Done in by a 'creature' - Wildlife Adventures

[PeanutsDaddy]

Well played sir!

 

Kadin, I actually thought of you and your children when I found the turtle. My son was pretty impressed by the whole tale. Gave us an opportunity to research the common snapping turtle as he has just discovered TMNT.

Thanks! Sounds like this was a win win :)

And to believe there are people who say a golf course is no place for kids. I beg to differ, the course is a plethora of learning opportunities :)

 

I seem to play better when I view my round through the lense of a child. I hope I never lose that sense of wonder.

[Ricky Ross]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377866920' post='7770639']
[quote name='Ricky Ross' timestamp='1377866534' post='7770617']
I used to be a member at a course locally. Late at night about an hour before the sun would go down we would see coyotes all the time running across the greens and fairways.

There was actually a few family's living around the course. You could also hear them howling on the other side of the course.

Could you imagine if one got close enough. Pretty sure I wouldn't be trying to pick it up and carry it across the fairway.

"What's your name little guy"? Here boy lol!!!!
[/quote]

Were these Coyotes used to human contact or reclusive? I had read a funny post a few days ago about a coyote rolling around in the sandtraps eating the rubber handle of a rake and it made me smile, but I think I would have been scared to be so close to one.
[/quote]

They would never come close enough to find out.
Probably never got within 500 yards to us but you could sure hear them howling all over the course.
We would always see them running across the whole we just played or the one in front of the hole we were playing.

Not sure what I would do if I walked up on a coyote rolling around in a bunker eating the rake....

[avrag]

Much smaller and not dangerous at all (except for crops). But when I saw a mole cricket on our 4th green for the first time, I thought that aliens had landed.

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='thug the bunny' timestamp='1377867036' post='7770643']
There's nothing wrong with picking up a snapping turtle. You're not traumatizing it, and no, you won't get an automatic infection if he scratches you (not anymore so than if you were to get some pond water on a cut on your hand). They are very cool critters.

Me and my family are critter nuts. Golf and critters, that's pretty much what we do. Our home courses are full of critters, being located near the salt marshes. Every summer the one course on the marsh is full of female diamondback terrapins crawling about burying their eggs in the bunkers, and with little babies trying to find their way out to the bay. Many times we have picked up baby turtles and put them in our bags until we get to a hole near the water to set them loose. Plus we have foxes, deer, red tail hawks, northern harriers, various peeps, and on our more inland course, a few families of red headed woodpeckers. They always look beautiful with their black, white, and bright red plumage.
[/quote]

Sound like my kind of course. Tonnes of wildlife. Thank you for challenging me as I had to look up what a Terrapin was. Now that's a cool looking shell.

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='avrag' timestamp='1377867172' post='7770657']
Much smaller and not dangerous at all (except for crops). But when I saw a mole cricket on our 4th green for the first time, I thought that aliens had landed.
[/quote]

That is one strange looking critter. Never been fortunate enough to see one in the flesh.

[thug the bunny]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377867331' post='7770673']
[quote name='avrag' timestamp='1377867172' post='7770657']
Much smaller and not dangerous at all (except for crops). But when I saw a mole cricket on our 4th green for the first time, I thought that aliens had landed.
[/quote]

That is one strange looking critter. Never been fortunate enough to see one in the flesh.
[/quote]

This just reminded me - when I lived in California, one night something bit my fingertip on my hand underneath my pillow. I lifted up the pillow and saw this:



It was a jerusalem cricket. I screamed and spazzed out and fell off my bed. I had always suspected there were aliens in California...

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='thug the bunny' timestamp='1377868447' post='7770765']
[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377867331' post='7770673']
[quote name='avrag' timestamp='1377867172' post='7770657']
Much smaller and not dangerous at all (except for crops). But when I saw a mole cricket on our 4th green for the first time, I thought that aliens had landed.
[/quote]

That is one strange looking critter. Never been fortunate enough to see one in the flesh.
[/quote]

This just reminded me - when I lived in California, one night something bit my fingertip on my hand underneath my pillow. I lifted up the pillow and saw this:



It was a jerusalem cricket. I screamed and spazzed out and fell off my bed. I had always suspected there were aliens in California...
[/quote]

This thread proves that there are so many creatures in my own 'backyard' that I have never seen or heard. I would love to see a golfer from South Africa, Australia, Chile, and/or some other far off location, chime in with a story of some indiginous species that we will never see in North America.

[Spiritomb]

How to be the smartest person in the world in three steps.

See snapping turtle.

Pick it up when you know it's not smart to do.

Show everyone while it's trying to bite your hand off.

Profit!

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='Spiritomb' timestamp='1377870147' post='7770905']
How to be the smartest person in the world in three steps.

See snapping turtle.

Pick it up when you know it's not smart to do.

Show everyone while it's trying to bite your hand off.

Profit!
[/quote]

That method has worked well for a few others. I am not much of a dare devil.

[hebsan]

I know there are plenty of kangaroo that freely roam some of the courses in Australia.

[strokingforscratch]

Stepped out of my cart onto the tail of an 8' corn snake. They kinda have that rattler-headed-copper-mocassin look to them.
Anyway, I discovered it is possible to crap one's pants and jump, flat-footed, backwards over a golf cart---all at once.

[thug the bunny]

Fear must have magnified the critter, as corn snakes only get to ~5'. Hope you didn't kill or hurt it, they're becoming quite rare in most regions.

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='hebsan' timestamp='1377885111' post='7772595']
I know there are plenty of kangaroo that freely roam some of the courses in Australia.
[/quote]

I wonder if they crap all over the course like the geese do where I play? I don't think I'd tustle with one (goose or kangaroo)

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='strokingforscratch' timestamp='1377885629' post='7772663']
Stepped out of my cart onto the tail of an 8' corn snake. They kinda have that rattler-headed-copper-mocassin look to them.
Anyway, I discovered it is possible to crap one's pants and jump, flat-footed, backwards over a golf cart---all at once.
[/quote]

I generally avoid snakes as a general rule. Garters and Fox snakes being the exceptions.

[KYMAR]

 

Get dem Unyuns a fryn' sweetpea. We's havin' soup. I'll tell The kids!

 

Jasper, Casper, BillyBob, BobbyJoe, Joebob, Bobbob, Tammy Faye, Shelbyanne, Georgia, Georgietta, Earlene, Claudia Jean, Dale, Earnhart, Junior, We's having Soup tonight, Ya'll!

[PeanutsDaddy]

 

Get dem Unyuns a fryn' sweetpea. We's havin' soup. I'll tell The kids!

 

Jasper, Casper, BillyBob, BobbyJoe, Joebob, Bobbob, Tammy Faye, Shelbyanne, Georgia, Georgietta, Earlene, Claudia Jean, Dale, Earnhart, Junior, We's having Soup tonight, Ya'll!

 

Kymar, is the gentleman in the photo someone I should know? (and I don't mean my cousin Jethro) Is he a T.V. personality?

[kacyb6]

Laughing out loud at this thread...

I've had rabbits running alongside the cart up in the Bronx, and there are two red tailed hawks that nest at my course in Brooklyn. They are constantly being harassed by smaller birds flying alongside them. Brave birds. They are incredibly loud and scream all over the back of the course.

Funniest story was my mom and her playing partner running up the fairway being gamely chased by a black racer snake.

[butch33611]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377866259' post='7770589']
[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377865927' post='7770571']
Where im from the round would be over and that turtle would have been on his way home for a cleanin and I don't mean a bath. You held a lot of good eaten there my friend. Lucky for the turtle hes still swimin in the lake.
[/quote]



I didn't even know people ate snapping turtle until I got home and did some research. A real delicacy in some parts. In truth I am more a conservationist.
[/quote]

Down south guys go huntin for them just like anything else. They wade the creeks looking for a overhang by the bank. The snappin turtle will build a burro under the over hang just under the water. They reach their hand under the water and feel for the turtle. Most of the time they go in head first. On a rare occasion they back in. The hunter will grab it by the tail and pull it out. A lot of old turtle hunters are missing fingers because they found one backed into the nest. Snappers have very powerful jaws and can take a finger off before you know its gone. Not a critter to be fooled with if you don't know what your doing. A turtle the size you found would put a lot of meat on the table for several meals.

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='kacyb6' timestamp='1377892884' post='7773327']
Laughing out loud at this thread...

I've had rabbits running alongside the cart up in the Bronx, and there are two red tailed hawks that nest at my course in Brooklyn. They are constantly being harassed by smaller birds flying alongside them. Brave birds. They are incredibly loud and scream all over the back of the course.

Funniest story was my mom and her playing partner running up the fairway being gamely chased by a black racer snake.
[/quote]

The scourge of the Bronx: Black racer snakes. How fast can one of them move? I hope Mom wasn't carrying.

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377892996' post='7773337']
[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377866259' post='7770589']
[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377865927' post='7770571']
Where im from the round would be over and that turtle would have been on his way home for a cleanin and I don't mean a bath. You held a lot of good eaten there my friend. Lucky for the turtle hes still swimin in the lake.
[/quote]



I didn't even know people ate snapping turtle until I got home and did some research. A real delicacy in some parts. In truth I am more a conservationist.
[/quote]

Down south guys go huntin for them just like anything else. They wade the creeks looking for a overhang by the bank. The snappin turtle will build a burro under the over hang just under the water. They reach their hand under the water and feel for the turtle. Most of the time they go in head first. On a rare occasion they back in. The hunter will grab it by the tail and pull it out. A lot of old turtle hunters are missing fingers because they found one backed into the nest. Snappers have very powerful jaws and can take a finger off before you know its gone. Not a critter to be fooled with if you don't know what your doing. A turtle the size you found would put a lot of meat on the table for several meals.
[/quote]

The things you learn on a golf forum, thank you for the insight. As Kymar stated: "Get dem Unyuns a fryn' sweetpea. We's havin' soup. I'll tell The kids!"

"Jasper, Casper, BillyBob, BobbyJoe, Joebob, Bobbob, Tammy Faye, Shelbyanne, Georgia, Georgietta, Earlene, Claudia Jean, Dale, Earnhart, Junior, We's having Soup tonight, Ya'll!"

My wife just stated: Can you imagine eating turtle? as I read your post to her. She wonders if it tastes like chicken because that is all she eats.

[strokingforscratch]

[quote name='thug the bunny' timestamp='1377887993' post='7772835']
Fear must have magnified the critter, as corn snakes only get to ~5'. Hope you didn't kill or hurt it, they're becoming quite rare in most regions.
[/quote]

Grow up on a rat-infested farm and you see one reach 8'....although, to your point, it's well above average...6' is not that "unusual". Any snake that can live as long as a corn snake, eats regularly enough, and lays around a bunch, can get relatively large.
But you're right, as you know, 5-6' is about average for an adult. If you knew *anything* about snakes---you'd know, that when you step on one, fear amplifies them AT LEAST 3x as large as any true measurement. *snicker. <---snake fact.

And no, I didn't kill it. I'm much more responsible than that. Once I peeked out behind the cart I realized what he was, I picked him up with the crook my 9 iron, got a hold of his mid-section and draped him over my arm (which btw, he did stretch from above my head to the ground + some). He was probably the second largest I've ever seen "in the wild".
I didn't pinch him, squeeze him, etc--and tried not to "nerve him up". I walked him over into a wooded area out of traffic and placed him gently on the ground. I knew someone else would of just smashed his head in...and I couldn't let that happen.

Was it a corn snake? Who knows---it certainly looked like one to me---and I've seen a bunch of snakes in my time---probably more than your average herpetologist.

However, where I thought I was well versed in the world of snakes---the kids found a kind of pastel blue snake the other day----it was dead. As it turns out, it was a green snake---apparently they turn blue after they die because of some weird pigment thing. Hell, I thought aliens had landed.

[kacyb6]

"tastes a little like thick gravy" = wikipedia. who knew.

 

[butch33611]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377893530' post='7773383']
[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377892996' post='7773337']
[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377866259' post='7770589']
[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377865927' post='7770571']
Where im from the round would be over and that turtle would have been on his way home for a cleanin and I don't mean a bath. You held a lot of good eaten there my friend. Lucky for the turtle hes still swimin in the lake.
[/quote]



I didn't even know people ate snapping turtle until I got home and did some research. A real delicacy in some parts. In truth I am more a conservationist.
[/quote]

Down south guys go huntin for them just like anything else. They wade the creeks looking for a overhang by the bank. The snappin turtle will build a burro under the over hang just under the water. They reach their hand under the water and feel for the turtle. Most of the time they go in head first. On a rare occasion they back in. The hunter will grab it by the tail and pull it out. A lot of old turtle hunters are missing fingers because they found one backed into the nest. Snappers have very powerful jaws and can take a finger off before you know its gone. Not a critter to be fooled with if you don't know what your doing. A turtle the size you found would put a lot of meat on the table for several meals.
[/quote]

The things you learn on a golf forum, thank you for the insight. As Kymar stated: "Get dem Unyuns a fryn' sweetpea. We's havin' soup. I'll tell The kids!"

"Jasper, Casper, BillyBob, BobbyJoe, Joebob, Bobbob, Tammy Faye, Shelbyanne, Georgia, Georgietta, Earlene, Claudia Jean, Dale, Earnhart, Junior, We's having Soup tonight, Ya'll!"

My wife just stated: Can you imagine eating turtle? as I read your post to her. She wonders if it tastes like chicken because that is all she eats.
[/quote]

Well lets try a little logic. Would it make sence even for a crazy man to risk loosing a finger or two trying to catch something that tasted bad and nobody wanted to eat? Turtle meat can be prepared just like you would a chicken breast. Chicken soup, turtle soup, its all the same. Fried chicken, fried turtle, its all the same except the turtle tastes better. She asked you if you could imagine it. I don't have to imagine it, I've eaten a lot of turtle in my day and I can tell you if she ever tried it she would say, I only eat chicken and snappin turtle. I've never ever heard anyone say they didn't like it after trying it.

For many people you hit the jackpot with that turtle you found. That was meat on the table and food in the freezer.

And just so you know, I use the term ya'll all the time. Its a product of my upbringin. Im originally from the mountains of West Virginia.

That canned stuff is ok in a pinch but it doesn't compare to fresh turtle cooked in an old iron skillet.

Now that's good eaten.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

[Hot Rod 71]

 

This is Turtle Man. Look him up on YouTube.

[Krt22]

 

Get dem Unyuns a fryn' sweetpea. We's havin' soup. I'll tell The kids!

 

Jasper, Casper, BillyBob, BobbyJoe, Joebob, Bobbob, Tammy Faye, Shelbyanne, Georgia, Georgietta, Earlene, Claudia Jean, Dale, Earnhart, Junior, We's having Soup tonight, Ya'll!

 

Kymar, is the gentleman in the photo someone I should know? (and I don't mean my cousin Jethro) Is he a T.V. personality?

 

Yes, he is from the show "call of the wildman"

 

live action! yeyeyeyeyeyyeyeyeeeee

[XYB34A]

 

Boys I really didn't want you to post that picture. It was a joke. Seriously, that is hilarious. My Father-in-law has false teeth in the front and when he takes them out he looks just like the guy in the picture.

 

thats Turtleman he lives about 20 miles north of where I live. he has even been on Jay Leno

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='strokingforscratch' timestamp='1377894553' post='7773461']
[quote name='thug the bunny' timestamp='1377887993' post='7772835']
Fear must have magnified the critter, as corn snakes only get to ~5'. Hope you didn't kill or hurt it, they're becoming quite rare in most regions.
[/quote]

Grow up on a rat-infested farm and you see one reach 8'....although, to your point, it's well above average...6' is not that "unusual". Any snake that can live as long as a corn snake, eats regularly enough, and lays around a bunch, can get relatively large.
But you're right, as you know, 5-6' is about average for an adult. If you knew *anything* about snakes---you'd know, that when you step on one, fear amplifies them AT LEAST 3x as large as any true measurement. *snicker. <---snake fact.

And no, I didn't kill it. I'm much more responsible than that. Once I peeked out behind the cart I realized what he was, I picked him up with the crook my 9 iron, got a hold of his mid-section and draped him over my arm (which btw, he did stretch from above my head to the ground + some). He was probably the second largest I've ever seen "in the wild".
I didn't pinch him, squeeze him, etc--and tried not to "nerve him up". I walked him over into a wooded area out of traffic and placed him gently on the ground. I knew someone else would of just smashed his head in...and I couldn't let that happen.

Was it a corn snake? Who knows---it certainly looked like one to me---and I've seen a bunch of snakes in my time---probably more than your average herpetologist.

However, where I thought I was well versed in the world of snakes---the kids found a kind of pastel blue snake the other day----it was dead. As it turns out, it was a green snake---apparently they turn blue after they die because of some weird pigment thing. Hell, I thought aliens had landed.
[/quote]

The corn snake has beautiful markings. Almost as beautiful as the 'pastel blue snake'. Run your cursor over that snakes name and tell me that it isn't a hyper-link that takes you to a pendant on Ebay.

[PeanutsDaddy]

"tastes a little like thick gravy" = wikipedia. who knew.

 

 

It appears to be lean meat. Thick gravy - appetizing.

[PeanutsDaddy]

[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377896407' post='7773597']
[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377893530' post='7773383']
[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377892996' post='7773337']
[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1377866259' post='7770589']
[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1377865927' post='7770571']
Where im from the round would be over and that turtle would have been on his way home for a cleanin and I don't mean a bath. You held a lot of good eaten there my friend. Lucky for the turtle hes still swimin in the lake.
[/quote]



I didn't even know people ate snapping turtle until I got home and did some research. A real delicacy in some parts. In truth I am more a conservationist.
[/quote]

Down south guys go huntin for them just like anything else. They wade the creeks looking for a overhang by the bank. The snappin turtle will build a burro under the over hang just under the water. They reach their hand under the water and feel for the turtle. Most of the time they go in head first. On a rare occasion they back in. The hunter will grab it by the tail and pull it out. A lot of old turtle hunters are missing fingers because they found one backed into the nest. Snappers have very powerful jaws and can take a finger off before you know its gone. Not a critter to be fooled with if you don't know what your doing. A turtle the size you found would put a lot of meat on the table for several meals.
[/quote]

The things you learn on a golf forum, thank you for the insight. As Kymar stated: "Get dem Unyuns a fryn' sweetpea. We's havin' soup. I'll tell The kids!"

"Jasper, Casper, BillyBob, BobbyJoe, Joebob, Bobbob, Tammy Faye, Shelbyanne, Georgia, Georgietta, Earlene, Claudia Jean, Dale, Earnhart, Junior, We's having Soup tonight, Ya'll!"

My wife just stated: Can you imagine eating turtle? as I read your post to her. She wonders if it tastes like chicken because that is all she eats.
[/quote]

Well lets try a little logic. Would it make sence even for a crazy man to risk loosing a finger or two trying to catch something that tasted bad and nobody wanted to eat? Turtle meat can be prepared just like you would a chicken breast. Chicken soup, turtle soup, its all the same. Fried chicken, fried turtle, its all the same except the turtle tastes better. She asked you if you could imagine it. I don't have to imagine it, I've eaten a lot of turtle in my day and I can tell you if she ever tried it she would say, I only eat chicken and snappin turtle. I've never ever heard anyone say they didn't like it after trying it.

For many people you hit the jackpot with that turtle you found. That was meat on the table and food in the freezer.

And just so you know, I use the term ya'll all the time. Its a product of my upbringin. Im originally from the mountains of West Virginia.

That canned stuff is ok in a pinch but it doesn't compare to fresh turtle cooked in an old iron skillet.

Now that's good eaten.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.
[/quote]

I will pretty much eat anything at least once (with squirrel being the most bizarre). If I ever come across snapping turtle on a menu I will give it a try and report back Butch. I would have to fool my wife into thinking it was chicken.

[PeanutsDaddy]

 

Boys I really didn't want you to post that picture. It was a joke. Seriously, that is hilarious. My Father-in-law has false teeth in the front and when he takes them out he looks just like the guy in the picture.

 

thats Turtleman he lives about 20 miles north of where I live. he has even been on Jay Leno

 

How have I never heard of this man? "Bitten 32 times, got plenta a scars . . ." This YouTube video is hilarious. Thank you for the nightly entertainment.