I can tell you are extremely passionate about these animals, and I greatly respect your emphasis of the perils they face from vehicles. The amount all sorts of species of turtles/tortoises I've seen killed by cars is so depressing, and many people have a bias towards "ugly", "gross" animals, typically reptiles and arthropods which makes it even more important to get this message out. Keep up the great work.
A snapping turtle laid eggs by my driveway in southwestern Michigan on June 6th. 28 turtles hatched on August 14. 69 days. How I saved from predators: Once the mother left, I cut a square of tight wire fencing and laid brick pavers on each side of the square but touching each other. A week ago I pushed up the middle of the wire so there was enough clearance for them to move. Checked a few times a day starting a week before they were born. After about an hour of admiring, my five year old grandson and I took them to a nearby stream. We both enjoyed the experience.
All turtles come in my yard and lay eggs, snapping, wood, painted. This year something dug up six spots in my yard and ate all the eggs a few weeks after they were layed.
I’ve found that, with the larger ones, you can position a hand underneath between the in hind legs. Really helps to add a lot of stability when holding the big girls!
@@torstenrenner9941I agree. I always support them by their plastron. They generally don’t even get defensive if you pick them up this way. Fun fact, if you know how to interact with them they are pretty easy to socialize. The bite isn’t as bad as people think anyway. They do not produce 2K lbs psi. More like 350 lbs. Humans have more bite force.
@@TheWildReportOfficial Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 1 corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
I was fishing for carp a few weeks ago. My buddy was getting some tugs but it wasn't a carp so he left his line out. When he finally decided to reel it in to check his bait, it was like he was pulling a horse! Turns out, he caught a bullhead and an opportunistic snapping turtle was making a snack out of him. That turtle was about the same size as the one in this video- BIG. The crazy part is that the turtle wasn't hooked. He just REFUSED to let go of HIS bullhead. My friend pulled that turtle clear out of the water and all that was left of the bullhead was the face and some guts. I have never in my life seen such an ornery animal!
I think you might be confusing a common snapping turtle (the one in the video) with an alligator snapping turtle. Alligator snappers have much bigger mouths, with very sharp points on both the upper and lower beak!
Love me some mud dragons! I'm glad you added these amazing creatures to your Everything You Need to Know series! Awesome encounter, great conservational message.
Thanks Spencer, glad you enjoyed! I've been meaning to make this style of video about these guys forever but as you know they can be challenging to find and catch here in the Piedmont.
I have helped a couple of turtles finish their road crossing but I have been worried about getting bit by a snapping turtle. Your demo has given me some confidence to try.
I just hit the subscribe button after watching a Hurricane Ian video of a chaser saving a normal turtle and seeing the comments saying to never touch snapping turtles. Thanks for showing how to do it and describing them so well. Great job!
Wow! I love the way you started off this video with the dive to catch the turtle -- then followed up with a really interesting description of the animal. I have been binging on videos for the past few hours and this was, minute for minute, the most interesting and informative. Very, very well done! 👍👍
Hey Ben ! We had a new broom in the van and used it to get a snapping turtle off the road. Was not going to pick it up ! Gently did it ! Love what you show us !
Snappers are so prehistoric and cool..tough to handle because of bite force, you really have to pick them up by the rear ⅓ & be careful..VERY CAREFUL.. THEY CAN BITE THROUGH THICK, HEAVY GLOVES! But saving one is worthwhile moment!
Thanks for another great video! I moved to NC 5 years ago and your videos have really helped me get over my fear of snakes, especially the Copper Head. Keep up the great content!
One of my favorites. I've found 3 ever that I would put over 40 ibs, absolute units! The biggest was over a yard head to tail, in Minnesota. Couldn't catch it. Just found 2 20ibers in north Texas today in what amounts to a glorified puddle. Awesome animals.
Ben, you should do a side-by-side comparison of the common snapper with the much larger alligator snapper. Thanks for another awesome show. I loved how you jumped right in to the subject.
I thought I saw u today at Costco in moorseville. I wasn’t sure if it was u.But anyways great job on these awesome video they are informative. Keep doing the great job ben.
That was quite a catch Ben, and a nice sized turtle! I love snapping turtles, and that was a really calm one from what I could tell. I liked your discussion about the value of protecting big adult turtles and their role in maintaining the species, that's a good way to explain why overhunting is so detrimental. Great work! - Harrison and Evan
I live in North Carolina and my neighborhood pond has many turtles includimg snappers. One of which will swim to the same little area and greet me every day. It is easily as large as this one
Hey, I have a question. I found a turtle flipped over and it appeared to be hit by a car. It was on an overpass of a small stream passing under the roadway. I didn’t know which way it was heading, so I placed her back down in the grass on the same side that I found her. Neither side really seems like a great place for her to go. Did I do the right thing or did I just make it more difficult for her to get across once again? That was actually the second time I passed her and she was flipped over again in the shoulder
So these things are cool and help the balance of the body of water. As a bass fisherman, I’m on the fence on how to feel about them. If the snappers aren’t there, will bluegill/crappie overrun the small lake I fish? Bluegill/crappie are food for the bass. Should I off the snapper for hopes of higher quantity of bigger bass? I catfish sometimes, sometimes snappers come up. What should I do about that?
The snappers are likely not having a negative impact on the bass population, since they typically just eat whatever the most abundant food source is (usually smaller panfish). As far as the snappers pursuing your catfish, it'll probable keep happening since they think it's an easy meal opportunity. I'd just recommend switching to circle hooks so if you do accidentally get one on the line the hook shouldn't set too deep.
The cahonies on this man jumping headlong into a pond with this beast 😅 Really impressive turtle, I definitely will try and scoot any along I see alongside the road trying to get across...though probably not by picking them up haha.
These can be found all throughout North Carolina, but are active throughout much more of the year at the coast and in the Piedmont than the mountains. And thank you!
Awesome video! I live a bit further north in Vermont and we have a few really large snapping turtles here. I'm not sure if they are common snapping turtles or not but they are very large. I've never tried to pick one up and will probably keep it that way but it is good to know that you can if you grab the back 1/3 of the shell.
A beautiful animal. Every spring they have warnings out at Presque Isle State Park in Erie,Pa to watch out for all different Turtles crossing the road.
I grew up close to a huge pond in CT and turtles that size and larger would come up our street to lay eggs on an embankment. Always wondered why they walked 2 blocks away from the water to lay eggs. How did the hatchlings find their way back?
The females select nesting sites based on soil characteristics, often migrating to upland areas with sunnier, sandier soils to make the actual digging process easier in addition to expediting incubation. I think the hatchlings just move downhill, but they also may have a mechanism for smelling water.
@@TheWildReportOfficial That makes sense as we lived far uphill from the pond and the area used had very sandy soil facing East. Used to find the eggshell remains now and then next to our yard. Those huge turtles were like mini-tanks and caused quite an uproar when they appeared in the road. Unfortunately, they killed a lot of ducks and baby swans.
In Pennsylvania there is actually a season . So I guess you could say they are somewhat protected in Pennsylvania. Beginning of July to the end of October is the season for snapping turtles.
Great video! Here at home in Ontario I often see these hostile fellows, thank you for showing how to pick one up. We frequently get little guys paddling their way across my lawn. Most often a long way from water.
I remember one time I caught a snapping turtle and he didn’t really snap at me when I held him but he did try to bite me when i got to close to his head
Those are amazing creatures - that thing looks like it could snap your arm off - pretty brave diving into that murky water to wrangle that thing out!!!
@@TheWildReportOfficial there was a 86 pound caught in South Carolina. Google 86 lb monster Turtle caught in South Carolina- ebony gentleman RUclips. They can get really big hope you find one over a hundred pounds! LOL
I know of a snapping turtle oasis where I live in South Carolina. I go there to catch Catfish but end up snagging multiple snapping turtles the size of the one in this video and bigger! If there is any bait that they cant stand please do tell.
They will eat pretty much any fish bait, but you could potentially look into using barbless fish hooks that will be easier to fall out of their mouths if they do get snagged.
There was one crossing a road in a State park in Massachusetts almost 30 years ago, started to lift it but judged it to be too unwieldy, the road was low traffic so it made it across on it’s own. (Wompatuck).
I found a little baby snapping turtle walking across our road we live in Pennsylvania and I can't think of any waterways or even near us it would be miles and miles away anyway this thing is about the size of a golf ball and I don't know what to do I don't know how to raise it or where to take it can you help
🤣 that intro! Took one for the team on that one. Oh, dang, I didn't know you took a bite from one. Holy moly! Good info in this one, Ben. Keep rockin' that conservation message.
They're a semi-frequent sight in some parts of the Twin Cities during the summertime. They sometimes get trapped in the roads because they crawl into them but then can't get out due to the curbs. I rescued one from such a situation and set it down at the edge of a pond. It hissed at me quite a bit but wasn't as big or as aggressive as the one in your video.
Years ago me and my grandpa used to fish for carp and sometime we would catch a snapping turtle. It was very tricky to get hook out of their mouths. Always used a long stick to do this and had the most respect for their powerful jaws!!! They are amazing animals! Like a living dinosaur!!!
My grandpa used to take me pond fishing also. And he really did like his whiskey as well. He used to catch a snapper now and then, instead of the bluegills, perch and bass he was hoping for. Some were huge, like this one, or even bigger. It would infuriate him so much he'd go get a big rock and smash the turtle's brains out. He was a real menace to snapping turtles, but I sure did have fun fishing with him. I am literally talking about 65-70 years ago, folks...
Kudos for you for taking the hook out. I went fishing with this guy who would sometimes get softshelled turtles on his line. He just cut the line saying the hooks dissolved. He was right. He caught a small one and let me take it home as a pet. I was a kid and couldn't get the hook out, it kept trying to bite me and i couldn't blame it. One day the hook was gone.
thank you for making this video. You are quick to be able to chech the turtle, I have saved many painted turtles, but no snipers. Keep up the good work.
I seen a turtle laying eggs, she covered them up, I seen Turkey Vultures flying above, I have seen many turtle nest open and egg shells open on the ground, so I put a pile of leaves on top to camoflague them, I mountain bike there so I looked at the nest often, then one day I seen baby turtle tracks all headed for the lake, it wasn't far away, I was a proud grandpa.. LOL I have also seen turtles lay eggs, and on the next lap around seen a rottenccoon eating the eggss.. after that I tried the leaf deal and won against them rottencoons. Happy Trails
@@TheWildReportOfficial you was right . my dogs jumped in before i could stop them and they walked and stood right on top of it several times without incident
Decades ago, we dug a deep spring fed pond here in upstate New York. It’s big enough to swim laps in. Pond wildlife is abundant, and we’ve seen many snapping turtles and have come to appreciate the role they play in maintaining its ecology. One example is that they keep the Canada Geese from settling in and taking over. Another is that they winnow the carp population. At first the big one who likes to climb up and enjoy the sunshine on our dock was very skittish and would hurriedly reenter the water when seeing anyone approaching, from even a hundred yards away. Over time it has come to see us as unthreatening and now it shares the small dock space with me when I walk on to dive off. One time it even positioned itself at the top of the dock ladder so that when I wanted to climb up and out it was in my way. We had a face off and I deferred to it and swam around to the bank. All the hype around how dangerous they are is a drag. They’re never going to bother you in the water and on land you have no reason to get close enough to them for them to feel threatened unless you try to move them, in which case the Wild Report’s guideline is right.
Great video. I'll bet a lot of people have been bitten by underestimating how long their neck is. It looked like it got pretty close to you a couple of times
Have handled a few of these creatures over decades and with varied circumstances, have come to respect them a great deal. I think their eyes are among the most beautiful of the animal kingdom. I've had a few that were recurrent captures to make acquaintance with and they become quite amenable to interacting, especially if you have a food item they like. I used to make "turt balls" out of ground up dog biscuits and canned cat food - they loved it. I've handled sizes up to about as large as the one in this video and you demonstrate such passionate knowledge, Kudos!!
Mine weighed at 45lb. When caught he weighed in about 35lb. Shell length was about 17" in length by 16". He'd bite when caught but became totally docile when brought home. Just caught a 30 pounder by the Uncanoonuk mtns. in Wear NH. about 3 weeks ago. He was right in the middle of Mountain Rd. I took him home & released him into the Pennichuck ponds (our water supply ponds) I don't handle them the way you do. I grasp the tail (not lift it, just use to hold in place) I then slide my hand under the Plastron & lift. If it's a big one, I'll use by arm like a fulcrum against my chest. All I can say is it works fine for me.
Per your recommendation, I have had an occasion to try and assist a very large 'snapper' across a roadway. However, I was very much put off by the animal's ability to move their head very far back towards their tail end. One swipe (and the hard clacking sound of that beak!) was all it took for me to abandon that effort. Instead, I remained in the road to warn any approaching motorists. It eventually made it off the road. So you're saying with 100% certainty, that if you grab one by the back portion of the shell sides, it would be impossible for one to bite you? Never know if I may come across another one... Thanks for the vid, it was very interesting!
Thanks so much for taking the time to help it out! Yes, if you hold the back third of the shell, it cannot get to your hands, but stopping traffic also works!
I just had to relocate one that showed up in my driveway today. I once had to get one out of a road and didn't have any way to nudge it into a box or tote like I did today, and it takes nerves of steel to grasp that lower part of the shell and carry them. Kudos to you good sir.👍
Great informational video, and wow! What a catch! I almost hit a large snapping turtle with my lawnmower last summer. It was nestled down in the dirt along a fence line near my neighbor’s shallow pond. The mower passed over the top of it, but she was nestled down low enough in the ground and didn’t get hit with the blade. Phewww! I just spotted her hunting in the shallows this morning, almost a year later, and she’s huge. I’m glad she’s still thriving ❤
I think the first thing we need to know...is... do not let them bite you!! I've caught a ton of them ( literally ) and I have much respect for that bite. Good video with really good info. cool.
Dude.... You just dove head first after something that can take fingers off!!! Do not try this at home. Really cool animals though, glad to see a big one.
Dude works out. He is shredded. Quads nicely defined and thick. Stay strong my man. Cool video. Lots of turtles around here in windsor ontario. Now i know how to safely move them and look like a pro...to pick up chics of course.
I guess a big question though is if say if hypothetically the eye infection could be cured, would mean sedating it probably at a vet, would be skeptical if sight could be restored for the most part but maybe or partially.
Bike riding on the tow path of the Delaware River in Easton Pa back in the early 90's, I came upon a HUGE turtle resting on the bank. It's shell was approx 2.5 feet in diameter. Long tail with spikes, like the pet that lived under the Munsters stairs ! It's head was bigger than a football. Had no cell ph back then to take a pic. As soon as I moved to get off my bike it slid down into the canal prob never to be seen again. I swear !
@@TheWildReportOfficial My Columbian Red Tail got sold, so a South American Red Tail Boa was the only alternative. I'm going to have alot of spoiling to do with Cocoa.
I just pulled over in North Georgia this morning and got the biggest snapping turtle ive ever seen out of the road. He was bleeding a little but seemed ok. He was gone when i came back.
I just watched another Snapping Turtle video and the guy has tamed a few of them. He says the key is to pick them up with a hand under the belly, instead of lifting from the sides of their shells. His became quite tame after a short amount of time.
2:21 I think you may have gotten your facts confused. 😅 2,000 pounds per square inch is greater, pound for pound, than a grizzly bear and a wolf. However, common snapping turtles have a bite force between 250 and 1,000 pounds per square inch, I believe. But the alligator snapping turtle's bite force has been measured at 1,000 to 1,500 pounds per square inch. Edit: It appears to be difficult to measure, but a few sources say that the common snapper bites down with a force of roughly 1,000 pounds per square inch. However, I think this depends heavily (no pun intended) on its size. I wonder what the bite force of the world record 86 pound, 19.5 inch long individual is...
I have a turtle in my freshwater pond he has flippers a long neck and tail and perfect round head.i can't identify him I thought he was a freak but now he has mate.can you help me
You should explain the New England snapper can reach all the way to it's back tail base. THAT turtle can only be handled by the end of it's tail facing away from you. Their necks can extend over 2 feet. Know how to identify the species before you grab.
I can tell you are extremely passionate about these animals, and I greatly respect your emphasis of the perils they face from vehicles. The amount all sorts of species of turtles/tortoises I've seen killed by cars is so depressing, and many people have a bias towards "ugly", "gross" animals, typically reptiles and arthropods which makes it even more important to get this message out. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much for the kind words, wildlife conservation is definitely my passion and I'm so glad that shines through in my content!
A snapping turtle laid eggs by my driveway in southwestern Michigan on June 6th. 28 turtles hatched on August 14. 69 days. How I saved from predators: Once the mother left, I cut a square of tight wire fencing and laid brick pavers on each side of the square but touching each other. A week ago I pushed up the middle of the wire so there was enough clearance for them to move. Checked a few times a day starting a week before they were born. After about an hour of admiring, my five year old grandson and I took them to a nearby stream. We both enjoyed the experience.
Beautiful
@Katheryn. You should’ve named it either Donatello or Raphael.
What a great story! I always stop 🛑 when I see a box turtle 🐢 in the road to help. These little guys need us!
All turtles come in my yard and lay eggs, snapping, wood, painted. This year something dug up six spots in my yard and ate all the eggs a few weeks after they were layed.
@@toddac61 I haven’t seen another one in a couple years. 🙁
You can see how far their neck reaches around the back, so make sure if you're going to move one, only grab the back 1/3 of it's shell.
Yup, don't want to get a finger stuck in that beak!
I’ve found that, with the larger ones, you can position a hand underneath between the in hind legs. Really helps to add a lot of stability when holding the big girls!
Everyone says 40% but out of experience I agree more like 1/3
@@torstenrenner9941I agree. I always support them by their plastron. They generally don’t even get defensive if you pick them up this way. Fun fact, if you know how to interact with them they are pretty easy to socialize. The bite isn’t as bad as people think anyway. They do not produce 2K lbs psi. More like 350 lbs. Humans have more bite force.
@@TheWildReportOfficial Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
1 corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
One of the most underrated species in North America---incredibly resilient.
They are so incredible!
I was fishing for carp a few weeks ago. My buddy was getting some tugs but it wasn't a carp so he left his line out. When he finally decided to reel it in to check his bait, it was like he was pulling a horse! Turns out, he caught a bullhead and an opportunistic snapping turtle was making a snack out of him. That turtle was about the same size as the one in this video- BIG. The crazy part is that the turtle wasn't hooked. He just REFUSED to let go of HIS bullhead. My friend pulled that turtle clear out of the water and all that was left of the bullhead was the face and some guts. I have never in my life seen such an ornery animal!
That's a heck of a fishing story. Good one.
Haha that's fantastic. He knew he had something good and he wasn't letting go.
I like this dude just bashing into the water and grab the turtle and never think that this turtle can bite his arm off in instant.
The worst thing that would happen would be a damaged finger, snappers can't take arms (fortunately for me).
I think you might be confusing a common snapping turtle (the one in the video) with an alligator snapping turtle. Alligator snappers have much bigger mouths, with very sharp points on both the upper and lower beak!
Love me some mud dragons! I'm glad you added these amazing creatures to your Everything You Need to Know series! Awesome encounter, great conservational message.
Thanks Spencer, glad you enjoyed! I've been meaning to make this style of video about these guys forever but as you know they can be challenging to find and catch here in the Piedmont.
This is the first video I've seen of yours. I'm really impressed. Hard to find good biology/ecology content like this online. Keep it up!
The intro killed me😂
IKR? Who does that?
@@benjamindover5676A crazy man
@@SemperFi_0311m😊
I have helped a couple of turtles finish their road crossing but I have been worried about getting bit by a snapping turtle. Your demo has given me some confidence to try.
I just hit the subscribe button after watching a Hurricane Ian video of a chaser saving a normal turtle and seeing the comments saying to never touch snapping turtles. Thanks for showing how to do it and describing them so well. Great job!
Welcome aboard, glad you enjoyed the video!
Wow! I love the way you started off this video with the dive to catch the turtle -- then followed up with a really interesting description of the animal. I have been binging on videos for the past few hours and this was, minute for minute, the most interesting and informative. Very, very well done! 👍👍
Well that's great news, thanks for the positive feedback!
Hey Ben !
We had a new broom in the van and used it to get a snapping turtle off the road. Was not going to pick it up !
Gently did it !
Love what you show us !
Hey that's a great idea, great way to give them a gentle nudge from a safe distance!
ha ha I've done it with a broom twice now...but gonna try the 1/3 back rule next time!
That was wise. You do NOT want one of those things latching onto one of your fingers or toes!!!
I helped a snapping turtle cross the road up in mooresville and I grabbed lower side like you said ! Thanks to you man I kept all my fingers !!
That is awesome, thanks for helping out!
Snappers are so prehistoric and cool..tough to handle because of bite force, you really have to pick them up by the rear ⅓ & be careful..VERY CAREFUL.. THEY CAN BITE THROUGH THICK, HEAVY GLOVES!
But saving one is worthwhile moment!
Thanks for another great video! I moved to NC 5 years ago and your videos have really helped me get over my fear of snakes, especially the Copper Head. Keep up the great content!
One of my favorites. I've found 3 ever that I would put over 40 ibs, absolute units! The biggest was over a yard head to tail, in Minnesota. Couldn't catch it. Just found 2 20ibers in north Texas today in what amounts to a glorified puddle. Awesome animals.
Ben, you should do a side-by-side comparison of the common snapper with the much larger alligator snapper. Thanks for another awesome show. I loved how you jumped right in to the subject.
I'll try to get one of those videos in the works, that would be super fun!
I thought I saw u today at Costco in moorseville. I wasn’t sure if it was u.But anyways great job on these awesome video they are informative. Keep doing the great job ben.
Yep you saw me haha! Also thanks for the kind words.
That was quite a catch Ben, and a nice sized turtle! I love snapping turtles, and that was a really calm one from what I could tell. I liked your discussion about the value of protecting big adult turtles and their role in maintaining the species, that's a good way to explain why overhunting is so detrimental. Great work!
- Harrison and Evan
I live in North Carolina and my neighborhood pond has many turtles includimg snappers. One of which will swim to the same little area and greet me every day. It is easily as large as this one
Hey, I have a question. I found a turtle flipped over and it appeared to be hit by a car. It was on an overpass of a small stream passing under the roadway. I didn’t know which way it was heading, so I placed her back down in the grass on the same side that I found her. Neither side really seems like a great place for her to go. Did I do the right thing or did I just make it more difficult for her to get across once again? That was actually the second time I passed her and she was flipped over again in the shoulder
Sounds like you did the right thing, just getting her off the roadway and right-side up was probably very helpful.
@@TheWildReportOfficial hey thanks for getting back. Hope she persevered!❤️
Straight to the hook lol loved the beginning of the video, I wish more people started their videos like this!
Thanks, it was definitely a lucky catch!
So these things are cool and help the balance of the body of water. As a bass fisherman, I’m on the fence on how to feel about them. If the snappers aren’t there, will bluegill/crappie overrun the small lake I fish? Bluegill/crappie are food for the bass. Should I off the snapper for hopes of higher quantity of bigger bass? I catfish sometimes, sometimes snappers come up. What should I do about that?
The snappers are likely not having a negative impact on the bass population, since they typically just eat whatever the most abundant food source is (usually smaller panfish). As far as the snappers pursuing your catfish, it'll probable keep happening since they think it's an easy meal opportunity. I'd just recommend switching to circle hooks so if you do accidentally get one on the line the hook shouldn't set too deep.
The cahonies on this man jumping headlong into a pond with this beast 😅
Really impressive turtle, I definitely will try and scoot any along I see alongside the road trying to get across...though probably not by picking them up haha.
Are they all around NC or just in certain areas? Great video btw. Look forward to each of your uploads!
These can be found all throughout North Carolina, but are active throughout much more of the year at the coast and in the Piedmont than the mountains. And thank you!
I just found a huge one in my yard in NE Minnesota.
Awesome video! I live a bit further north in Vermont and we have a few really large snapping turtles here. I'm not sure if they are common snapping turtles or not but they are very large. I've never tried to pick one up and will probably keep it that way but it is good to know that you can if you grab the back 1/3 of the shell.
Thanks Adam! In Vermont they are definitely Common snappers.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for your support, Robert! I really appreciate your willingness to support my educational mission.
A beautiful animal. Every spring they have warnings out at Presque Isle State Park in Erie,Pa to watch out for all different Turtles crossing the road.
That's neat, they definitely need all the help they can get!
I grew up close to a huge pond in CT and turtles that size and larger would come up our street to lay eggs on an embankment. Always wondered why they walked 2 blocks away from the water to lay eggs. How did the hatchlings find their way back?
The females select nesting sites based on soil characteristics, often migrating to upland areas with sunnier, sandier soils to make the actual digging process easier in addition to expediting incubation. I think the hatchlings just move downhill, but they also may have a mechanism for smelling water.
@@TheWildReportOfficial That makes sense as we lived far uphill from the pond and the area used had very sandy soil facing East. Used to find the eggshell remains now and then next to our yard. Those huge turtles were like mini-tanks and caused quite an uproar when they appeared in the road. Unfortunately, they killed a lot of ducks and baby swans.
In Pennsylvania there is actually a season . So I guess you could say they are somewhat protected in Pennsylvania. Beginning of July to the end of October is the season for snapping turtles.
That's a cool approach to management, it seems to be working up that way for the most part!
One of the best intros to a video I've ever seen 😂👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks Matt, much appreciated :)
Good job. I live in McDowell County NC. Helped along a turtle (not a snapper) with yellow spots on his/her back.
Sounds like a spotted turtle, they are actually pretty rare here in NC!
Great video! Here at home in Ontario I often see these hostile fellows, thank you for showing how to pick one up.
We frequently get little guys paddling their way across my lawn. Most often a long way from water.
Thank you! They are definitely a little averse to being handled.
I can’t believe you dove in that pond, snatched a snapper out, and only got 37k views. Great video and advice
Haha it's all about the fun of the adventure and quality of the content, the views aren't up to me so I might as well not worry about them too much!
@@TheWildReportOfficial
210K views
@@ScarlettFire341 I didn't realize this many people like turtles
I subbed just based on that 10/10 dive into the water and without skipping a beat “hey everybody” great video
Fantastic, glad to have you here on the channel!
Do you know if the Florida snapping turtle is a subspecies of the common snapping turtle or are those both subspecies of the snapping turtle?
Great question, the Florida snappers are just a subspecies!
Not sure why I haven't found your channel yet! Based on the intro pond dive, I'm all in.
Haha well I'm glad you're here now!
Great video’s as always thanks for the knowledge and keep making these videos ! Awesome bro
Yeah they come up from the lake and lay their eggs up the hill in the trees.... I move a couple across the road every year. 👍. Great information !
Thanks for helping them out!
I remember one time I caught a snapping turtle and he didn’t really snap at me when I held him but he did try to bite me when i got to close to his head
Those are amazing creatures - that thing looks like it could snap your arm off - pretty brave diving into that murky water to wrangle that thing out!!!
They are amazing, and actually extremely docile in the water. Once you take them out of the water is when they get snappy.
@@richardhincemon9423 Oh wow, I'll go check it out now!
@@TheWildReportOfficial there was a 86 pound caught in South Carolina. Google 86 lb monster Turtle caught in South Carolina- ebony gentleman RUclips. They can get really big hope you find one over a hundred pounds! LOL
Good size snapper there. We have lots of them here in TN. Off topic but I ran across a beautiful copperhead today. Got some nice images. Great video!
I know of a snapping turtle oasis where I live in South Carolina. I go there to catch Catfish but end up snagging multiple snapping turtles the size of the one in this video and bigger! If there is any bait that they cant stand please do tell.
They will eat pretty much any fish bait, but you could potentially look into using barbless fish hooks that will be easier to fall out of their mouths if they do get snagged.
There was one crossing a road in a State park in Massachusetts almost 30 years ago, started to lift it but judged it to be too unwieldy, the road was low traffic so it made it across on it’s own. (Wompatuck).
I found a little baby snapping turtle walking across our road we live in Pennsylvania and I can't think of any waterways or even near us it would be miles and miles away anyway this thing is about the size of a golf ball and I don't know what to do I don't know how to raise it or where to take it can you help
I would just re-release it where you found it, it probably had some goal in mind when it was crossing the road!
🤣 that intro! Took one for the team on that one. Oh, dang, I didn't know you took a bite from one. Holy moly! Good info in this one, Ben. Keep rockin' that conservation message.
Haha it was pretty hot outside so a swim in the pond wasn't the worst thing ever. Also thank you, will do!
They're a semi-frequent sight in some parts of the Twin Cities during the summertime. They sometimes get trapped in the roads because they crawl into them but then can't get out due to the curbs. I rescued one from such a situation and set it down at the edge of a pond. It hissed at me quite a bit but wasn't as big or as aggressive as the one in your video.
Friend of mine caught one, not that big, cooked him up, made General Tso's turtle! Delicious!
Absolutely!
Years ago me and my grandpa used to fish for carp and sometime we would catch a snapping turtle. It was very tricky to get hook out of their mouths. Always used a long stick to do this and had the most respect for their powerful jaws!!! They are amazing animals! Like a living dinosaur!!!
They really are prehistoric looking, glad you always tried to get those hooks out!
My grandpa used to take me pond fishing also. And he really did like his whiskey as well. He used to catch a snapper now and then, instead of the bluegills, perch and bass he was hoping for. Some were huge, like this one, or even bigger.
It would infuriate him so much he'd go get a big rock and smash the turtle's brains out. He was a real menace to snapping turtles, but I sure did have fun fishing with him. I am literally talking about 65-70 years ago, folks...
Kudos for you for taking the hook out. I went fishing with this guy who would sometimes get softshelled turtles on his line. He just cut the line saying the hooks dissolved. He was right. He caught a small one and let me take it home as a pet. I was a kid and couldn't get the hook out, it kept trying to bite me and i couldn't blame it. One day the hook was gone.
Great job! Keep up the conservation work.
Thanks, will do!
thank you for making this video. You are quick to be able to chech the turtle, I have saved many painted turtles, but no snipers. Keep up the good work.
Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching and saving those painted turtles!
I seen a turtle laying eggs, she covered them up, I seen Turkey Vultures flying above, I have seen many turtle nest open and egg shells open on the ground, so I put a pile of leaves on top to camoflague them, I mountain bike there so I looked at the nest often, then one day I seen baby turtle tracks all headed for the lake, it wasn't far away, I was a proud grandpa.. LOL I have also seen turtles lay eggs, and on the next lap around seen a rottenccoon eating the eggss.. after that I tried the leaf deal and won against them rottencoons. Happy Trails
That's awesome, you might have saved their little lives!
Amazing video. Well done, thanks for sharing. That water looks pretty dirty though, I'm amazed it doesn't make you sick on some level.
Glad you enjoyed! I definitely made a point not to drink too much of the water haha
i got one about that size in my creek pond in WNC . my dogs always go down there and swim . worried they are going to fight
It should be fine as long as they don't disturb it out of the water, as it would likely only emerge to nest.
@@TheWildReportOfficial you was right . my dogs jumped in before i could stop them and they walked and stood right on top of it several times without incident
They definitely get big. A friend of mine is an underwater welder - he said he saw one as big as a car while repairing a dam.
That's crazy, I'd probably be both amazed and terrified.
Decades ago, we dug a deep spring fed pond here in upstate New York. It’s big enough to swim laps in. Pond wildlife is abundant, and we’ve seen many snapping turtles and have come to appreciate the role they play in maintaining its ecology. One example is that they keep the Canada Geese from settling in and taking over. Another is that they winnow the carp population.
At first the big one who likes to climb up and enjoy the sunshine on our dock was very skittish and would hurriedly reenter the water when seeing anyone approaching, from even a hundred yards away. Over time it has come to see us as unthreatening and now it shares the small dock space with me when I walk on to dive off. One time it even positioned itself at the top of the dock ladder so that when I wanted to climb up and out it was in my way. We had a face off and I deferred to it and swam around to the bank.
All the hype around how dangerous they are is a drag. They’re never going to bother you in the water and on land you have no reason to get close enough to them for them to feel threatened unless you try to move them, in which case the Wild Report’s guideline is right.
Excellent video. Very informative!!! Thank You.
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed!
Great video. I'll bet a lot of people have been bitten by underestimating how long their neck is. It looked like it got pretty close to you a couple of times
Subscribed. Never stop what you do!
Nice job, Ben! Love these mud dragons!
Thanks man!
Have handled a few of these creatures over decades and with varied circumstances, have come to respect them a great deal. I think their eyes are among the most beautiful of the animal kingdom. I've had a few that were recurrent captures to make acquaintance with and they become quite amenable to interacting, especially if you have a food item they like. I used to make "turt balls" out of ground up dog biscuits and canned cat food - they loved it. I've handled sizes up to about as large as the one in this video and you demonstrate such passionate knowledge, Kudos!!
They truly are stunning animals, sounds like you are a snapping turtle expert!
Saved several Snappers crossing the road this spring. Five gallon buckets work great!
I loved seeing the actual snapping behavior. Hadn't seen it before. God, they're so fast!
Yeah they are awesome, it is how they make their living after all!
Mine weighed at 45lb. When caught he weighed in about 35lb. Shell length was about 17" in length by 16". He'd bite when caught but became totally docile when brought home. Just caught a 30 pounder by the Uncanoonuk mtns. in Wear NH. about 3 weeks ago. He was right in the middle of Mountain Rd. I took him home & released him into the Pennichuck ponds (our water supply ponds) I don't handle them the way you do. I grasp the tail (not lift it, just use to hold in place) I then slide my hand under the Plastron & lift. If it's a big one, I'll use by arm like a fulcrum against my chest. All I can say is it works fine for me.
Can you pick them up with a hand grabbing the shell just behind the head, and the other hand by the tail?
No, that technique is for Alligator snapping turtles!
@@TheWildReportOfficial oooh thanks!
Quality phenomenal video.
Well done. Happy Fishing 🎣
Per your recommendation, I have had an occasion to try and assist a very large 'snapper' across a roadway. However, I was very much put off by the animal's ability to move their head very far back towards their tail end. One swipe (and the hard clacking sound of that beak!) was all it took for me to abandon that effort. Instead, I remained in the road to warn any approaching motorists. It eventually made it off the road. So you're saying with 100% certainty, that if you grab one by the back portion of the shell sides, it would be impossible for one to bite you? Never know if I may come across another one... Thanks for the vid, it was very interesting!
Thanks so much for taking the time to help it out! Yes, if you hold the back third of the shell, it cannot get to your hands, but stopping traffic also works!
Very informative video! Great catch at the beginning
Thanks!
Excellent video - thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very good video. A lot of info and not a lot of boring nonsense. 🐢
I just had to relocate one that showed up in my driveway today. I once had to get one out of a road and didn't have any way to nudge it into a box or tote like I did today, and it takes nerves of steel to grasp that lower part of the shell and carry them. Kudos to you good sir.👍
Glad you are helping move them to safety. Thank you!
Why is Slater from Saved by the Bell out catching snapping turtles? School project?
Great informational video, and wow! What a catch!
I almost hit a large snapping turtle with my lawnmower last summer. It was nestled down in the dirt along a fence line near my neighbor’s shallow pond. The mower passed over the top of it, but she was nestled down low enough in the ground and didn’t get hit with the blade. Phewww!
I just spotted her hunting in the shallows this morning, almost a year later, and she’s huge. I’m glad she’s still thriving ❤
I love your videos. I always learn something new. Keep it up!!
I think the first thing we need to know...is... do not let them bite you!! I've caught a ton of them ( literally ) and I have much respect for that bite. Good video with really good info. cool.
Dude.... You just dove head first after something that can take fingers off!!!
Do not try this at home.
Really cool animals though, glad to see a big one.
Haha yeah do not attempt at home should have been at the beginning xD She was a huge girl, so lucky to have spotted her!
I never planned on picking up a snapping turtle before this moment
But you convinced me and I will if I ever see one tossing the road. Thanks!
Very cool! Well done, Ben!
Thanks very much!
Ben.. I have to say.. you most likely looked at your fingers after releasing her and said..
Whew.. still got all ten :)
Beautiful turtle 🐢
Yep pretty much. I don't think this one could've actually taken a finger, but it wouldn't have felt great either.
Dude works out. He is shredded. Quads nicely defined and thick. Stay strong my man. Cool video. Lots of turtles around here in windsor ontario. Now i know how to safely move them and look like a pro...to pick up chics of course.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful critter with us.
Absolutely, glad you enjoyed!
Awesome! Great video!
Thank you!
I guess a big question though is if say if hypothetically the eye infection could be cured, would mean sedating it probably at a vet, would be skeptical if sight could be restored for the most part but maybe or partially.
Thanks so much, that's very high praise!
my current intrest are snapping turtles and this was really informational! thank you for this
Glad it was helpful!
Bike riding on the tow path of the Delaware River in Easton Pa back in the early 90's, I came upon a HUGE turtle resting on the bank. It's shell was approx 2.5 feet in diameter. Long tail with spikes, like the pet that lived under the Munsters stairs ! It's head was bigger than a football. Had no cell ph back then to take a pic. As soon as I moved to get off my bike it slid down into the canal prob never to be seen again.
I swear !
Exciting and informative. 🥇
Thanks very much!
Very cool video, I've helped a few crossing the road.
Thanks for helping them out!
Damn Ben, what a way to pick up a date! What do you think of Cocoa?
Haha not sure how this would work with humans. And Cocoa looks wonderful, thanks for sharing.
@@TheWildReportOfficial My Columbian Red Tail got sold, so a South American Red Tail Boa was the only alternative. I'm going to have alot of spoiling to do with Cocoa.
You still have a lot to learn about them
I just pulled over in North Georgia this morning and got the biggest snapping turtle ive ever seen out of the road. He was bleeding a little but seemed ok. He was gone when i came back.
Thanks for helping it out!
I just watched another Snapping Turtle video and the guy has tamed a few of them. He says the key is to pick them up with a hand under the belly, instead of lifting from the sides of their shells. His became quite tame after a short amount of time.
Interesting, I've never heard of that method before.
2:21
I think you may have gotten your facts confused. 😅
2,000 pounds per square inch is greater, pound for pound, than a grizzly bear and a wolf. However, common snapping turtles have a bite force between 250 and 1,000 pounds per square inch, I believe. But the alligator snapping turtle's bite force has been measured at 1,000 to 1,500 pounds per square inch.
Edit: It appears to be difficult to measure, but a few sources say that the common snapper bites down with a force of roughly 1,000 pounds per square inch. However, I think this depends heavily (no pun intended) on its size. I wonder what the bite force of the world record 86 pound, 19.5 inch long individual is...
I used to grab them by the tail when I was a kid lol
I have a turtle in my freshwater pond he has flippers a long neck and tail and perfect round head.i can't identify him I thought he was a freak but now he has mate.can you help me
Maybe a softshell?
You should explain the New England snapper can reach all the way to it's back tail base. THAT turtle can only be handled by the end of it's tail facing away from you. Their necks can extend over 2 feet. Know how to identify the species before you grab.
We have one named Moses in one of the lakes in my town
Nice! I pulled one off the road bigger than that. So glad I didn't get bit! 😂
Cool bro!
So how many eggs does a snapping turtle lay each time?
I believe 40-60 depending on the size of the turtle!
@@TheWildReportOfficial wow that's a lot. Do they lay eggs just once a year or two times a year?
There used to be a massive one, under a fallen tree where I fished awhile ago. It was totally hidden.