Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Texas man catches massive alligator snapping turtle, then releases it back into the wild
Chron.com ^ | June 23 2022 | Ariana Garcia

Posted on 06/26/2022 6:36:36 PM PDT by texas booster

The turtle weighed around 200 lbs and was likely over a 100 years old, angler Justin Broomhall estimated.

The Longview, Texas resident hooked a massive alligator snapping turtle on Father's Day, the biggest he's ever seen. "My dad was like 'Holy smokes, look at the size of that!'" Broomhall said. "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!'"

Broomhall was using dough bait in hopes of reeling in a catfish, he said. However, "from [the turtle] being so old and going blind, he's using his smell to find bait," he said. "I guess he felt it, thinking it was some other dead fish and he ate it."

When Broomhall reached behind the turtle's head and grabbed his shell to hoist the turtle, he noticed the hook was still in its mouth.

"So I just slid off in the water with him and grabbed him by his back leg and grabbed him by his tail," Broomhall said, explaining how they were able to bring the beast in and remove the hook. "My dad pulled me back on land, and I pulled him up about halfway out of the water, and then we threw a rope around his head and flipped him over on his back."

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: texas
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-94 next last
To: texas booster; Daffynition
"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!

41 posted on 06/26/2022 7:11:20 PM PDT by Ezekiel (🆘️ . . . - - - . . . "Come fly with US". Ingenuity -- because the Son of David begins with Mars ♂️)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: texas booster
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.

42 posted on 06/26/2022 7:12:57 PM PDT by Chainmail (Harrassment, to be effective, must be continuous.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

Murder Turtle! Run For Your Life!!


43 posted on 06/26/2022 7:15:12 PM PDT by Who is John Galt? ("...mit Pulver und Blei, Die Gedanken sind frei!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Quickgun

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


44 posted on 06/26/2022 7:16:06 PM PDT by M_Continuum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Fai Mao

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

______

And especially not skinny-dipping!


45 posted on 06/26/2022 7:23:08 PM PDT by CFW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Clay Moore

“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.


46 posted on 06/26/2022 7:28:44 PM PDT by CFW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: gundog

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

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


47 posted on 06/26/2022 7:30:26 PM PDT by YouGoTexasGirl ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Chainmail

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

thanks for the story.


48 posted on 06/26/2022 7:33:12 PM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: CFW

Lol


49 posted on 06/26/2022 7:36:42 PM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: YouGoTexasGirl

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


50 posted on 06/26/2022 7:36:50 PM PDT by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

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


51 posted on 06/26/2022 7:52:14 PM PDT by Irenic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

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”)


52 posted on 06/26/2022 8:23:04 PM PDT by TXnMA (The Democrat Party has a single-element strategy: CHEATING... )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

Should have killed it


53 posted on 06/26/2022 8:24:30 PM PDT by LibertyWoman (America, the Handwriting is on the Wall. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LibertyWoman

They are protected.


54 posted on 06/26/2022 8:25:02 PM PDT by crusty old prospector
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Jim W N

Elevation and colder water temps.


55 posted on 06/26/2022 8:26:58 PM PDT by Rebelbase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: crusty old prospector

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.


56 posted on 06/26/2022 8:33:27 PM PDT by LibertyWoman (America, the Handwriting is on the Wall. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: LibertyWoman

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


57 posted on 06/26/2022 8:37:36 PM PDT by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: gundog

I bet they are already there.


58 posted on 06/26/2022 8:42:26 PM PDT by Fai Mao
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

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


59 posted on 06/26/2022 8:49:50 PM PDT by Veto! (FJBsucksrocks)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

He will snap your leg off!


60 posted on 06/26/2022 8:59:07 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> --- )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-94 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson