# Alligator Snapping Turtle



## DJaz (Jul 31, 2013)

Found this monster in the parking lot at First Baptist Church Atlanta. May 2013.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 31, 2013)

I believe you have a mighty big snapper there, not an alligator snapper. Nice catch though.


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## diamondback (Jul 31, 2013)

Im pretty sure that ia a loggerhead and not a alligator snapperThe alligator snapper will have a different shell with rows of points on it although when they get older they where down.Ive seen some giants in south ga before ,On the flint I saw something floating down the river and I first I thought it was a dead cow or hog it was so big but found it to be a giant snapping turtle tha would have gone 200 lbs looked like.


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## lagrangedave (Jul 31, 2013)

Ya'll are making me hungry.


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## swampstalker24 (Jul 31, 2013)

Wow, hes very photogenic!


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## Pointpuller (Jul 31, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> I believe you have a mighty big snapper there, not an alligator snapper. Nice catch though.


What he said.


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## holton27596 (Aug 1, 2013)

also against the law to mess with an alligator snapping turtle.


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## Hooty Hoot (Aug 1, 2013)

I've never seen an alligator snapper in Georgia. Not sure there are any. I have seen quite a few in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.


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## Nugefan (Aug 1, 2013)

Hooty Hoot said:


> I've never seen an alligator snapper in Georgia. Not sure there are any. I have seen quite a few in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.



I know they are in South Ga .....have ate , uh caught a few over the years ....


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## Tomboy Boots (Aug 1, 2013)

This one looks like an alligator snapping turtle. He was trying to cross Gil Harbin Industrial Blvd. in Lowndes county.


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## dawg2 (Aug 1, 2013)

Hooty Hoot said:


> I've never seen an alligator snapper in Georgia. Not sure there are any. I have seen quite a few in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.



I know for a fact Alligator Snapping Turtles are in GA.  But the one in the pic is not an alligator, it is a common snapping turtle.  They bite just as hard though.


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## Hooded Merganser (Aug 1, 2013)

Tomboy Boots said:


> This one looks like an alligator snapping turtle. He was trying to cross Gil Harbin Industrial Blvd. in Lowndes county.



I drove down that very road about an hour ago!


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## RUTTNBUCK (Aug 3, 2013)

dawg2 said:


> I know for a fact Alligator Snapping Turtles are in GA.  But the one in the pic is not an alligator, it is a common snapping turtle.  They bite just as hard though.


Alligator Snapping Turtle caught in Georgia. I didn't catch it, just there to take the picture!!.........It was released unharmed.



First, and last one I have ever seen in person!!

The hand was used for a size reference. Notice the three ridges on the shell.


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## dawg2 (Aug 3, 2013)

RUTTNBUCK said:


> Alligator Snapping Turtle caught in Georgia. I didn't catch it, just there to take the picture!!.........It was released unharmed.
> 
> View attachment 743516
> 
> ...



The last one I saw by my house was about twice that size.  It looked like a sea turtle.  The old turtle had climbed out of the lake and stopped in the road.  It took me about 20 minutes to get him out of the road so he wouldn't get killed...or flip a car.


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## RUTTNBUCK (Aug 4, 2013)

dawg2 said:


> The last one I saw by my house was about twice that size.  It looked like a sea turtle.  The old turtle had climbed out of the lake and stopped in the road.  It took me about 20 minutes to get him out of the road so he wouldn't get killed...or flip a car.


That hand may have been stunted by consumption of Capri Sun's

Glad to know I'm not the only one that stops to help Turtles out of the road!!


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## Whiteeagle (Aug 4, 2013)

That one is NOT an Alligator Snapper, but they DO live in Georgia, and Ruttinbuck you would be surprise how many of US stop and help turtles out of the road! DJaz, You have some fine eating in that Common Snapping Turtle! His bite is AWFUL painful, also!


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## wildman0517 (Aug 4, 2013)

Yep that's a common snapper , here is one I found on Ft Gordon while fishing


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## Hooty Hoot (Aug 8, 2013)

RUTTNBUCK said:


> Alligator Snapping Turtle caught in Georgia. I didn't catch it, just there to take the picture!!.........It was released unharmed.
> 
> View attachment 743516
> 
> ...



Not an Alligator Snapper I don't believe. It is a whopper though. Still waiting on someone to post up a Georgia alligator snapper.


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## Nicodemus (Aug 8, 2013)

Hooty Hoot said:


> Not an Alligator Snapper I don't believe. It is a whopper though. Still waiting on someone to post up a Georgia alligator snapper.





Hoot I don`t have any pictures, but I know they are in the Flint and Oconee river systems, and also in the Kinchafoonee and Muckalee Creeks. I`ve seen them personally in these waters, and watched a big female laying eggs in the edge of a field off the Kinch once.


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## j_seph (Aug 8, 2013)

Hooty Hoot said:


> Not an Alligator Snapper I don't believe. It is a whopper though. Still waiting on someone to post up a Georgia alligator snapper.


Post #13


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## Hooty Hoot (Aug 8, 2013)

j_seph said:


> Post #13



I guess that one could be. It is definitely big enough although not as radical looking as alligator snappers in the Mississippi delta.


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## joey1919 (Aug 8, 2013)

found floating in the 'hooch, probably 25" shell from front to back,


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## Hooty Hoot (Aug 8, 2013)

joey1919 said:


> found floating in the 'hooch, probably 25" shell from front to back,



Yep! That be one.


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## joedublin (Aug 8, 2013)

Looks a bit like my former mother-in-law!


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## RUTTNBUCK (Aug 9, 2013)

RUTTNBUCK said:


> Alligator Snapping Turtle caught in Georgia. I didn't catch it, just there to take the picture!!.........It was released unharmed.
> 
> View attachment 743516
> 
> ...





dawg2 said:


> The last one I saw by my house was about twice that size.  It looked like a sea turtle.  The old turtle had climbed out of the lake and stopped in the road.  It took me about 20 minutes to get him out of the road so he wouldn't get killed...or flip a car.





Hooty Hoot said:


> I guess that one could be. It is definitely big enough although not as radical looking as alligator snappers in the Mississippi delta.





Nicodemus said:


> Hoot I don`t have any pictures, but I know they are in the Flint and Oconee river systems, and also in the Kinchafoonee and Muckalee Creeks. I`ve seen them personally in these waters, and watched a big female laying eggs in the edge of a field off the Kinch once.


The one in my picture was caught in the upper part of lake Eufala on the Georgia side.........Just below Florence Marina State Park


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## rdhood (Aug 14, 2013)

> Glad to know I'm not the only one that stops to help Turtles out of the road!!




I do it , too.  Turtles and tortoises just don't stand a chance against cars.


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