Hike today, Big snapping turtle pic

[dipbait]

Took a hike today in the Mississippi river bottoms. Saw lots of ducks, deer , turkey. But couldnt get close enough for a pic. I saw this guy. I estimate he weighed in the neighborhood of twenty lbs.

So I tried to crush him with this big rock, but couldnt quite throw it far enough.

Not really a rock. Just a piece of old Styrofoam.

 

[Johnny Warner]

LOL! I thought shiiite that is one stought fellow

 

[TheGame]

I'll be keeping my distance from you, I think


Thanks for sharing

 

[baldtaco-II]

Mellow pic, neat.

Be glad you didn't get him stoned some of his relatives may hold a grudge ;-)

 

[mqqn]

Hi dipbait -

Cool!

I did not see one snapper around the lake this year.

Thanks for the pics -

best regards -

mqqn

 

[sodak]

Mellow pic, neat.

Be glad you didn't get him stoned some of his relatives may hold a grudge ;-)

What the hell is that??? It looks like something from the first Star Wars movie...

 

[Guyon]

I think that was from The Empire Strikes Back actually.

 

[baldtaco-II]

Strange as it may seem gents that is the cheerful end of an Dermochelys coriacea, the Leatherback sea turtle.

 

[SamuraiDave]

That's an alligator snapping turtle. They can grow up to 6 feet long and eat ducks.
Interesting creatures.
I saw one that was 3 feet long sunning itself in the middle of a road a few months back. I decided to leave it alone.

 

[ratamahatta]

that's great and your one ugly dude!!!!!

 

[blade1981]

we caught one in a net on the river in florida that weighed 85 lbs and was 5 feet long.it nearly capsized our boat hauling it in.he was good eatin though: )

 

[dipbait]

That's an alligator snapping turtle. They can grow up to 6 feet long and eat ducks.
Interesting creatures.
I saw one that was 3 feet long sunning itself in the middle of a road a few months back. I decided to leave it alone.

I thought it was a Common Snapping turtle, his back was smooth but there are alligator snappers in this same spot.I estimated twenty pounds,, it may have weighed more, Im not very good at judging .Its head was as big as my fist. Its shell appeared to be twenty to twentyfour inches long.

 

[Joezilla]

looks like a common snapper to me, too. But that mouth picture, where did that come from?

 

[acv]

I think that was from The Empire Strikes Back actually.

Nope, Return of the Jedi

Wonder if George Lucas ever looked down the throat of a snapping turtle. Maybe that’s where he got the idea for the Sarlacc creature in the film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlacc

 

[cramsey3006]

Yeah, I agree with Joe. Doesn't look like an alligator snapper to me either.

Anything that goes in the mouth of that leatherback sure isn't coming back out!

 

[s7brad]

Sweet pics!

 

[baldtaco-II]

Joe, I'm uncertain but if I were to take a punt I'd say here

 

[bearcut]

That's an alligator snapping turtle. They can grow up to 6 feet long and eat ducks.
Interesting creatures.
I saw one that was 3 feet long sunning itself in the middle of a road a few months back. I decided to leave it alone.

Several years ago the Denver zoo had an Alligator snapping turtle on display.
It easily pushed over 5ft long. Its shell must have been close to 4ft across. It was absolutely freak'in HUGE. It looked like some kind of dinosaur.

I had no idea they grew so large. I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about all things reptilian. This turtle surprised the heck out of me. Rarely does a reptile send shivers up my spine, but this was one of them. The thing looked otherworldly. I’ve seen huge Crocs, and pythons as big around as tree trunks, but I can honestly say that alligator snapper outdid them all.