TURTLE CONTROL

    This article is about TURTLE trapping. It 
will explain why they can be a problem and what
needs to be done for controlling populations.
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   Turtles are amongst the most beloved creatures
found in the world. They are generally harmless,
have a calming demeanor about them and usually are
a welcome addition to any landscape. Some species
of turtle have beautifully colored shells, some
can grow to the size of a small car and others
can live for hundreds of years. Turtles have
endured many of mans mistakes over the years
and though a few species have had their populations
negatively impacted, most have made adjustments
and seem to be resilient. For this reason turtles
will probably be around for a long time to come
and will most likely outlast man.
   Turtles generally don't impact or have conflict
with people. There have been some cases of snapping
turtles biting but in most every situation, man
is at fault for the conflict. However, in recent
times, there has been some problem with turtles
that are taking up residence in man made lakes.
Turtles love water and most any turtle will take
advantage of any stream, pond, lake or river that
keeps a constant supply of water and is home to
fish or other aquatic life. Most turtles love
fish and will readily feed upon crayfish, catfish,
carp, koi, insects, dead animals and even some
live small wildlife. Other species are mostly
plant eaters and prefer a vegetarian life style
if available.
   There are over 200 species of turtles found
around the world. Though some will venture into
brackish or salt water, only sea turtles live in
the ocean all the time. Turtles can be found all
over the planet and most every continent has at
least one species; the only except is Antarctica.
All turtles reproduce by laying eggs in the spring.
These eggs will hatch late summer to early fall
and new offspring will begin life late in the year.
If its cold enough, turtles will hibernate and
though they can remain active year round in southern
climates, most will lay quiet during cold spells.
It's during this time that many predators such
as raccoon, alligators and bear will readily prey
upon turtles. Turtles are slow moving and offer
little resistance so they present an easy target
to most carnivores that are smart enough to get
past their hard protective shell which serves as
their only defense. In fact, many people enjoy
the consumption of turtle and regularly hunt
them for food. 

        WHEN ARE TURTLES A PROBLEM?
		
   Turtles can become a problem when two vital
ingredients are locally available. First, they
need water. Any small body of water will attract
turtles. Next, they need food. If the water has
food in it or around it, turtles may like to 
"move in" and take advantage of the offering. Food
will present itself in the form of fish or plants.
Any man made pond with fish such as koi, crappie
or carp will surely get the attention of any
local turtles. Similarly, rice fields offer 
excellent harborage and food for turtles as
well and if left unmanaged, their feeding will
surely impact the harvest. Most any aquatic
farming environment that grows vegetation can
become a home to turtles; if they don't like
the main crop being grown they will almost
assuredly like the environment. In residential areas,
most problems occur when local turtles find a
man made pond which is home to koi or other
ornamental fish. This "natural fish tank" is 
a prime target for many predators including
raccoon, fox, coyote, hawks, otters and turtles.
Since turtles can be a somewhat "stealthy" predator, 
it's not uncommon for them to move into a small
pond and go unnoticed noticed for some time. The
unknowing landowner can tell that his fish are
being removed but doesn't know what's responsible
since there is no real visible evidence. They
keep replacing the fish and at some point the
culprit may be seen leading to some action. The
same is true with certain plants. Some turtles
will move into a small body of water that doesn't
have fish but the local landscape is growing 
all it needs to live. The turtle will live on
the local plants and retreat to the water
when danger is present. These conflicts are sure
to continue as man insists on creating these
local "micro environments" which wildlife like.
When setting up such landscapes, its important to
understand that any local animals will take
notice of your efforts and if the ingredients
are right, they will naturally be attracted
to what is created. This is perfectly normal
and natural and they don't know any better
so either build the environment with this 
in mind or be prepared to take some corrective
actions if problems should arise.

        HOW TO HANDLE NUISANCE TURTLES
	  
   Since turtles are such a great natural resource,
rarely does it make sense to destroy them when
they move onto your property. For this reason
the preferred way to deal with local problems is
to trap out the ones which are causing the 
damage and relocate them at least 10 miles away. 
There are several traps available that can be
utilized and the secret to successful turtle trapping
is matching the right trap to the targeted turtle.
   Over the years, three styles of turtle traps 
have evolved that work well. All are very effective
when used right so try to use one which will fit
your landscape as well as take advantage of the 
local turtles behavior. For example, if you have
nuisance turtles that are feeding on fish you keep
in a pond or lake, the use of HOOP TRAPS can be
very effective. Match the trap with the size
of the turtles you are targeting and you should
be able to consistently catch any that are out
and about foraging. Use some target fish as bait
though catfish or carp will work if available.
Bait the trap, set it out away from shore and you
should be able to catch some quickly. If they are
set right, trapped turtles should be able to stay
alive and can then be relocated. Be sure to keep
the trap filled with bait and check it at least
once day. Even one turtle can eat a lot of fish
and its not uncommon for the first one in the 
trap to eat all the fish. If you set enough bait
in the trap, it will be possible to catch several
turtles at one time which will effectively save
time. The big advantage of this type trap is that
you greatly reduce the possibility of trapping
non-targeted animals because the trap is in the
water. When using fish as the attractant, this is
a big help at keeping animals like raccoon or
cats from stealing your bait.
   If you prefer a trap which is designed for land
use, either the NH1236 or the NH1248 should do
the job. These can be baited along the shore of a
body of water where turtles are active or in
thick vegetation where they are feeding. Bait
them with what you suspect they are eating; this
could be fish or some kind of plant. If you don't
want to locate the trap on land, use a float of
some type to set the trap out over the body of
water in which the targeted turtles are active.
Be sure to use a raft which is low enough in the
water to let turtles access it and have room to
move around the trap on on the float. This setup 
will enable you to catch turtles and greatly reduce 
the chance of non-target animals stealing the bait.
Either size is very easy to use and can catch a lot 
of turtles at the same time as evidenced by one of
our customers:

CLICK HERE TO SEE TRAPPED TURTLES IN THESE TRAPS

   If you are unsure what they are eating or if
you want to simply reduce local populations, another
type trap that may work is the Sunning Trap. Since
most turtles like to lay out on logs, rocks or other
flat, above water line objects, the Sunning Trap
may be considered. This trap is only for water use
and is also known as a Floating Trap. It basically
offers a resting place for turtles that like to
lay out and absorb the sun. Turtles can easily
access the trap via the inclined ramps located on
either side. No bait is needed. The concept and only
attractive feature of the trap is that it relies
on the turtles desire to sun itself. This trap is
entered by ramps on either side which will allow
targeted turtles to climb above the water line. Once
up the ramp they will have passed over the round
floating rim which will then serve as a barrier
preventing them from getting away. Turtles that
move out over the trigger board will invariably
fall into the holding net section which keeps them
alive yet confined. This type of trap comes in
three "grades" and you should get the one which
will best fit your need. If you are looking to
catch a few turtles and don't have a major problem,
the SMALL SUNNING TRAP will do the job. A step
up in size is the REGULAR SUNNING TRAP and if
you expect to do a lot of trapping, then the
LARGE SUNNING TRAP may be the best model for
your application. There is no "set" needed and
no bait required so use is easy and all that you
need to do is to remove trapped turtles from time
to time. The DELUXE SUNNING TRAP works by attracting
turtles much the same way. However, it is much more
sturdy, traps turtles faster since it uses hinged
entrance ramps and has a metal holding area insuring
longer life and more durability. Get this one for
large problems where you have a lot of turtles to
trap or if you anticipate an ongoing program. 
Sunning Traps don't need bait to function and both
are multiple catch traps. Since the take advantage
of a turtles natural want to sit out in the sun, 
these type of traps are quite popular. One last
design that is relatively new yet very smart is the
DUAL TURTLE TRAP. This design incorporates the 
advantages of the floating or sunning traps as well
as the repeating land trap models. With doors that
swing open, this trap can be used along shore
lines just like the NH1236 and NH1248. However, if
you need one that can float as well, this trap is
ready for the job. Just remember that if you plan
on keeping the trap for a long period of time and 
expect to be catching many turtles, the better quality 
designs will be well worth the extra money spent.

   Turtles can become a nuisance around the home when
lakes and rivers offer prime nest sights. If you
have too many around and want to relocate some,
use a live trap for fast and effective catches.
Once caught, relocate them at least 10 miles away
to insure they won't return. Be sure to release them
somewhere that will provide a natural food supply
and environment for them to live comfortably.
   
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