New turtle friend

[TheMan419]

Was out bush hogging yesterday when I saw this little guy/gal. Glad I saw him before I ran him over. Would have been a bad day for both of us. He just sat there while I bush hogged around him.

The 4 or so acres of woods I own had a bit of a swamp to it. 200 yards away is a pond on the neighbors property.

 

[EddieWalker]

What type of turtle is it? I have red ear turtles in my pond and they will wonder across the country side looking for other ponds, but I also have box turtles that never go in the water and sort of look like an old WWII hand grenade at first glance.

 

[RoyJackson]

I always watch out for critters when I mow...figure they have as much right to keep breathing as I do.

 

[rekees4300]

Was out bush hogging yesterday when I saw this little guy/gal.

See Box Turtles all the time while brush hogging. They are beautiful and endangered. I always get off the tractor and move them to a safe location.

Endangered Species Report #30--Eastern Box Turtle

View attachment 512756

 

[Thomas]

Good eyes. :thumbsup:
That's indeed bad feeling and not forgotten for long...long time.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I always watch out for critters when I mow...figure they have as much right to keep breathing as I do.

:thumbsup: I do too, Roy. I have a zero turn that I swear could mow at 30 mph...But, I use grammy gear watching for mostly turtles, which we have a ton of here. I figure, like you, we all live on the same piece of property, It's their home, too.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

See Box Turtles all the time while brush hogging. They are beautiful and endangered. I always get off the tractor and move them to a safe location.

Endangered Species Report #30--Eastern Box Turtle

View attachment 512756

I didn't realize they were endangered, we have butt loads of them on my property. Lot's of deep woods, little streams, and some fields. I see them all over the place, they don't seem to prefer one area over the other. We also have the bigger snapping turtles, mean looking...

 

[TheMan419]

It was probably a snapping turtle. He just hunkered down in his shell until I left the area.

I would not intentionally mow over a living creature. Just happy I saw this one!

 

[TractorGuy]

Can't really tell from that photo but if it's a gopher tortoise watch out for the burrow. They will grow to a very large size and dig a burrow you could store a VW in.

Gopher tortoise - Wikipedia

 

[Code54]

Didn't know box turtles were endangered. Find them all the time out on the road when I am running. Mostly just slide them off the road so they don't get squished. Neat little creature. Had one as a pet when I was a little kid.