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Pics of wild softshell...anybody know which kind?

Metal_pitbu11 Aug 03, 2005 03:37 PM

These pics were taken at a park where i spotted a fisherman trying to hog something in on his pole...figured it was a turtle, no fish bigger than 8 inches in that stream, so i went to see if he needed help. I jumped in the catch the turtle and remove the hook. Luckily he seemed to be tangled by the foot...possibly trying to pull the hook out of his mouth and got it tangled...not sure. but heres the pics

Replies (7)

mayday Aug 05, 2005 08:14 AM

Where was this soft shell found? State, county, etc.?

metal_pitbu11 Aug 05, 2005 06:38 PM

The man caught him in a small stream in Franklin Creek Park in Franklin Grove, IL...a lil hick town about 2 hours east of chicago, i live about 15 min. from there...they were all over...i saw 2 more at the surface after i caught him. definetly a cool catch. and for ne one worried about the hook, it was tangled around his foot, i figure he mighta bit it and tried to pull it out, idk, but there was no wound in his mouth

mayday Aug 05, 2005 06:53 PM

So my guess would be a midland smooth softshell or an eastern spiny. Whatever the race, it is surely a female from the size of it.
The front edge of the carapace looks smooth to me from the photos so....

herpdude20 Aug 08, 2005 11:22 AM

I'm sure it's a Spiny because I can kind of see the points on the front and it looks like it has some black blotches which female Spinies have.

canidman Aug 11, 2005 06:49 PM

Carapace Spines are clearly visible in the first photo.

Tektum Aug 14, 2005 09:49 PM

Apalone ferox, by the rounded nubs on the front of the carapace and also the "edge" around the carapace.
Leo
Link

Tektum Aug 14, 2005 09:56 PM

I should have read the post that gave the location of the turtle ~ from the pix it resembles an old Florida Softshell~
Leo
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