My hunting buddy....

[MacTech]

We have a one acre bass pond stocked with largemouth bass on our property, and recently, we found a snapping turtle in the pond, chowing down on a bass protecting it's nest, so needless to say, the turtle has to go bye-bye....

I'd prefer to simply capture it, bucket it and take it to the local brook down the road, about 2 miles away, but I have a feeling that's where this insidious reptile *came from* and I'd simply be delaying the inevitable return, "Gamera" would probably come back to the "All you can eat Sushi buffet" within days

Sorry, Gamera, you may be friend to all children, but you're *not* welcome in our pond, go find a conveniently located city to stomp on, while badly dubbed citizens scream your name in horror...

Anyway, it's become my responsibility to play Japanese Defence Force and remove Gamera from the pond in one way or the other, for the past few days, I've taken my H&R Pardner Compact 20 gauge shotgun loaded with Brenneke 1 oz slugs, and my Kimber Custom II .45ACP 1911 loaded with my 200Gn LSWC reloads down to the pond to try and hunt down that annoying jet-powered flying turtle

Every time I've done it, I've been joined by an unusual hunting buddy, Nemo, our orange and white domestic shorthair cat, the pond is roughly 1/4 mile from the house, and every time Nemo sees me walking to the pond, he happily follows me that 1/4 mile to the pond, and walks alongside me as I patrol the perimeter of the pond.

When I take a break and sit on the float that's currently sitting on the bank of the pond, he jumps on the float and lays down next to me, or sometimes lays down on the shotgun, with a very possessive "I can haz shotgun?" look on his face (I unload the shotgun before I place it on the float, even if Nemo decides to lay on the gun, he won't get hurt or accidentally trigger it, as the gun is unloaded and hammer down)

after a few laps of the pond or a few hours, whatever comes first, when I'm sure I'm not gonna see Gamera, I head back to the house, Nemo once again happily trotting the 1/4 mile back to the house with me, once back at the house, he generally hangs around for a couple minutes and then trots off somewhere (Nemo and his brother, Blue, a black and white shorthair, are both outdoor barn cats, mousers), Blue doesn't seem to be too interested in joining the Gamera hunt though, in fact, I don't think Blue is into the hunting thing at all, he's the more agressively freindly of the two, and would rather lounge around in the house with me....

Here's my hunting buddy;

(Don't ask me why he's got a package of Reeses PB Cups, he's a little strange at times.... )

 

[rodensouth]

Cool cat. You might want to use some turkey loads instead of a slug shooting in the water, ricochets with that big chunk will carry a lot of energy.

I was told a neighbor killed a family cow with a 22 skipped off their pond

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

yup ricochets off water are unpredictable, my hunting buddy, a gray tabbby named Squirrel prefers Milwaukee Light Best beer, preferably cold...

 

[ridgerunner1965]

ive had my best luck eliminateing snappers by catching them on a stout hook attached to a peice of trotline cord, put a 1/2 oz sinker on it and about a 3 or 4 inch bluegill, alive or dead, throw it out and tie it to a tree or what have yu.put about 3 or 4 of these lines out in the evening and id be real surprised if yu didnt have your turtle in the morning

 

[MacTech]

Another strange thing I noticed while I was walking the perimeter of the pond....

our largemouth bass population consists of mainly 6-7" young fish, with the occasional 3-4 Lb large fish (remember, this is a man-made pond in southern seacoastal Maine, we're not gonna get the lunkers they do in warmer climes, here in New England 4-6 Lb largemouths are considered "big") most of the time the fish are extremely skittish and tend to hide when people walk around the pond close to the waterline, they also are very wary and have seen practically every artificial lure out there, crafty fish....

The past two times I walked the waterline, looking for Gamera, the fish kept pace with me, and didn't bother hiding, they totally ignored me, and this time I didn't have a lowly fishing pole, I had my shotgun with me....

it's almost like they knew I was trying to be The Bass Defender and remove their mortal enemy, Gamera.... Gamera may be friend to all children, but it looks like he's also Enemy to all Bass...

 

[41 Mag]

Some cat's are just cool. I have had them as long as I have been around. Had one I found in a ditch once while in high school. I was at baseball practice, and heard his faint yelps from the ditch. After practice I hunted him down and he was small enough to fit in my glove. That didn't last long. He grew up to about 16" or so tall, had feet like a retriever, and was long and skinny as a rail. He went everywhere with me. When we headed to the country he like to ride on the dash so he could watch things go by, pop wasn't too keen on it, but he like him better there than across his shoulders looking out the window.

In the country he did not hesitate to bail off into our farm tank or even the lake when I hauled him don there. He simply loved to swim. He would go out with me dove hunting and when I got one he was on it like a bolt of lightning, bringing it right beck to me and dropping at my feet, then wanting some more. Rats and gofers never stood a chance, he seemed to have radar in his head. He would be walking across the yard, then out of nowhere he would start diggin like mad then reach off into a hole and haul a gofer out tossing it int he air and then the fun started.

For all the smarts and coolness, he got hit by a car out under the street light chasing bugs one night. Sure hated to see him go.

Seems all cats have different personalities and the good ones are usually pretty cool to hang with. We have been lucky with our all being strays or feral when we caught them, but they have all bee VERY useful and a hot to be around.

As for the turtle, I would go with the above strategy and toss out a few lines.

Good luck and thanks for sharing the bud with us. Sure brings back some fond memories.

 

[buck460XVR]

From the brown discharge in Nemo's ear's, I'd say he has ear mites.....or it could just be left over residue from a previous peanut butter cup.

I'd check your state regs on Snapping Turtles. Many states like mine(Wisconsin), have specific seasons and prohibit the use of hook and line, much less the use of a shotgun to take them. Just sayin'.........

 

[interlock]

are these snapping turtles native in north america? i thought they lived mexico and southwards where they mainly eat chupacabras? (only joking on the chupacabras... everyone knows they are the top of the food chain)