Have you ever seen this before?

I was fishing on my local lake kohlmier (owatonna). I saw this duck trying to fly away but it was caught on somthing, first I thought it might be his wing (mallard). So I trolled up to it and saw this huge snapping turtle with his mouth clamped to the back of this duck. I got out my paddle and was going to wack the turtle on the shell hoping he would let go. But he swam away right when I got up close. I never expected a turtle to attack mallard. (Things always happen when you dont bring your camera)

That’s an amazing story! I lived in Owatonna for 20 years and have seen a lot of interesting things at Lake Kohlmier. (some I wished I had a camera for too!)
But a snapping turtle trying to eat a duck is a new one. Must have been one hungry turtle.

Keep that camera handy!
Crossin’

Makes you want to stay in the boat doesn’t it!!! Swimming with critters big enough and ornry enough to attack a duck frighten my tooties!

Between snappers and muskies, it makes a guy wonder why people swim in those lakes.

Fact: snappers eat the younger ducks evry chance they get.

Herb,

You are correct!! I have seen snappers take ducklings before and chew the heck out of them…. I have had leatherbacks/snappers take my bluegill or bullhead and try to eat it as well…. I have had them eat half of my catfish stringer when I was a little shaver as well….. used to urine me off!!!!!

I was on Cedar (near New Prague) Friday morning and I saw something raising a ruckus in a fallen tree. When we got closer I thought it was a cormarant caught in some line. When we were next to it we realized it was a little wood duck hen that had reached way up and bit a jig hung on a branch in the tree. Poor girl was flat worn out but after we got the jig out she swam off. I guess it’s a dangerous world out there for ducks—and then hunting season is right around the corner.

Mavz, I know exactly what you’re talking about. When I used to camp on the Cedar and Wapsi rivers down here, I swear that the snappers ate more catfish fillets than I ever could! Interesting corallary to Mavzer’s fact: you can tell how big the turtle was by which catfish are missing. A snapper won’t take a fish it can’t fit in its mouth.

Another intesting story – when I was a kid my uncle and I saw what we thought was a boulder in the shallows at Coralville resevoir. As we approached, we realized it was a turtle shell. This thing was easily 3 1/2′ across, so we decided it would be a good idea to get a better look. We pulled the wooden oar and wedged it under the turtle and flipped him over. He kept trying to just bury down in the mud bottom to get away from us, but we’d pry him off with the oar. About three rounds of this was all he could handle – around came his head and BAM he caught the oar and snapped it clean in half. Pretty impressive.

Quote:

---

About three rounds of this was all he could handle – around came his head and BAM he caught the oar and snapped it clean in half. Pretty impressive.

---

I nearly lost my fingers to the stringer example mentioned earlier. I was rinsing and just as i lifted my hand up that bugger swung and missed! I didn’t know he was under the boat!!! Anyway, a former reptile enthusiast (before kids), I’m well aware of the danger those big ones pose and Gianni………….your example is why I prefer to steer clear of those that can never be tamed. YIKES!

I’ve seen this same thing with various species of birds along the trout streams when people have accidentally misfired a cast into a tree branch when fishing a small hook and worm/crawler. Apparently birds don’t care if a fat juicy worm is found on the ground or suspended in a tree. They’re usually pretty easy to unhook and free if you can reach them… if you can reach them that is. And climbing trees in waders is no fun!

Quote:

---

I was on Cedar (near New Prague) Friday morning and I saw something raising a ruckus in a fallen tree. When we got closer I thought it was a cormarant caught in some line. When we were next to it we realized it was a little wood duck hen that had reached way up and bit a jig hung on a branch in the tree. Poor girl was flat worn out but after we got the jig out she swam off. I guess it’s a dangerous world out there for ducks—and then hunting season is right around the corner.

---