A Sunday guest …

Early last evening, we had a surprise visitor call on us: a GIANT snapping turtle.

Just before dusk, while trying to unwind from a productive weekend (post-and-rail is in!), we noticed a car pulled over in front of the house. Someone had stopped to rescue the biggest snapping turtle we have ever seen from the middle of the road. We ran out of the house, camera in hand to take part in the rescue.

The passers-by managed to move the massive, snapping reptile a few feet off the street and onto our lawn and continued along their way. Afterwards, as we stood there gawking at the poor lil’ guy (that we now refer to as Turtle Joe, II) … we felt compelled to get him to safer ground. Here are a few photos we “snapped” while deciding how to accomplish this.

You can see his eyes and nostrils clearly.

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Look at his tail!!!!!!!!!!!! It has spikes!

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And those claws!!

Ready to snap …

After careful consideration and advice from a neighbor taking an evening stroll, we decided to gently roll him on his back … scoop him up with a snow shovel and carry him several yards down to the stream bed.

See below for Eric in action. Just look at it … the turtle looks like a baby dinosaur! We estimate he weighed 35-40 pounds.