Strange round at Waushara

[sssmokin]

First nine (Westwoods) had four 6's, a 7, and I shot 43. Played the other holes pretty well. Second nine (Bridges) I bogeyed the first 4 holes and shot a 42. Hit all 4 par threes with my tee shot (2 birdies and 2 pars). Putting out of my mind. Anyway, I took the wife with and that means her camera came too and some pics. First one is a ball I rescued. Still parred the hole. Next is the crowd on one of the greens. And finally are 3 of this big old snapper sunning himself on the tee.

[sssmokin]

Here's one more of the snapper.

[Wi-Golfer]

Cool snapper, what hole was he on?

[goatster]

did you pick it up and help it over to the water?

[warbirdlover]

TRY to pick up that puppy and you'll be missing some fingers!! Those things have some serious "reach" when they snap.

From Wikipedia...

It is a common misconception that Common snappers may be safely picked up by its tail, with no harm to the animal; in fact, this has a high chance of injuring the turtle, especially the tail itself and the vertebral column.[3] A handler must also be wary of injury; these turtles are aptly named, as they can snap with amazing speed and power - a large adult snapper can easily bite off a finger or toe. If moving it is absolutely necessary, scooping and lifting the turtle just off the ground with a shovel (especially a snow shovel), if done quickly, may be safest and easiest for all concerned parties.

Lifting the turtle with the hands is difficult and dangerous. Some snappers can -- and will -- stretch their necks halfway back across their own carapace to bite.

One almost got me like this when I tried to pick it up. Their necks are LONG and they can reach way behind them. Grabbed it's tail and it started walking away, pulling me along with it. It was probably at least 50 lbs.

[King Par]

Holy crap.

If I saw that turtle, they'd need to have an extra pair of shorts for me at the turn.

[Harry Longshanks]

This thing . . .



. . . is a turtle ? ! ? ! ?

The monster in "Alien" had a less menacing tail!

[sssmokin]

Wi-Golfer posted: Cool snapper, what hole was he on?

We were going to the Bridges #2 tee, and he was sunning himself on the Bridges #8 tee that you go past on the way. He must have come up out of that little pond next to the green on #1.

[ezra76]

When I was a teenager there was one with a shell as big as a 55gallon drum lid walking down the road. I got a broom and started poking him. For an animal that walks so slow, they can move that head lightning fast. He snapped the broomstick like a toothpick. Needless to say a finger or even maybe a wrist wouldn't be a problem for one that size.

BTW- 1st pic - those are some large pebbles in that bunker.

[sssmokin]

Ezra76 posted: BTW- 1st pic - those are some large pebbles in that bunker.

Funny you should mention that. The traps here are almost that bad. With all the early season rain..........all the rocks and stones came to the surface of all the traps. Really have to watch so you don't wreck a club.

[eclark53520]

Awesome snapper! When i was a kid(well, like 16) we would float down the sugar river and drag our hands on the bottom...searching for snapping turtles had to be quick and figure out which end was the business end and we would pick them up and drag them to shore(if we could manage to pick them up) to see how big they were. It was huge bragging rights if you pulled out the biggest one.

And now that i am older and think back...i am really suprised no one lost a finger/toe or otherwise as some of the turtles we brought up could have easily had our hand...

Found alot of river clams too....

[JEFF4i]

Ahhhh, he's a cutey.

[Victory]

SOUP TIME !!!!

THAT IS A GRANDADDY OF TURTLE..

[rubber314chicken]

at least your ball didn't come to rest anywhere near that turtle, right?

[mddubya]

sssmokin, do you always carry a pick axe in your bag?