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Looking for Commercial Turtle Trappers

jagermeister

jagermeister

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I'm not disagreeing that commercial harvest can lead us to problems. What I'm saying is at this point in time I don't see much (or any) commercial harvesting (large scale) taking place. Same way as harvesting and selling rats and other furbearers isn't bringing those species to extinction yet. Trapping and cleaning turtles is hard work... Lots of effort for little reward... And not many people are doing it. Like trapping in general, most turtle trappers and getting up there in age...and I don't see any 20-somethings out there with much fire under their ass. And do you see any turtle trapping companies going around in trucks or vans, leading an all out assault on turtles to sell to the Chinamen? I haven't seen this that's for sure. Your research is pointing to a problem that doesn't currently exist in my opinion.
 
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bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

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Because a problem does not exist does not mean the problem cannot develop. I've seen first hand what the Chinese will do to a market in a matter of months. Before their New Year, they'd driven the price of walnut logs up multiple 100s of percent. It was total chaos down here as a result. If the Chinese want our turtles, they'll get them and do it so fast the lethargic pace of state-funded bureaucracy will never catch up. If prices are right, they have an entire globe to select highly skilled, highly efficient turtle "processors" that could conceivably make a major impact in certain ecosystems here in Ohio. I hear your argument, but caution you not to rule out the possibility that a "turtle rush" is possible.
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

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jagermeister said:
I'm not disagreeing that commercial harvest can lead us to problems. What I'm saying is at this point in time I don't see much (or any) commercial harvesting (large scale) taking place. Same way as harvesting and selling rats and other furbearers isn't bringing those species to extinction yet. Trapping and cleaning turtles is hard work... Lots of effort for little reward... And not many people are doing it. Like trapping in general, most turtle trappers and getting up there in age...and I don't see any 20-somethings out there with much fire under their ass. And do you see any turtle trapping companies going around in trucks or vans, leading an all out assault on turtles to sell to the Chinamen? I haven't seen this that's for sure. Your research is pointing to a problem that doesn't currently exist in my opinion.
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I have never seen someone buy or sell heroin, that does not mean there isnt a real epidemic. Turtle populations across the US have declined substantially just in the last decade. Some of that due to habitat loss and increased vehicle traffic. The greatest impact however has been over exploitation due to foreign demand. Simply because we don't see it doesn't mean its not happening. Mr Andre isnt making a trip all the way to Ohio to pick up a dozen turtles a couple at a time from buyers all over the state. He is looking to promote a network of for profit suppliers with complete disregard for any sustainability. Or as he put it. "We can buy pretty much all they can supply". As states begin to ban this in droves all across the country he is looking to stay ahead of the regulation by seeking trappers in states that have been slower to act. Ohio is one of the few states remaining that hasn't moved to prohibit commercial harvest.

As for the impact.
Here is an article about a 4 year study out of Virginia before they benned it.

documented the extent of snapping turtle population decline due to skyrocketing rates of harvesting in Virginia—a trend also occurring in other states. Three tributaries of the Mattaponi, Chickahominy and Rappahannock rivers served as study sites with harvest levels ranging from zero to almost 50 percent of the snapping turtle population.

More than 200,000 wild snapping turtles were harvested across the United States in 2012 and 2014, Colteaux said, a dramatic increase from the nearly 50,000 harvested cumulatively in the 12 years from 1999 to 2011.


In Michigan, Snapping Turtles were intensively trapped for 2–3 years in the 1980s, greatly reducing populations. By 2009 populations were approaching pre-impact levels, indicating a 25–30 year recovery period after depletion (J. Harding pers comm. Aug 2009).
 
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jagermeister

jagermeister

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Where I live and work, if a turtle rush happens I'll be one of the first to see it. To spin off Joe's heroin reference, this is the equivalent of me residing and working amongst an army of drug addicts just begging for a fix, and virtually nowhere in sight is a dealer on the corner. Can there be a problem?... Yes. Will there be a problem?... Maybe. Is it a problem right now?... No, not in my opinion. I believe turtles are listed on CITES for export, so the gubbment is actively keeping tabs on population and trading. If and when when it becomes a problem, the state will waste no time putting the laws in place. In case you guys haven't noticed, the tree hugger force is growing stronger every day. And even then, if demand was strong enough to warrant banning commercial harvesting, it likely wouldn't change anything. Growing, selling, and smoking marijuana is illegal right?
 
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Bigslam51

Bigslam51

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giles said:
It isn’t. But I don’t like the ideas of trapping things at all for sale. You want to trade your neighbor for tomatoes, I’m all for it. Going out and making money on any wildlife doesn’t seem right to me. Those resources aren’t only yours, they are everyone’s in the state.

Want to trap to protect something else, enjoy! Want to trap for something to do, enjoy! Want to trap to make money, sorry, I don’t agree.
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Haha! Trapping for profit has been going on since this country started! Everyone else has the right to trap, most are either too lazy or not interested. I have bought and sold a few pelts, and will continue to do so.
 
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Boarhead

Boarhead

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In the woods. Fairfield County.
Yep same here Chad, grew up doing it and still do a little bit.
Was a nice way to enjoy the outdoors as a kid and make some spending money.
Dave their are plenty of furbearing animals out there for everyone,like Chad said most guys are too lazy to put in the work it takes to trap them.
 
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Bigslam51

Bigslam51

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Stark County
giles said:
It isn’t. But I don’t like the ideas of trapping things at all for sale. You want to trade your neighbor for tomatoes, I’m all for it. Going out and making money on any wildlife doesn’t seem right to me. Those resources aren’t only yours, they are everyone’s in the state.

Want to trap to protect something else, enjoy! Want to trap for something to do, enjoy! Want to trap to make money, sorry, I don’t agree.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you're against it, Dave
 
Mike

Mike

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Up Nort
Some soft shells in Cape Canaveral.
 

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bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

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Bigslam51 said:
Haha! Trapping for profit has been going on since this country started! Everyone else has the right to trap, most are either too lazy or not interested. I have bought and sold a few pelts, and will continue to do so.
Click to expand...

100% true. Also 100% the reason that we damn near lost all our fur-bearing animals. Humans tend to excel with the unregulated extraction of a resource for commercial gain. It's a rare thing to witness self-imposed restraint in the name of sustainability. And old Andre here, probably can't define "restraint" or "sustainability".
 
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giles

giles

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The real Amish country
bowhunter1023 said:
100% true. Also 100% the reason that we damn near lost all our fur-bearing animals. Humans tend to excel with the unregulated extraction of a resource for commercial gain. It's a rare thing to witness self-imposed restraint in the name of sustainability. And old Andre here, probably can't define "restraint" or "sustainability".
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I believe the American humans are the worst at this. Never enough untill it’s all gone. Then the oh shit factor kicks in.
 
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