Snapping Turtles

[Dave Grubb]

About a month ago we had dinner at one of our favored restaurants. I was disappointed when I ordered my normal appetizer, snapping turtle soup. The waiter must have seen, in my eyes, the mild shock

He quickly explained that it was due to a shortage of snapping turtle meat

I have no idea what the source of their meat is---but this morning I find this in the news

As a kid, our farm ponds yielded adequate meat for our "expanded family". Those were the common and much smaller snappers. They might not have been as large as these guys but they had an attitude that made up for any short comings

My brother and I were always the ones assigned to secure and butcher another turtle. It will sound to some as disgusting--but the actual slaughter was the high point. One of us would hold a stick out in front of the turtle and get him to bite on it----then pull on the stick to extend the head and neck---at which time the other separated his head from his body. It didn't seem to matter to his head---it would be days before the jaw mussels relaxed and left go of the stick

We would cut the feet off, skin the legs, separate the body from the shell and then turn it over to my Mother to take care of the details

I hope my restaurant secures a dependable source of meat soon

[UTAH]

Wifey and I toured a Cayman Island turtle farm once. As I recall, they had lots of sea turtles and loggerheads too. When I looked on the web to see how things are going down there, I was surprised to see a lot of negative things about the turtle farm (overcrowding, unhygienic pens, etc.).

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

I have no knowledge of that turtle farm----but there is a very real reason why I do not eat any "farm raised" sea food. I've seen the shrimp operations in SE Asia and that "crap" is never going to pass my lips.

It is a real bummer because I cannot order any seafood in a restaurant unless I know the origin. There are a few species of fish that are only wild caught so that works. I do need to mention that Tilapia will never make it to my plate

At home I buy primarily Texas Gulf or Argentine Red Shrimp----wild caught.

[UTAH]

I'm betting most wait staff in a restaurant don't know where the served food comes from and would give me a puzzled look if I asked about it. But, I'll bet a bartender can tell me where the alcoholic beverages they serve came from.

Hunter

[Flaco]

there are lots of turtles around the cabin i used to live in. a few weeks ago as i was getting the last of my things from there, the snappers were laying eggs in the mulch pile again, i have left that mulch pile there for them for the last 5 years or so hope the next owners will do the same.
i don't bother the snappers at all, i have tried the meat, it is not for me.

[Dave Grubb]

The snappers were destructive on our ponds. They fed on most anything---including ducklings

It was not uncommon to see a mother duck taking her ducklings out for a training swim---all in a row---and one would simply disappear---snatched from below by a snapper

[UTAH]

Ahhh... a Circle Of Life thing.

Hunter