Turtle Eggs

Snappers and painted turtles were busy laying eggs in my gravel driveway Up North... it looked like a minefield by the time I left.

fox food buffet

I was thinking you now have the perfect place to set DP’s…the coons and possums will be there shortly.

For sure...If there's any left after the black bears and coons

I've noticed several snappers the last week.

I actually saw one this morning in a driveway on my way to work. Now that I think of it she was digging a nest.

Last year I watched one dig a nest and lay eggs at a neighbors place. It was amazing how many eggs they lay.

Coon have been digging nests here for over a week

In the last eight days we have marked 28 nests or clutches think they are called. All within 50 yards of our house. All painter turtles. Plus all the ones we didn't see. Mowing is going to fun this summer.

Been seeing quite a few turtles here too. You know something just irritates the heck outta me is Jerks running them over on purpose. I always stop and move them if I can. The water turtles and box turtles just hunker down and are passive but the old snappers always try to turn and face you to strike, ain't met a friendly one yet that was happy I was helping them! Gotta time it right to snatch them up by the tail.
I'd be curious if anybody knows, those snappers about the size of a basketball, how old you think they are?

grab them by the tail with your right hand, then run your left hand up the shell, and grab the shell right above the head. safer for the snapper than handling it by the tail, and they cant bite that way.

Lip 'em like a big bass.

LOL ....... and they'll "thumb" you, make you squeal like a big ol pig

I was just reading that snappers can breed when they are 7 or 8 years old so if your seeing them laying eggs they must be at least that age.

You can age turtles and tortoises by counting the rings on the scales on the carapace of the shell. It's very similar to counting the growth rings on trees.

Keith

Found this nasty old guy crossing the road last week. I would have brought him home if I didn't have two little girls riding in the back.

Totally off topic, but does anyone know if sliders or mud turtles will eat baby ducks?

Never known sliders or mud turtles to eat duckings. Big snapping turtles will wipe baby ducks and gooslings out.

Snakes too, we have a lot of both on the hunt club that I am a caretaker of.......jk