Handcannon
Well-Known Member
I made three 14 gauge wire cage turtle traps & took them out to a pond Monday the 14th. Parked at the road & put the traps in my deer sled. Wondered down the drainage ditch between the corn to the 1st little pond. I brought along my cane poles to catch my turtle bait. 15 minutes later I had 6 little bullhead. I put 2 in each bait basket. I set the 1st trap on the west side near a small tree at the shoreline. The 2nd trap was set on the north end & the 3rd was on the east side. All traps are set right on the shoreline w/ the end still above water so they don’t drown. I used a small wooden dowel to prop the door open so all they have to do is go right on in. The turtle bumps the dowel & the door falls behind them. There is an escape hole for small turtles on top.
The 16th I took the Fish Monger to check traps. Worked my way to the pond, got in. There was no wind & the water was like glass. Didn’t see any movement in the traps. I started fishing to find out what is in the pond besides bullheads. Caught one small crappie. Paddled around to the trap on the west side. Still no movement but I could see that the door was down. Poked the paddle in the escape hole & it went “thump thump”. I got out of the Monger & pulled the trap out of the water. It was HEAVY. Then there was the famous hiss that snappers make. This thing was a beast! The interior of the trap is about 16”H x 24”W x 40”L. I flipped the trap on end & new it was a good one when I saw the turtle was around 16” x 20”. The trap was all bent up. The escape hole was pushed up, the basket was destroyed & the both doors were bent, & random wires bent & broken. With the door wired shut, I checked my other traps. The one on the north end was tripped but empty & the one on the east side was empty. I loaded up all 3 traps & pulled the Monger up hill to the truck. Took me about an hour but it was worth it.
I borrowed dad’s 55 gallon drum & that turtle made it look small. It was a male, 32# & 35” long nose to tail. The claws on this thing are scary.
I boiled the skull & cleaned the shell. Also kept the beak & a claw from each foot. Now I gotta eat turtle....or at least try it.
11 hours into the shell & 2 into the skull.
The 16th I took the Fish Monger to check traps. Worked my way to the pond, got in. There was no wind & the water was like glass. Didn’t see any movement in the traps. I started fishing to find out what is in the pond besides bullheads. Caught one small crappie. Paddled around to the trap on the west side. Still no movement but I could see that the door was down. Poked the paddle in the escape hole & it went “thump thump”. I got out of the Monger & pulled the trap out of the water. It was HEAVY. Then there was the famous hiss that snappers make. This thing was a beast! The interior of the trap is about 16”H x 24”W x 40”L. I flipped the trap on end & new it was a good one when I saw the turtle was around 16” x 20”. The trap was all bent up. The escape hole was pushed up, the basket was destroyed & the both doors were bent, & random wires bent & broken. With the door wired shut, I checked my other traps. The one on the north end was tripped but empty & the one on the east side was empty. I loaded up all 3 traps & pulled the Monger up hill to the truck. Took me about an hour but it was worth it.
I borrowed dad’s 55 gallon drum & that turtle made it look small. It was a male, 32# & 35” long nose to tail. The claws on this thing are scary.
I boiled the skull & cleaned the shell. Also kept the beak & a claw from each foot. Now I gotta eat turtle....or at least try it.
11 hours into the shell & 2 into the skull.
