Turtle Soup

[Trench]

Thought I'd share kind of an odd combination. This is a picture of a snapper I took out of a creek when I was looking for squirrels in early autumn. The head was as big as my closed fist. I finished him off with my .36 frontier rifle. First turtle I ever took. I didn't realize they keep moving after they're dead and ended up shooting him 4 times.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I don't want to sound mean but why shoot turtles? Again not being mean just wanting to know. Ron

 

[BrownBear]

I can't answer for Trench, be we ate them when I was growing up. Yum. Got them all the time on the trotlines we ran for catfish. My granpap also carved some pretty neat stuff, including fishing lures, from the shells.

 

[rabjr]

Ate a few here too. Was a good source of meat for a lot of poor folk here at one time.

 

[Trench]

I don't want to sound mean but why shoot turtles? Again not being mean just wanting to know. Ron

Why shoot them at all, or why didn't I kill it another way? Honestly, this was my first turtle and I was a little shy of the snapper biting my thumb off should I use my trade knife. Is there another way?
Now that I've shot a turtle I can say the reason to do so is because they are VERY tasty. So far I've made turtle soup and a pot pie out of the meat and I'm only half way through the critter. :grin:

 

[rabjr]

I can honestly say Trench, that is the very first snapper I ever heard about being taken with a flintlock. :haha: :thumbsup: Standard procedure up here is sticking a stick in its mouth, he clamps down, pull to stretch the head out and then one swing with a sharp axe finishes the job.

 

[Roy]

:thumbsup:

 

[10 gauge]

Man you take great pictures. Now you show me one more picture of that rifle and I swear I'm going out and buying one in 45cal, please stop tempting me. :hatsoff:

 

[Trench]

Man you take great pictures. Now you show me one more picture of that rifle and I swear I'm going out and buying one in 45cal, please stop tempting me. :hatsoff:

Thanks for the comment. Before you get too excited, this Pedersoli Frontier is a refinished version. I think I got lucky with the curl on that walnut stock. It's got 7 applications of tung oil.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I had no idea that people eat turtles here in the USA. Are there seasons, and limits on them? Hunting I guess is ok, and fishing?
I saw a turtle in montana once on the madison river outside of Three Forks. I was thinking that it was one someone lost. Ron

 

[rabjr]

Ya know, I couldn't tell you for sure without looking it up about here. I don't ever remember seeing anything in our reg's about them. I grew up on a fish hatchery and when ever a snapper found its way into any of the ponds, it was delt with quickly and an uncle would always turn into turtle soup.

 

[410-er]

I love snapper soup. :v

 

[Trench]

I had no idea that people eat turtles here in the USA. Are there seasons, and limits on them? Hunting I guess is ok, and fishing?
I saw a turtle in montana once on the madison river outside of Three Forks. I was thinking that it was one someone lost. Ron

In Indiana you can take snappers all year round and there is no daily bag limit. That surprises me a bit.

 

[jtmattison]

Turtle is second only to frog legs in my book. Better than gator IMO.

:thumbsup:

HD

 

[FV Rago]

I grew up in NJ and many little restaraunts in the Pines served snapping turtle.

I can remember that is was so good that I always had to stop and get a bowl of soup.

Down here in Ga., I believe that the season is year round and I have thought about trapping them on the Etowah many times. I just don't have the time or a boat right now.

It will be something to do in a few years.


Hmmmm, hmmmmm, good.

 

[jethro224]

First flint turtle I ever heard of too. Do ya think that's why they put turtle sights on them old smoothy guns? :haha:

Grats! :thumbsup:

 

[samerch]

I love fried snapper. My cousin and I used to shoot snapping turtle with 22 rifles along the Missouri River years ago. My Grandma would make soup or fry them, then put it in a dutch oven for a hour or two. Anyway I hope you enjoy your Turtle
Merch

 

[Dan Goad]

:grin: You guys need to post your turtle recipes in the camp kitchen section. Man, I'm gettin hungry.

:grin: :grin:

 

[buttonbuck]

After we had some terrible rains here last fall I saved one from the road he was one mean critter, took a stick and man they attack fast. I was told by an old farmer friend that you should set them in fresh water for a few days changing the water twice daily so they get "cleaned out" Good eating I am told. you could make a real sturdy possibles bag out of that shell.

 

[BillinOregon]

Idaho Ron:
Snappers are not only not endangered, they are very aggressive predators. They will take over a pond and drown and devour the waterfowl. From what I understand, every snapper caught and eaten is a favor to the rest of the critters in the neighborhood. The classic "Joy of Cooking" still has turtle recipes in it, last I checked.