Joey Posted July 28, 2013 Report Posted July 28, 2013 I went looking for the resident snapping turtle to see if I could get some pictures of it, and saw it on the surface and started snapping pictures. Everyone came to see, but as we got closer, we all realized there was something very wrong The turtle had a rope tied around it's tail and it's head was missing, it was very bloated aswell. Wonder who would do this to a possibly 30 or so years old turtle?????? Very sad Look at those nails, that could hurt!!!
Joeytier Posted July 28, 2013 Report Posted July 28, 2013 Lots of people dont like snappers and find it perfectly reasonable to kill them and leave them to rot. Pretty sad.
ch312 Posted July 29, 2013 Report Posted July 29, 2013 I believe the season is currently open on snapping turtles in Ontario and there is a possibility that this could just have been a turtle that was harvested for the table. Believe it or not, but snappers are still very "lively" and have full strength a half hour or more after you chop off their head meaning someone who harvested this turtle could have lobbed off it's head and had it tied to a tree (it's common to hang them by their tail) or something and left it there to bleed out and finish dying and the knot slipped or the rope broke. While the harvester was busy doing something else it's very possible that's when this turtle made it's way into the water and couldn't be found. I've harvested and ate a few snappers over the years and they are still very capable of walking long after their head has been chopped off. Very freaky the first time you go to dress a turtle after it's "dead" and it starts moving around like nothing happened to it. The last one i did ended up about 75' from where i dropped it after chopping off it's head...
capt_hooked Posted July 29, 2013 Report Posted July 29, 2013 not at all... nice I hate to see that... but thanks for pulling her out of the water... and other wise cleaning up the mess... sheesh! These turtles can live to be over 100 years... and deserve respect...!
4x4bassin Posted July 29, 2013 Report Posted July 29, 2013 not at all... nice I hate to see that... but thanks for pulling her out of the water... and other wise cleaning up the mess... sheesh! These turtles can live to be over 100 years... and deserve respect...! Agreed !
chris.brock Posted July 29, 2013 Report Posted July 29, 2013 not cool, it's the old school mentality, anything remotely dangerous- "kill it", I see that attitude all the time in Haliburton
bare foot wader Posted July 29, 2013 Report Posted July 29, 2013 sad indeed....I'd like to stay optimistic about legal harvest, but in reality I doubt that was what happened there...you just see the old school mentality too much....same as guys who kill snakes just because it's a snake did you report it to the CO's?
Moosebunk Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 A weird and disturbing thread Joey. The real story would be interesting to know.
Joey Posted July 30, 2013 Author Report Posted July 30, 2013 sad indeed....I'd like to stay optimistic about legal harvest, but in reality I doubt that was what happened there...you just see the old school mentality too much....same as guys who kill snakes just because it's a snake did you report it to the CO's? Well I didn't, not sure if the lodge did. I think it may be legal to do, just don't agree with it myself.
bow slayer Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 I agree with bare foot,more likely some local thinking it was stealing his fish. My dad lives 5 minutes from Lakair and when I go up there the old school mentality towards snakes,turtles and other wildlife that I see and hear is mindboggling.
John Bacon Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 Well I didn't, not sure if the lodge did. I think it may be legal to do, just don't agree with it myself. I think it is legal to harvest them. I don't think that it is legal to chop their heads off and leave them.
BillM Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 I'm guessing someone left a stringer in the water and old boy got a hold of those fish. Too bad.
crappieperchhunter Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) I believe the season is currently open on snapping turtles in Ontario and there is a possibility that this could just have been a turtle that was harvested for the table. Believe it or not, but snappers are still very "lively" and have full strength a half hour or more after you chop off their head meaning someone who harvested this turtle could have lobbed off it's head and had it tied to a tree (it's common to hang them by their tail) or something and left it there to bleed out and finish dying and the knot slipped or the rope broke. While the harvester was busy doing something else it's very possible that's when this turtle made it's way into the water and couldn't be found. I've harvested and ate a few snappers over the years and they are still very capable of walking long after their head has been chopped off. Very freaky the first time you go to dress a turtle after it's "dead" and it starts moving around like nothing happened to it. The last one i did ended up about 75' from where i dropped it after chopping off it's head... I believe the season is currently open on snapping turtles in Ontario and there is a possibility that this could just have been a turtle that was harvested for the table. Believe it or not, but snappers are still very "lively" and have full strength a half hour or more after you chop off their head meaning someone who harvested this turtle could have lobbed off it's head and had it tied to a tree (it's common to hang them by their tail) or something and left it there to bleed out and finish dying and the knot slipped or the rope broke. While the harvester was busy doing something else it's very possible that's when this turtle made it's way into the water and couldn't be found. I've harvested and ate a few snappers over the years and they are still very capable of walking long after their head has been chopped off. Very freaky the first time you go to dress a turtle after it's "dead" and it starts moving around like nothing happened to it. The last one i did ended up about 75' from where i dropped it after chopping off it's head... I believe the season is currently open on snapping turtles in Ontario and there is a possibility that this could just have been a turtle that was harvested for the table. Believe it or not, but snappers are still very "lively" and have full strength a half hour or more after you chop off their head meaning someone who harvested this turtle could have lobbed off it's head and had it tied to a tree (it's common to hang them by their tail) or something and left it there to bleed out and finish dying and the knot slipped or the rope broke. While the harvester was busy doing something else it's very possible that's when this turtle made it's way into the water and couldn't be found. I've harvested and ate a few snappers over the years and they are still very capable of walking long after their head has been chopped off. Very freaky the first time you go to dress a turtle after it's "dead" and it starts moving around like nothing happened to it. The last one i did ended up about 75' from where i dropped it after chopping off it's head... I believe the season is currently open on snapping turtles in Ontario and there is a possibility that this could just have been a turtle that was harvested for the table. Believe it or not, but snappers are still very "lively" and have full strength a half hour or more after you chop off their head meaning someone who harvested this turtle could have lobbed off it's head and had it tied to a tree (it's common to hang them by their tail) or something and left it there to bleed out and finish dying and the knot slipped or the rope broke. While the harvester was busy doing something else it's very possible that's when this turtle made it's way into the water and couldn't be found. I've harvested and ate a few snappers over the years and they are still very capable of walking long after their head has been chopped off. Very freaky the first time you go to dress a turtle after it's "dead" and it starts moving around like nothing happened to it. The last one i did ended up about 75' from where i dropped it after chopping off it's head... I tend to agree that this is what really happened. Myself I have always wanted to try harvesting a snapper. I grew up in a farm environment so killing things for food isn't really a big deal for me. And I have the opportunity pretty much every weekend up in the Kawartha's...but at the end of the day I always talk myself out of it. Mainly I'd hate to waste one if myself or no one else in my family actually enjoyed eating it. It is on my bucket list though. P.S. I did not do the multi quote thing on purpose. Not sure why it happened. Edited July 30, 2013 by crappieperchhunter
bare foot wader Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 even if it was legal harvest, it is highly unethical (and illegal) to let the edible meat go to waste...accidents happen, as the other poster suggested, they keep their strength well after losing their heads....but I just think that is unlikely...I've ate snapper soup and it was pretty good, I would make sure that I didn't lose a snapper if I killed it it does no harm reporting it to the CO's...perhaps there have been more dead turtles found in the area? who knows....
crappieperchhunter Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 If I harvest a snapper it will not go to waste. I just would feel it was a waste if no one in my family actually enjoyed eating it. I just wanted to clarify that.
Rich Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 I feel this was not purposely left to waste as ch312 suggested. It only makes sense that it was hanging to bleed out . Looks like they used a cheap "rope" and it probably couldn't support the weight of the turtle. Inexperienced turtlers, not poachers.. not malicious ones anyway.. thats my theory but I guess its all theory unless someone saw it happen.
manitoubass2 Posted July 31, 2013 Report Posted July 31, 2013 I feel this was not purposely left to waste as ch312 suggested. It only makes sense that it was hanging to bleed out . Looks like they used a cheap "rope" and it probably couldn't support the weight of the turtle. Inexperienced turtlers, not poachers.. not malicious ones anyway.. thats my theory but I guess its all theory unless someone saw it happen.
northernpike56 Posted July 31, 2013 Report Posted July 31, 2013 yes but why would someone want to eat a snapping turtle? they are full of fat soluble chemicals, no?
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