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Definitely softshell. I have not even seen one since I was a kid till this one (but I have not hung around ponds and creeks except for the last couple years since I was a kid also).

I see numerous snapping, redear sliders, etc. This was definitely a soft shell that was fixing to move from my main pond to the sediment pond which is separated by only a road. He was up on the bank about 3' when I came around with the backhoe and spotted him as he lunged for the water and hid under a mat of FA.

I spotted him right by my dock a couple nights ago, but all I saw was a grey, dishpan shape move up in the water column till about a foot depth, then sink right back down as he probably saw me. But I did not get a good enough look to be sure what it was. Got a good look today and my Grandson was not exaggerating any on the size of it.

They were pretty rare to see as a kid (compared to other turtles) and if there was a turtle race to be won, they were the ringers.

I did not realize there are two kinds of soft shell in Kansas. Did not pay enough attention to see which it was, but likely spiny. Kansas turtles

If you want to bring your boat down, we can see if we can catch it and get it in the boat.......... or is that a sore subject?


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We called them "leatherbacks" when I was a kid.


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Originally Posted By: snrub

If you want to bring your boat down, we can see if we can catch it and get it in the boat.......... or is that a sore subject?


I can assure you that based on my experience, soreness of one form or another would be a likely probability. Not much maneuvering room in a johnboat, even less when you have to share the real estate with an angry turtle.

All kidding and good natured hijacking aside, and speaking of Yeti coolers, I recently came into possession of a stainless, Yeti drink tumbler. This thing is flat out amazing....I add ice in the morning and fill it up, refill it a couple times throughout the day,( no additional ice), and by quitting time the ice STILL hasn't melted away. Set it on the counter at bedtime, get up in the morning....still has ice.

Absolutely love this thing. All I need is a cupholder with a belt loop, as I never want to go anywhere without it! grin


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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It was a big honking softshell. I have seen bigger snappers.

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Well baby soft shell got his freedom today ! Free at last free at last


Pat

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Update: several weeks later spotted little soft shell , so nobody has eaten him - yet
Also painted and red ear sliders are fun to watch bobing for floating pellets


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Last edited by Pat Williamson; 09/15/14 10:56 AM.
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I've pulled two huge snappers out of my pond. When I say huge I'm talking bigger than trash can lids. Funny.... no more of my ducks have turned up missing since then. I'm perfectly fine with the regular guys hanging around but those snappers are not welcome.

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Mitch
Don't blame ya for ridding of those guys . Other turtles are fun to watch at times, they do some goofy things

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Originally Posted By: Mitch in SC
I've pulled two huge snappers out of my pond. When I say huge I'm talking bigger than trash can lids. Funny.... no more of my ducks have turned up missing since then. I'm perfectly fine with the regular guys hanging around but those snappers are not welcome.


I would be thrilled if the snappers in our ponds started hammering the waterfowl.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Get some coyotes they will take care of most anything that ain't tied down

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Got plenty of coyotes. They don't spend much time swimming around in the ponds after the birds, unfortunately.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Duck season is opening soon!! wink


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The woodies are in the flooded timber! Haven't seen the little soft shell in a while but a large red ear has taken to come close to the pier and beg for food. Threw him a large grasshopper which he wolfed down and waited for more... Threw him some fish pellets and he was happy. He not scared of me at all now

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Just saw the soft shell turtle that I put in over a year ago. It was about 3" dia now is 6-7". Guess he made it

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Softshells can get BIG. I've heard you can eat them like you do snappers, although I haven't tried it personally.

Not suggesting that you eat your pet.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Nah I wouldn do that , he has a home as long as he wants it

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I get that, sort of like the chickens running around here. Although I'm guessing the turtle doesn't stare at you through the living room windows.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Sprk, as much as we tried to get you to eat the chickens that are NOT your pets, you are going to bring up eating a softshell. What gives????



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Snappers are pretty tasty, Ben. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat chicken however, and I cannot abide eggs. Fried, scrambled, poached, boiled....nope.

How I grew up, we ate whatever we had. Including chicken, and eggs. Eggs all the time. Turtle however, was a treat.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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sprk another one of my baseball coaches got a Yeti tumbler for a birthday gift a while back. He says the same thing about his. Ice last 2 days. That's crazy. But for about $40 for a drinking glass it needs to have an act!! How well would it work with hot coffee?


Dear Alcohol, We had a deal where you would make me funnier, smarter, and a better dancer... I saw the video... We need to talk.
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Honestly, I've never used mine for hot beverages. I don't drink coffee, so my experience is with cold drinks. But, after a year with my Yeti, I'm fairly confident in it's ability to keep hot drinks, hot. Amazing product.

I love this tumbler. I can unabashedly recommend it as doing exactly what the company claims it will do. They are expensive, but good gear always is.


( I don't eat eggs, or drink coffee. No surprise that breakfast is my least favorite meal?)


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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Originally Posted By: sprkplug
Softshells can get BIG. I've heard you can eat them like you do snappers, although I haven't tried it personally.

Not suggesting that you eat your pet.


I had never seen a big one till last year. They are very reclusive and so even as a kid that spent a lot of time outdoors had only seen a few, most under 6" long. They were highly prized possessions if there were any turtle races coming up as they were FAST.

Last year grandson said he saw a huge turtle in the main pond that had feet like fins. I figured he just saw a snapping turtle but what he described was different. A week or two later I spotted it crossing from the sediment pond to the main pond. Did not get to look long because as soon as it saw me it was gone into the water in a flash.

Biggest soft shell I ever saw for sure. Front to back of shell I'm guessing at 14". Big as most of the snapping turtles we see.

They are neat looking turtles. I think it must have moved on. Maybe a female laying eggs nearby or something. Never saw it again.

And sprkplug, I'll take the chicken and eggs any day of the week. Never ate turtle, though my older brother has several times and says they are good. He eats all kinds of weird stuff though so I don't put much faith in what he says is good.

Last edited by snrub; 09/03/15 01:37 PM.

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I've eaten a number of softshell turtles. You can cut them open with a knife, once you know where to cut between the top and bottom shells.

14" front to back was too small to keep, I'd catch them a LOT larger. They are harder to hold than a snapper because their tail is short - too short to be used as a handle. You have to grab one of their rear legs, and they can pull it back into the shell with a lot of force, making them hard to hold onto. Plus their necks seem to be longer than a snappers, so holding them out away from your body where they couldn't reach your leg was a challenge.

Biggest one I had hooked got away. The landing net was over 24" wide and it wouldn't fit into the net.

Grab their nose with a pair of pliers, pull their head out away from the shell and cut it off with a hatchet. Hang them by a hind foot to drain. Their legs still moved over an hour later when I'd skin them out.

Now I see where you can insert a needle and use compressed air to help loosen the skin from the meat.


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I've heard they were tasty but seems like more work not to get chomped on than it's worth.... LOL

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We remove the head, and insert a garden hose down through the neck into the body cavity. Take care not to enter the stomach, but place the hose just inside the skin. It's easier than it sounds.

Use a hose clamp to tighten the neck around the garden hose, and turn on the water. The turtles legs will straighten out, and you can see and hear the skin tear loose from the meat. Makes cleaning much easier.


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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