Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Trapping Snapping Turtles

I have an infestation of turtles in my two ponds. Normally I wouldn't care too much but I also have wood ducks nesting again and the turtles got all of the ducklings last year.
So, how does one go about trapping these beasties?

Any and all help is appreciated with the exception of one suggestion from my neighbor which got my response; "No, I will not dangle my worm in the water as bait."

Ed

Round one:

Some 30lb test, with a long steel leader and a treble hook. Tag line off the swivel with a weight. Use a two-liter bottle or milk jug with screw on lid as a float.

Old stinky bacon for bait.

Throw it out and come back the next day to check on it.

If the ducks are swimming around make sure there is no slack in the line else they may get tangled in the line. Don't ask me how I know.

When you pull one in, shoot it with extreme prejudice.

Round two,:

Flat frame with 2"x4" wire or heavy chicken wire and stake it near the waters edge, about 2 feet from the water. Put in stinky left overs.

Keep it full of food for a week until they get used to it, then go out one day with your rifle and some buds, and sit 100yards away and shoot them when they come up.

Thank you sir! I will try both methods!

I have the appropriate rifles for the sniping, and plenty of fishing gear to help with the rest!

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ed

I eliminated 6 using method #2 this last weekend whilst my bride caught dinner.

But they were smaller snapperheads. The big one last year literally ate through the chicken wire, which is why I went to the heavier gauge.

It's old, but I doubt snappers have learned much in the last hundred years. Even tells how to clean and cook them (Written by my Great Grandparents

no experience with turtles..but it seems trot/poll line methods would work on them??

There's lots of good information and trap styles here. Good luck.

Mike

A few points:
If you have snapping turtles that would be a good sign your pond is health as turtles require a clean enviroment.

Too many turtles is another issue. When I was a boy we use to go turtling in the fall on the rivers in NE Iowa. We would catch them and put them in a barrel and ship then to a market in the eastern US. Great money as they were sold to restraunts. They are very good eating.
They do bite. Be careful. Best caliber is the 218 Mashburn Bee

Gentlemen,.

Thanks for all the info! I am back home and am ready to get with the program!

LRF, I don't have the magical .218 Mashburn Bee. Will a humble .22 Hornet work? I would hate to be undergunned!

Most of my sniping so far has been with a Contender Carbine in .22lr Match. The buggers have learned to watch for a human anywhere near the ponds and they dive, so I'm going to have to set up a blind to shoot from.

Who'da thunk these reptiles would be so smart???

Thanks again!

Ed

I think I'll pass

As I said earlier, I'm not dangling any body parts!

Although my ponds do have shallow areas, they both have water over 20' deep. They are healthy, with plenty of bluegills & bass (too many bass!) and lots of cover.

I managed to snipe one a few minutes ago but the wind is kicking up and it's hard to see them.

I'm headed down to the shop to work on a trap.

Thanks again,

Ed

Bender,
cool article.

Video is something else.

Snapping turtle is one of the most popular dishes at my clubs game dinner.

Get a couple of 55 gallon barrels and cut the top off of thm. Also drill some holes in the bottom to allow it to fill with water. In 3 or 4 feet of water drive a couple of 8' 4x4 posts about 2 feet deep. This allow them to stick out of the water a couple of feet. Sink a barrel between the two posts and leave it about 18" or so above the water line and secure it to the posts. Add a 2x6 or 2x8 ramp to both sides of the barrel for the turtles to walk up on. You can add bait to the barrel if wanted or they just naturally use the ramp to get on to sun. As they fall off to get into the water they trap themselves in the barrel and cant get out. It's common to get 5-6 each day until the numbers really drop off. Only problem with this is they do stink bad unless you keep the dead ones cleaned out.

The effects of quality inbreeding...

Better way is to dangle the wire cage from a low hanging tree limb in the water. Water carries the scent of the bait. Put the bait in a small wire cage dangled from the center top of the cage where the turtle has to enter the cage to get the bait.

We caught hundereds with these wire cage. The only problem is that the wire cage will not hold a turtle over 35 lbs.

turtles in the five to eight pound range make good fryers, other wise make a stew out of them.

These turtles are some darn good eating.

Good luck!

Thanks gentlemen!

I've been baiting, trapping, and sniping them pretty regularly. Got 'em thinned out a bit and they head for the bottom if they even THINK someone is around.
Wood ducks are on their second clutch so maybe I've made a difference.
I'll try out the hanging bait. Gotta keep 'em guessing!

Ed

I'd be just as worried at what the bass are doing to the wood ducks.

I've been thinning them down too!

Could use some help though. Been trying to get my neighbors to come over & fish and KEEP them instead of catch & release!

I've taken 6.5 lb out of one pond and a 7-7.5 out of the other pond. We put them in another neighbor's pond.
Way too many 1.5-2 lb bass in both ponds.

As an aside, fourth hatch of wood ducks this morning! At least a dozen made it into the water with mama.

Ed

Just do it how this guy does:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn8EQ0azXpQ