Ohio Scott, we do ourselves a disservice when we use the general term "turtles". This is no different that saying that we want "fish" in our lakes. This is like saying that it doesn't matter what species we put in, they are all good or bad.

Some species of turtles migrate overland readily and others will not.

I deliberatly added 6 female spiny softshell turtles as scavengers. They don't migrate overland so I know this is all I will have. I also added about 50 western painted turtles and made sunning areas just for them. An individual painted turtle may become a problem by taking bait or eating pellets. I remove this individual and take 5-10 miles away and let it go.

Snapping turtles do travel overland extensively and we will get them, if we don't have them already. I'll just have to wait and see what happens with them.

Muskrats are a different story. I don't mind the burrows but they eat the vegetation along the shoreline.

Norm Kopecky