste like different meats.   REAL GOOD !!

[crowkiller]

i heard their is 7 differant types of meat on a turtle is that true

[blue mule]

i heard their is 7 differant types of meat on a turtle is that true

thats what i've always been told

[crowkiller]

to bad they dont taste like lobster  mmmmmmm mmmmm good

[OTIS]

I've found it to taste like beef.  Very tasty.

[marshrat]

It kinda taste like snake although you can't really grill a turtle LOL I'm going to catch some this summer and i will take some pics for you guys i really don't like to kill them. But the ones in my back yard have to go !!!!!

[crowkiller]

the snakes or turtles

[capt.shay]

I had the pleasure of enjoying a bowl of turtle soup
this past weekend at my local R&G Club.  Because it was
in a soup that was simmering for a long time I think
the turtle was a little tough but it was still tasty.  Kind
of a unique texture, I would almost liken it to clam
meat.  Still very enjoyable.

What a feed.  Pheasant pot pie, venison galumpkies, wild
boar sausage, rabbit jambalaya, moose balls, antelope steaks,
pheasant McNugets, venison egg rolls, baked every fish,
smoked every fish, pickled every fish, fried every fish, etc.
etc. etc. 10 eight foot tables loaded with wild game!!!

Wish they did it more than once a year.

Tight lines,

[bwalleye]

I especially like the meat that is attached to the upper shell. MMMMMMMMMMMMM.  As mentioned earlier, I let them sit in a tank of water for about a month, changing the water every fews days. Then cut their heads off and hang to let them bleed.  Parboil them for about 10 minutes then cut 'em up.  That's how I was shown to do it.  Seems to work fine.

[jigbounce]

A guy in my home town has a turtle feed every summer and man is it good!  I always thought it tasted like really good chicken, if anybody gets the chance, chomp at it!

[NickP]

Looks like venison

Il give ti a try this summer- I always seem to catch 2 or 3 while bait fishing for cats, good 10-15in shells.

[bwalleye]

To answer the original question....no.  It has been a confusing winter.

[OTIS]

I had the pleasure of enjoying a bowl of turtle soup
this past weekend at my local R&G Club.  Because it was
in a soup that was simmering for a long time I think
the turtle was a little tough but it was still tasty.  Kind
of a unique texture, I would almost liken it to clam
meat.  Still very enjoyable.

What a feed.  Pheasant pot pie, venison galumpkies, wild
boar sausage, rabbit jambalaya, moose balls, antelope steaks,
pheasant McNugets, venison egg rolls, baked every fish,
smoked every fish, pickled every fish, fried every fish, etc.
etc. etc. 10 eight foot tables loaded with wild game!!!

Wish they did it more than once a year.

Tight lines,

(Image removed from quote.)

Like the way you snuck in the Moose Balls!!!

[capt.shay]

Like the way you snuck in the Moose Balls!!!

 

No, not Colorado Oysters.

Meat balls made with ground moose meat

[crowkiller]

thats what he said MOOSE BALLS

[Grimace]

never mind the moose balls he also snuck in clam meat.