Snapping turtle rules

I’ve read the rule book parts on when you can and legal methods etc….. even got a semi serious random guy in a grocery store, to tell me a way to get them that is less than legal. I was buying chicken livers for catfish bait and he was buying chicken quarters for turtle fishing, sort of.

Can anyone tell me the best legal way to catch snapping turtles out of the ole miss? Is it ok to get them in the heat of summer or must I wait for water temps to drop? Use traps or try to fish for them?

I used to live on a river that was loaded with them. My neighbors all loved them for soup n what not. So after I checked with our local CO, I would bait them with some chicken in a minnow trap about a foot off shore. Right after dark I would go down and hand grab them. As long as I didn’t use a net, or have more than 3 in possession, I was legal. It frankly was to easy…..

I better add that the minnow trap had to be legally set, with my name n stuff on it. Did have a huge snapper that I nicknamed Brutus that ruined 2 traps. Never caught him. We all swore we’d have a block party with smoked turtle if I did get him. Most of them I caught we’re in the 12-14 inch range. Brutus was well over 20……

That does sound simple but I don’t have a shallow spot to grab em by hand.

I do have an idea of where I could put an actual turtle trap for them but as I read the regs, it seems I would need a permit for a turtle trap. No idea where to get or how to make one of those.

Probably best to check with my local co for clarification since he’d be the one to have issues with any method I’d use if it were not kosher.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Turtle-Trap

This is one I thought about making. seems simple it might have to be beefed up for a turtle like brutus but should work.

I have always hand grabbed them..(only when im fast enough)

another method(not sure if its legal or not) is to set lines out like gator hunting, a stick with a piece of meat dangling above the water line with a hook on it.

let us know what method you decide on using. I got a 20 dollar bill for any legal turtle. I wont “buy” the turtle just pay you for your time!

Get a recreational turyle permit..well you havr to request(apply) for one and then a trap is the most efficient way.

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rubberduck wrote:

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Turtle-Trap

This is one I thought about making. seems simple it might have to be beefed up for a turtle like brutus but should work.

I have always hand grabbed them..(only when im fast enough)

another method(not sure if its legal or not) is to set lines out like gator hunting, a stick with a piece of meat dangling above the water line with a hook on it.

^^^ I believe this would be a trot line if unattended, and then, not legal in MN.
Definitely check with your local CO. He might even tell you the best local ways to get em.

have a brother in-law who had been doing this in the spring, used fish guts and parts. Feeder creeks of the Minnesota River. He took soft shells and snappers to a fish market in Des Moines and made good coin (enough to purchase a really nice Jon boat/motor/trailer. The soft shells went for a premium. He brought them in in stock tanks. I think he said that they were sent over seas. Is there something in a trapping handbook?

I requested the recreational turtle permit & a copy of the rules regarding same. Should be here any day. I don’t have the local CO’s # but it’s on my to-do list, contacting him after I get the permit app and rules.

It will make a difference on what state your trapping in. MN has different rule then WI and I would guess Iowa does too.

There isn’t a location in your profile so all the above comments would be geared to the state they fish in…which might not be yours.

Beyond that, I try to stay away from snappers.

He’s not talking them kind BK, Sheez!!!:???:

Are soft shells any good?

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So I got the turtle permit app and rules in the mail today. Still not 100% clear on what type trap or catch methods are legal so I will be calling the local co next. How do I get that number? I’m in pool 4 but any co in mn should be good to call. If anyone knows the # , please pm it to me.

PM sent

All this work for a bowl of soup!

Pailofperch wrote:

All this work for a bowl of soup!

There’s uh, snapper-kabobs, snapper creole, snapper gumbo. … There’s pineapple snapper, lemon snapper , coconut snapper, pepper snapper ,snapper soup, snapper stew, snapper salad, and snapper & potatoes, snapper burger,snapper sandwich…. Dey’s uh, snapper-kabobs, snapper creole, snapper gumbo…..

Deleted wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Pailofperch wrote:</div>
All this work for a bowl of soup!

There’s uh, snapper-kabobs, snapper creole, snapper gumbo. … There’s pineapple snapper, lemon snapper , coconut snapper, pepper snapper ,snapper soup, snapper stew, snapper salad, and snapper & potatoes, snapper burger,snapper sandwich…. Dey’s uh, snapper-kabobs, snapper creole, snapper gumbo…..

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I dunno, baked turtle is hard to beat. Seriously. And no it doesn’t taste like chicken.

glenn57 wrote:

I dunno, baked turtle is hard to beat. Seriously. And no it doesn’t taste like chicken.

X2! I like to dredge it in seasoned flour then brown it in a pan and then put it in a dutch oven for 1.5- 2 hrs. Light delicate stringy goodness in my mouth

Did someone say turtle soup?!?!

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So I’ve got the info I need to get some turtle meat.

To close out and share what I’ve learned, here is what I understand about legally obtaining snapping turtle meat for personal consumption.

The CO who I just talked to on the phone explained the rules in very easy to understand terms..

With my regular MN angling license I can get snapping turtles
– by hand
– By dip net
-by tended rod & line, using cut bait such as suckers or chicken (not gamefish)
– so long as the turtle shell measures 12″ (not to include curvature of shell)

With the $25 recreational turtle permit I can use up to three submersible homemade or commercial type traps.
– must meet the measurements in the rule book for size and opening required to let out any fish that might get in it.
-must use ID tags on trap with my permit info that they provide upon issuing the permit.
-same size Reg (12″)
-same bait regs
-may only posssss 3 turtles at any time.

The most successful methods I’m told are the traps. Anothere shared method was the slip sinker method, bait on bottom, just like catfishing.

I will think about the trap method, see if I can wrangle up some help building a homemade trap. Until then, I may just keep some rank chicken parts with me and try some bottom fishing. Target da snapper!

Awesome Thomas! Thamks for the clearification! Now go get some SNAPPER

Good luck and don’t forget to post a pic of your snappers!

I know…not that kind.

I made a couple turtle traps a few years ago ,they worked very well I borrowed one out and it never was returned but I still got two behind the shed ill see if I can get one out and set it up for a picture for you, easy to make and they did work well.

Think of it as a large minnow trap , fencing is just cheap stuff from fleet farm, two by four inch mesh. Onot the top is five different holes four by four so they can breath. The top of trap is set at water line so it is just barely under water.

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Thanks alot. I think I could get a couple of those made up easy enough. I’m gonna send in the recreational turtle application and give it a try. My wife already told me she’s not gonna eat turtle, so I am conjuring up ideas on how to win that bet.

I got my 6 yr old grandson to eat calamari just by telling him it was “brown” chicken.

When we were kids we ate raccoon , pigeon, sheepshead & all sorts of actual wild game too ….but pretty much whatever was on the plate , we ate it.

These are made to fold up , so I just used a couple prices of wire to hold it together. You need to wire all sides real well or they will get out . Catching them is one thing wait to you get to clean one !

So this question needs to be asked, ever clean turtle.:???:

Pailofperch wrote:

I better add that the minnow trap had to be legally set, with my name n stuff on it. Did have a huge snapper that I nicknamed Brutus that ruined 2 traps. Never caught him. We all swore we’d have a block party with smoked turtle if I did get him. Most of them I caught we’re in the 12-14 inch range. Brutus was well over 20……

Smoked turtle sounds delicious. I just happen to have a big old fridge smoker!