The one in the your picture is an alligator snapper.
They can get well over 100 pounds.
The turtle in the story was likely a common snapper.
My favorite picture of a alligator snapping turtle-
I love that the turtle "was admired and released."
Posted on 07/15/2005 6:28:16 AM PDT by Born Conservative
we usually steer clear of them whevenver we figure out they're there, but I have been chased by one in waist high water. not fun - he was faster than i. i had to reach behind me with the gaffe and tgry to slow him down. chased me right up onto land where my brother was waiting with his rifle. nasty critter.
Don't they have Animal Control in that neck of the woods?
Snapping turtle ping.
10 ounces (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound turtle meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup minced celery (4 stalks)
2 medium onions, minced (2 medium)
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups tomato purée
1 quart beef stock
NOTE: If turtle bones are available, add them to the beef bones when making the stock for this dish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, as needed
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced parsley
6 teaspoons dry sherry
Melt 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the roux is light brown. Set aside.
In a 5-quart saucepan, melt the remaining butter and add turtle meat. Cook over high heat until the meat is brown. Add celery, onions, garlic and seasonings, and cook until the vegetables are transparent.
Add tomato purée, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the roux and cook over low heat, stirring, until the soup is smooth and thickened. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, eggs and parsley.
Remove from heat and serve. At the table, add 1 teaspoon sherry to each soup plate.
**********
"Go ahead, Yertel. Make my day!"
See post #27.
you can shoot him, but he won't die right away. let him be for about a half an hour before checking.
pets and small children are at risk from these things, as are dumb teenagers trying to pick on them - they pick back.
We had a young girl around ten yo go into the road to rescue a turtle and she got run over and killed. The mom had sent her out to get the poor creature.
This happens every couple of years in FL.
LOL!!!
Thanks. Lack of manpower. Snort. Sounds like a good idea for a follow-up story...
They aren't that bad. Plus, they have long memories like elephants and never forget good deeds done on their behalf. Their communities are quite tight and lines of communication are quite extensive. Thus, news of my saving that one snapper will spread like wildfire thru their network. I don't think I'll ever have to worry about a future run in with any of them......
I don't think that this is the reason. They prolly know that you stay in trouble as there is always a car with funny lights on the roof in your driveway!
Squantos is scared of turtles. Not as bad as humblegunner, he is scared of spiders!
Thanks for the recipe Charles.
Yes,PBRSTREETGANG, it has to be a big pot because you sit the pot on a fire outside. Turtle is really delicious! Try some if you ever get the chance.
uh yeah. sure.whatever you say.
actually they are loners and only congragate when they all burrow together for teh winter, but that's another story.
2) I've kept and raised numerous trutle and tortoise species (including snappers) I wouldn't try to casually pick up a 50lb snapping turtle. You're just asking to lose some fingers or hunks of flesh. Snappers can twist their heads around remarkably and are dizzyingly quick.
He ought to simply have called animal control and kept the family or onlookers away until they arrived to remove the creature.
3) I don't see why he should be disciplined for shooting it, however. Just let it be a learning lesson to the sheriff's department.
chased me right up onto land where my brother was waiting with his rifle.
If you need someone standing on the bank with a rifle where you swim you might consider going into town where they have the cement ponds much safer..
LOL~!
I had runins with those beasts growing up .. if you set out trotlines or jugs you catch one every once and a while. They are darn near impossible to kill (boiling aside). In the local dialect of the Mississippi Delta, we called em "loggaheads". Ah memories :)
And disciplining a cop for shooting a turtle? Give me a break.
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