Turtle Trap

[Deitz Dittrich]

I posted this in the trapping section and have not got a lot of hits. Hope someone can help me out.

First off, please excuse my ignorance on this subject. I am merely posting this to educate myself, not to start arguments.

So, I went fishing yesterday on a local lake. IN a shallow water slew type area looking for largemouth. Something I was not so successful at. While fishing I saw something floating within some lilly pads. Its was a small maybe 2 foot or maybe 3 foot floating square with an open top that was sloped inwards. I could see movement on the inside of the metal mesh square.. Now I didnt count them as I did not get overly close, but if I had to guess, it had 20 painted turtle in it. It looked like the kind of thing they would climb on to sun themselves and then fall in and have no way out.

SO, my question is. Is this a legal way of catching turtle, is it turtle trapping season? In your opinion are these turtles going to be used for food or for maybe bait for trapping?

Again, I am not trying to start something here, I am just really curious.

Thanks for the help on this.

[NTW]

I was dumb enough to think that the dnr was putting those out for a study.

[Slabasaurus]

When i lived down south we'd occasionally have some snapper soup or something to that effect, but never painted turtles.

Lookin at the guide it's tough to say... if you are under 18 you can possess 25 painted turtles over 4.5" for use in a turtle race... otherwise all it looks like you need is a fishing license. If i were to guess I'd put my bet on someone selling these as pets or something.

Snapping turtles can be taken any month except may and june, while spiny turtles can not be taken during a time period in june and july.

Painted can be taken any time it looks like, and have size limits as well.

Interesting stuff... I've never come across any traps myself here in MN.

[pushbutton]

taken from page 71

Turtles: Resident licensed anglers and children under 16 may take, pos- sess, and transport turtles for personal use. Western painted, snapping, and spiny softshell turtles are the only harvestable species and may be taken by angling or by hand. Harvest by explosives, drugs, poisons, lime, and other harmful substances is prohibited. Harvest by traps, nets, or other equipment requires an additional turtle license. A separate DNR permit is required to collect turtle eggs from natural nests. A license is required to purchase or sell turtles, except that retail customers do not need a license and residents under age 18 may take, possess, rent, or sell up to 25 turtles for use in a nonprofit turtle race.

• The snapping turtle possession limit is 3. Minimum size limit is 12" in shell length. Snapping turtles may not be taken during May and June.

• Spiny softshell minimum size limit is 12" in shell length. Spiny softshells may not be taken June 1-July 15.

• Western painted turtle maximum size limit is 5.5" in shell length, except that those used in turtle races may be of any length greater than 4".

[mainbutter]

Turtles: Resident licensed anglers and children under 16 may take, possess,

and transport turtles for personal use. Western painted, snapping, and

spiny softshell turtles are the only harvestable species and may be taken by

angling or by hand. Harvest by explosives, drugs, poisons, spears, bows,

lime, and other harmful substances is prohibited. Harvest by traps, nets, or

other equipment requires an additional turtle license. A separate DNR permit

is required to collect turtle eggs from natural nests. A license is required to

purchase or sell turtles, except that retail customers do not need a license

and residents under age 18 may take, possess, rent, or sell up to 25 turtles

for use in a nonprofit turtle race.

• The snapping turtle possession limit is 3. Minimum

size limit is 12" in

shell length. Snapping turtles may not be taken during May and June.

• Spiny softshell minimum size limit is 12" in shell length. Spiny softshells

may not be taken June 1-July 15.

• Western painted turtle maximum size limit is 5.5" in shell length, except

that those used in turtle races may be of any length greater than 4".

Trapping is legal but you need an aditional license. You cannot harvest painted turtles that have any real size on them, so depending what made it into that trap, I'd guess probably at least half had to be released.

[pushbutton]

would think part of that license would require an identifying tag.......the trap dietz found is probably illegal

[pureinsanity]

I don't think they care because of the abundance of painted turtles

[JBMasterAngler]

Passenger pigeons were abundant once too

[genegodawa]

and try to find a good woman these days!

[pureinsanity]

and try to find a good woman these days!

I lucked out than

[Eric Wettschreck]

Deitz, it's been a while since I trapped turtles, but from what you describe, it's legal, as long as the trapper does a few things. It is legal to trap turtles. There are size and possession limits. If there were 20 in the trap then the trapper would have to release a bunch of them. No biggie there. Also, the traps need to be tagged. I understand you didn't get close enough to really check things out. If this is a legit turtle trap there will be an id tag on it somewhere.

So, to answer your question, yes this is a legal way of catching turtle. Yes, there are seasons (for snappers). Yes, some people use them for food. I know of a few people who eat painted turtles. Myself, I really like snapping turtles and don't care for painted's but to each their own.

My question to you is what in the heck were you doing in a shallow water slough!?!??

[Deitz Dittrich]

Well, it was a lake, I was just in the shallow bay of it.. I was bass fishing.. but didnt catch any.. LOL Should have been turtle trapping, much more successful.