Texas man catches massive alligator snapping turtle, then releases it back into the wild

Chron.com ^ | June 23 2022 | Ariana Garcia

[Ezekiel]

"My three-year-old son started panicking. He thought it was a dinosaur and kept saying, 'Let it go. Let it go. Put it back!'"

Perhaps not the first time he said that!

[Chainmail]

I hesitate to mention this, but I saw a bigger one, walking down the middle of the street on the Quantico Marine Corps base in 2006 or so. It was huge, the shell was about 3 feet across, the head was about 9 inches long.

It walked to the Chopawamsic creek as it forms a shallow lake leading into the Potomac River and nobody tried to get in its way. Looked like a dinosaur.

[Who is John Galt?]

Murder Turtle! Run For Your Life!!

[M_Continuum]

damn 😮 Won’t catch me swimming in those waters.

[CFW]

“One of the reasons you do not swim in Texas lakes and rivers”

______

And especially not skinny-dipping!

[CFW]

“A buddy of mine tells me alligator snappers are good eating.”

++++++

They are definitely good eating. In the country during the spring, if you see two pick-up trucks stopped and looking at something in the middle of the road, they are probably discussing who saw the turtle first, and who gets to take it home to throw in a cooking pot (big iron pot over a hot fire until the shell comes off easily). It takes some work and a bit of time to cook into a turtle mull but well worth the effort.

[YouGoTexasGirl]

BING...BING...BING...BING....

You WON BIG with that one!!!! We are laughing out loud here on the farm!!!

[laplata]

People gave him the right of way and were smart to do so.

thanks for the story.

[laplata]

Lol

[gundog]

Enjoy. I’m kinda bummed that my State won’t let me bring one in.

[Irenic]

Boy that’s ugly and it looks like it would smell horrible. Ick.

[TXnMA]

Not “200 lbs”, though. No way that guy could lift and hold “200 lbs” of live, squirming snapper...

I’m surprised one of those back feet didn’t rip up that guy’s leg — the way he was holding it!

I’ve caught big ones, but that is the biggest I’ve ever seen. YIKES!

(BTW, the smaller ones make excellent turtle & dumplings.)

TXnMA (now back “nTX”)

[LibertyWoman]

Should have killed it

[crusty old prospector]

They are protected.

[Rebelbase]

Elevation and colder water temps.

[LibertyWoman]

Are they endangered? some species should die out imho. A creature like that can do massive damage to other marine life. Is it native to those waters? (just thinking out loud) We have snappers around here and if I see one I kill it. No it’s not the ‘alligator’ type but still damaging.

[Reily]

They’re native and protected.
And best not to fool with!

[Fai Mao]

I bet they are already there.

[Veto!]

I’m so glad this nice fellow did what he did. Good thing he’s a big strong guy.

[smokingfrog]

He will snap your leg off!