Testimonials

"One day, Ed and I were hunting when we came to this good looking set of tree roots, I was fully extended, shoulder deep under the bank when I felt a foot. I knew I couldn't reach any further so I just grabbed the foot and started pulling. It turned out to be his front foot, and this 10lb snapper bit my thumb giving me my first 'turtle heart' award" . . . . . Jeremy Miller

"So there I was, me and Miller in the mighty Salt Creek. The day had been pretty long and boring up to this point when Miller goes into this big sycamore and says a turtle hunter's favorite words, "I got one!" After realizing that he had a leatherback, he motioned me in because I had never caught a softy. After following his arm down into the water, I felt the slick shell. I then told Miller, I'm on 'em. He looks at me with this look of disapproval and said, "I don't think you're on 'em." After assuring him that I was, we agreed that we were on two separate turtles. Miller pulled his turtle out and then I pulled mine out. After a few high fives and a couple Nati's, we decided to go back in. We ended up pulling 6 big leatherbacks out total. Some of them were so far under the ol' sycamore that Miller had to pull me out by my feet; a team effort to end a good day." . . . . Ed Bohman

"So there I was, home on leave over Memorial day. Me and Miller are walking up a pretty good sized creek with not too much activity and I still hadn't caught a turtle for the '06 season. Anyway, Miller had been giving me shit all day about getting skunked two days in a row so I was really looking for shit. I spotted a small feeder stream that dumped into the bigger water so I decided to check it out. I checked a few small holes with no reward when I saw a stump jutting out into the water. Milller was waiting in the big water for me, not very amused by this small off-shoot, when the familiar feel of a shell caught my attention. Miller said, "You got one," in his 'not so confident' tone. To his surprise, as well as mine, I proceeded to pull a 20lb snapper out from the small stump. Needless to say, I didn't have to listen to Miller the rest of the day. Moral of the story, always check the small off-shoots because they often have big rewards.". . . Ed Bohman

"One day, Ed and I were under the bank when I looked in between us and saw a suspicious object in the water less than two feet to my right. While warning Ed to look out, the object moved and it was apparent that it was over a 30lb beaver. We quickly got the hell out of there, but it was only the beginning. The beaver followed us upstream to come in for the attack, but it did not count on Jim's trusty side arm or the .22 caliber bullet through his head" . . . . . . Jeremy Miller

"One day, I was taking an amateur on a hunt. He wanted to find a turtle but still had the fear. We came to this high probability spot where he took one half of the tree and I took the other. I found nothing, he found nothing, and I asked him, "Are you sure?" He said yes. I found an 8lb and an 18lb turtle in the hole he just checked - Amateurs!" . . . . . . Jeremy Miller

"So there I was, me and the Miller, my first day in the creek in search of the mighty snapper. We had a late start so there wasn't much time left in the day. After I thought I felt a few shells, I finally snagged my first snapper, but the second was much more memorable. I found him in this maze of roots, logs, and other debris. I was so twisted around in there that Miller had to come and remove some of the debris from me. I was still a little shaky about this whole turtle huntin thing so Miller came in to help me determine his position. So I'm neck deep in the creek when Miller tells me "He's facing us." He's facing us, I think to myself, I thought they were supposed to be facing in toward the bank. After a small battle under water and some help from Miller, we got him out of there. Turned out to be about a 12 pounder. My first backwards catch, but not my last.". . . . Ed Bohman

"One day, I went into these tree roots and found one right off the bat, grabbed his tail, shoved him under the front of the tree, and said I am going for the double. Well, while I was searching, another turtle snuck around and flanked me. I felt him snap at my arm, but thought they were messing with me. Then, the turtle came out of the water to bite my forearm. The element of surprise was gone, we got the turtle, and I got my double. Of course, while I was bagging the turtles, Ed went in and jimmed my triple." . . . Jeremy Miller

"One day, Doll and I were fighting through the big water of Laughery when we came to this prime location, as I reached into the bank I felt an extremely sharp pain in my finger . . . very similar to turtle wounds from the past. Immediately pulling my hand back out of the bank to find my traumatized finger, I assumed it was a turtle in the hole backwards. Well against my better judgment, I went back in after him . . . but he was gone. It was shallow water with nowhere for a turtle to hide. I was confused for a second, but then this muskrat goes swimming out from the bank into the open water. Busted finger, blood is flowing, pride is wounded . . . the chase was on!!! After the ol’ 40 yard dash through the water and a few dropkicks later . . . the battle was over . . . the muskrat lost!" . . . Jeremy Miller

"So there I was….huntin the mighty Salt Creek for the first time in a year. Just me and Miller tearin 'em up as usual. We had been catching a bunch of softies throughout the day with a few getting away from me. So after listening to Miller’s trash talking for nearly half the day, we come by these two logs jutting out from the bank. Miller, of course, just walks on by, totally not suspecting a turtle to be under the logs. I decide otherwise and begin searching through the thick mud underneath. As Miller waits very impatiently, I'll be damned if there was the smallest of creatures under those logs, a baby snapper. He had to be the smallest either of us had ever caught. That's why the old saying goes, "Anybody can catch the big ones, but only the best turtle hunters find the little ones." . . . Ed Bohman

"One day, Clint and I were making our way back to the ol' Jeep, when someone hiding in the underbrush yells, “CONSERVATION OFFICER, DO NOT MOVE, PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD, INTERLOCK YOUR FINGERS, AND SPREAD TEN FEET APART." We were quick to listen after noticing his sidearm was drawn with his finger on the trigger. NO JOKE. THIS IS FOR REAL! The C.O. then says, "DO YOU HAVE ANY GUNS, KNIVES, OR ANY OTHER REASON I MIGHT NEED TO SHOOT YOU?" So we are totally scared shitless at this point . . . just thinking . . . we are only turtle hunting, just relax a little, brother! The C.O. goes on to say, “YOU ARE ALL TRESPASSING, AND TURTLE HUNTING IS ILLEGAL IN THE STATE OF INDIANA." We are totally confused at this point since we usually stay up to date with all DNR rules & regs, and are confident that we are well within the law. The C.O. then says, “WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A BIG PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE COLLECTING PAINTED TURTLES TO SELL ON THE KOREAN BLACK MARKET FOR PETS.” Yeah Seriously, We couldn't believe it either. . . Who catches painted turtles . . . They can't even fight back! We only had snappers and softshells so we were in the clear for that offense, but we learned the hard way that the creeks in Indiana are not public property. The worst part of the day . . . not having the gun drawn on us, not the trespassing violations, but they made us turn our turtles loose . . . now that is the true crime!!!" . . . Jeremy Miller

"One day, I was checking my email just like any other day, when I found it. It was an insulting, offensive, and harassing email from this Canadian turtle conservationist claiming to be the ‘protector of nature's shelled beauties.’ Who says that? . . . Seriously . . . Get a life dude!” . . . Jeremy Miller

"Certainly not a fan of yours or your turtle 'hunting' (Funny how killing a helpless animal is considered hunting, and a snapper is helpless to defend itself from being killed by a human. You are proof of that.) I didn't mention what I thought of this before because I doubt anything I can say will make you think differently. You have already killed countless numbers of these turtles without conscience of the life you took or the people who value our natural resources for more then our own use. Who value them as a living breathing life, a life that has blood running through its veins just like we do. If that has not made you stop then what will?" . . . Clyde Frankfurt – Turtle Conservationist “Protector of Nature’s Shelled Beauties"

"For two years the legend has grown of the monster snapper living in a small swamp hole near Clarksburg. After multiple failed attempts at setting turtle lines, it was whispered by many that this was the biggest most elusive turtle of all time . . . the turtle that could not be caught. So Reynolds set forth the ultimate challenge for Bohman and myself . . . to catch the Clarksburg turtle. No big deal, right? We know what we are doing . . . or so we thought! It was a tiny pool of water only twice the size of a vehicle just off the road under a bridge. When we get to the bridge, Clint yells . . . there he goes!! This monster turtle is just swimming through the water in mid-day . . . totally unafraid! Before we could get into the water, the turtle swims under this huge concrete slab that was sitting at an angle in the water deeper than we could reach. We hunted the bank a half dozen times, prodded with sticks and gigs under the slab, and even tried a good ol' fashioned turtle drive, but after two hours of failed attempts we were totally embarrassed and demoralized . . . this elusive snapper was just laughing at us. Could it be . . . had we met our match? Ashamed to admit it, but that night we set a turtle line. The line was unsuccessful, but when we came back to check it . . . we were ready!! Easing over the bridge real stealthy like, we scanned for Godzilla, and then it happened . . . there he was again sitting out in the open . . . all confident and fearless. We yelled . . . there he is . . . as we jumped 8ft off the bridge, diving into the water, the monster turtle was headed for the slab . . . but that day was our day!! The turtle swam under the concrete slab, but this time we followed . . . just in time . . . his tail was all that was left, but that was enough. . . . the elusive Clarksburg turtle was ours . . . victory was ours!!” . . . Jeremy Miller

We invite you to share your testimonials. Email your stories to jmiller@turtlehuntin.com.