Tour of south jersey and pine snakes

NJSnakeMan

Explorer
Jun 3, 2004
332
0
34
Atlantic County
sorry... had to post again, this is some GOOD stuff!!! Let alone the three pine snakes, you found a crap load of other stuff, not to mention another mud turtle! Terripans are out in full force.. found 21 on saturday
 

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,577
302
43
camden county
Yeah, I only looked for terrapins on a few passes on some roads that run through marshes. Could have found alot more in the morning. I've figured out where and when to look for muds, but there normally around terrapins. Good luck with your trip.
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
74
Chris, what a day, variety, it had to be very rewarding for you, thank you for showing me more of the species with the great pics.

Did you by chance go to the beach area to view the horseshoe crabs ?
 

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,577
302
43
camden county
I saw some horseshoe crabs around thompson beach road, but I think they were dead. I intended to go to some beach areas, but lots of people were fishing, and I know how I dislike it when people walk and hang around me when I'm relaxing. I also intended to walk out to the bay via a murky old road, but a storm was brewing and high tide was coming. That area down there is my favorite spot in nj, the wildlife and diversity is unreal.
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
74
I saw some horseshoe crabs around thompson beach road, but I think they were dead. I intended to go to some beach areas, but lots of people were fishing, and I know how I dislike it when people walk and hang around me when I'm relaxing. I also intended to walk out to the bay via a murky old road, but a storm was brewing and high tide was coming. That area down there is my favorite spot in nj, the wildlife and diversity is unreal.

When the horseshoes come in mass, that is when i hang up the surf fishing poles for stripers in fortescue, the gulls are all around going after the eggs, i actually snagged a couple of gulls casting over the years with the line, no hooks thank goodness, releasing them of course, had to put a burlap bag over their heads, they can get quite nasty.

I also had a creep at fortescue complain to me about getting the horseshoes off the beach at lowtide and putting them back into the water, unbelievable, he said let them die, well they went back into the water, all the time as he was cursing me out, he did not realize catching a striper at the time with all the crabs in the water was nearly impossible, time to pack it in and go home.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,966
8,710
A very productive day! Nice.

What was the piercing connected to?

What do you mean by leetches? Do you mean leeches? If it is leeches, do they eventually hurt or kill it since I assume the turtle can't get them off?


Guy
 

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,577
302
43
camden county
Guy, it was a fish hook with the barb through her lower jaw, the top portion was coming out the mouth. I wanted to help her but I would have had to bring her home into a brackish tank which I don't have, then release her later. If you put them in freshwater they get a fungus which can spread to other turtles.

The leeches are the blood sucking bastards your thinking of. I've seen it alot with turtles, I'm sure they weaken the turtle, but I've never seen any evidence that they cause death. I got them off her but it was hard, she was a good patient though. Here is a pic,
IMG_8321.jpg
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
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Chris, the help you did for that turtle and others is very admirable, but if a game warden saw that done on any endandered species, they would fine you ? That is BS, especially for someone that knows what they are doing!!!, the law needs to be rewritten in instances like this.

Leeches. Another nasty bloodsucker to add to the list. Human hosts are we to these critters.
 

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,577
302
43
camden county
Its a risk that I'm willing to take to help the turtle out. If I get fined for it then that is something I have to deal with...I'm not going to sit there a let leeches suck at. I should note that redbellies are not threatened, endangered or a species of concern.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,966
8,710
Its a risk that I'm willing to take to help the turtle out. If I get fined for it then that is something I have to deal with...I'm not going to sit there a let leeches suck at. I should note that redbellies are not threatened, endangered or a species of concern.

Fined! How could someone sleep at night after doing that? I think a little common sense needs to apply here.


Guy
 
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