turtle/pond question

   / turtle/pond question #1  

anthonyk

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
415
Location
houston texas
Tractor
Century 3647
I've got a small pond, less than an acre, and it's become the home of about half a dozen large snapping turtles. They don't bother me, but a friend said they would really cut down on my fish, and recommended shooting them.
I don't really want to unless I have to.
Does anyone know if that's true?

thanks,

anthony
 
   / turtle/pond question #2  
I really do not know the answer but: My experience is that most small pounds/stock tanks have way too many small fish in them and they never develop very many larger fish. I don't theink the turtles would eat any more than the same number of equal size cat fish. I would rather have a mix of fish turtles and frogs than kill them off. A bull frog probly eat as much as the turtles. ANd in the Houston area I bet you got lots of water birds pecking away at the small fish also.
 
   / turtle/pond question #3  
I usually try and eliminate any Snapping Turtles from my ponds as they not only eat fish,but will prey on ducklings as well and I enjoy seeing the ducks more than the Snappers. I have stocked Eastern Painted Turtles in my ponds as I enjoy watching them bask on the tree stumps and logs I've place in and arround the ponds. It just depends on what you want and enjoy. If your primary reason for having the pond is to fish, I would probably at least cut down on the number of turtles in your pond.They make excellent soup. If you enjoy the turtles then I wouldn't worry about them. The trouble with Snappers is they eat just about anything they can get ahold of.
 
   / turtle/pond question #4  
Snappers are great at foraging for anything live or dead. they will take full sized fish over smaller ones and often will take a bite out of a bigger fish having it get away , die and then be ate off the bottom...

Having a BUNCH means they are probably eating a lot of bigger fish and causing a lot of mortality in them as well as smaller ones.

red eared sliders (sun turtles) eat just about anything dead live or not but usually bugs and small dead & alive fish. they are enjoyable enough to let them be, the snappers though means don't go into the water bare foot...

MakrM
 
   / turtle/pond question #5  
SPIKER said:
Snappers are great at foraging for anything live or dead. they will take full sized fish over smaller ones and often will take a bite out of a bigger fish having it get away , die and then be ate off the bottom...

Having a BUNCH means they are probably eating a lot of bigger fish and causing a lot of mortality in them as well as smaller ones.

red eared sliders (sun turtles) eat just about anything dead live or not but usually bugs and small dead & alive fish. they are enjoyable enough to let them be, the snappers though means don't go into the water bare foot...

MakrM

Here in NC, snappers move from farm pond to farm pond. They clean one out and move on to the next. We dispatch them if possible as our ponds are used for fishing.
 
   / turtle/pond question #7  
Around Houston, I think gators would be more of a problem than turtles. Have any of them on your place?
 
   / turtle/pond question #8  
If you want to get rid of them without shooting them, you can fish them out. Use a heavy line with a wire leader and a large hook. Put a piece of meat on the hook and throw it in to the pond. Stake the other end to the bank and leave it for about 12 hours.
When you come back, tug on the line to see if you have a snapper. They swallow the bate and you can pull them out. I used to do this as a kid with my dad. He and the neighbors would clean them and make a big batch of chowder for block parties.
 
   / turtle/pond question #9  
I was watching one of those Travel The World And Eat Wierd Food shows this weekend.

One "dinner" was in Japan. It was a very expensive turtle dinner that cost hundreds of dollars. They bled the turtle and kept some of the blood which they put into sake. I like sake. Like it alot. :D I ain't putting blood in it. :eek: They cooked up danged near all of the turtle and ate it including the legs. The guy said the legs where really good. After they finished with the meat the took back the bones and made a soup. :D

Eat them turtles. Even throw a party to do so. Just don't tell anyone that you are going to pass around Bloody Sakes with the turtle stew. :eek::D

Later,
Dan
 
   / turtle/pond question #10  
A friend of mine had a large snapping turtle in her pond. She didn't think much of it until she saw it attack an adult goose. Her dog loves playing in the water, so she got the gun.
 

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