Buddy called who lives on swan creek here in toledo. Says its swarming with carp. Headed to his place to find turtles every where. Not a single carp seen 30 - 40 turtles. Trying to find out if you can shoot them in ohio. They were snappers and soft shells.

If it turns out to be legal, make sure to use the type of points that can reverse their barbs just by turning the arrow shaft. I've heard they can be quite the pain to get off of the arrow, and can make life interesting for all within snapping distance.

Stingaree points and I think Sure Shot Penetrators would work well.
Is turtle soup on the menu?

I shot a snapping turtlea long time ago and vowed to never shoot one again. It smelled terrible, it wouldn't die,itkept trying to bite me, and it tasted like canal dredgings.

The trick to turtles is cleaning them. One of the best ways that we have found is drop them in a wash tub of really hot water. You have to have a steel headed rake to hold them down. The scalding water kills then and cleans off the gunk at the same time. The other trick is just to keep them under water long enough to kill them and not start to cook them. When you take mr. snapper out of the water he is nice and white and stiff as a board. You then turn it over on it's shell. On the under side is a plate that looks like an old jet airplane. It is only attached at either side by grissle. Cut through it. Then you have to get under this plate and also cut it off. Then all you have to do is cut the meat out. Special note once you get the meat out you will see a row of bones right up against the shell. This is turtle'back strap'. You have to take a small hatchet to chop the bones and a filet knife to get this white meat out. You want to cut the head off as close to the head as possible, as the neck meat is some of the best. We perfer to fry the meat like chicken. Trust me it is a lot better than lake scum. Also give your self at least an hour for all the above

I will be trying turtle fishing for the first time this year once season opens, I have caught a mountain of them but always put them back being I didnt know how to clean them..Now I have a fishing buddy who absoulutly loves turtle and said he will show me how to clean them and cook them as long as he gets to help eat them...Sounds awesome

Here's a picture book version of the styep by step process to extracting the meat from a turtle. Good stuff there.

http://www.gutpilestyle.com/ForumSMF...p?topic=1967.0

Yes! From the regs........

Quote:

ARCHERY ANGLERS may use bows of any weight pull. A fishing license is required. Longbows may be used to take bullfrogs, green frogs, snapping and softshell turtles, and forage fish. Crossbows may be used to take forage fish.

Crossbows are not legal for frogs & turtles, but longbows (including recurves & compounds) are!