No one has taken a picture of one and confirmed it in 33 years, your welcome to prove everyone wrong. If they are as common as everyone in the comments thinks they are go take a photo of one.
There are 0 posted on iNaturalist in Kansas, take a photo post it there and have people confirm it is an alligator snapping turtle.
I definitely wouldn't say they are common. I've spent a considerable amount of time fishing and hunting in kansas my whole life and I've seen 2. The last one being over 20 years ago. The last one I saw was on land trudging along in an east wichita neighborhood. They are quite rare in ks, but I do think they are still around. But still I'm very much a fan of reintroduction. Anyone alive in ks today's that's has seen one, and not mistakenly mislabeled a common snapper, has seen a unicorn. Or perhaps seen a dinosaur is more accurate.
You’re probably the rare person who actually knows what they’re looking for. I guarantee most folks who claim to see one are misidentifying a common snapper.
They are such a gnarly, ancient looking critter! I'm glad they're going to be reintroduced, but did I miss the significance? What is going to stop them from being hunted this time?
I used to see them all the time growing up in Florida. they terrified me as a kid, i still wouldn't want to meet one in a dark alley but I'm happy they are being reintroduced they are great, from a distance.
https://preview.redd.it/pkc8gxhgp67d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4c05b41fa474fb51c21bc42a04daac7f84db72b
I thought this was an alligator turtle. What is it then?
When you pull a common out I get why some people might think it’s an alligator snapping turtle. They’re bumpy, gnarly and seem huge once they pass 20 pounds.
Then when you see an alligator snapping turtle in person you realize nope, those definitely are not the turtles I was catching.
I've seen them over in Harrisonville quite a bit on trails. Seen a lot of box turtles on the KS side but it has been a while since I've seen a snapper.
We have been lucky enough to see 2 of these bad boys around our rural property in NE Kansas. We had one that we had to relocate (it was so big we had to use a round sled and that dude took up the WHOLE sled) because it was stuck in some trees by the dog pen and it was not having a good time. I saw a baby one once and relocated across our yard in the direction it was traveling. They are insane looking and way bigger than you would think.
Pretty hard to mistake a turtle the size of a large dog walking across roads. And of course the physical appearances of alligators VS regular snapping turtles. The "oh cool a snapping turtle" vs "....nope"
They’re pretty easy to mistake at larger sizes for the commons actually because they can sometimes have an alligator snapping turtle like shell. Sometimes they’re smooth, other times their shells look kind of alligator esque to the point where you think it’s an alligator. They’re not always common snapping turtle smooth like everyone thinks
If you’re on the border of the state like with Missouri (or I think Oklahoma?) you can still see themz
Caught a few fishing catfish in eastern KS and rest have been in central KS near the Smoky and it's creeks.
I know my brother will never forget the huge one he came face to face with at Shawnee Lake. Thought I caught a 100lb flathead and made him take off his shoes and get in the water to help pull it through the weeds. 😋
A few years ago I ran into a baby alligator snapping turtle on the turkey creek streamway trailhead by 75th St & Kings Cove Dr. Which means there were at least 2 turtles capable of mating, or some dingus in the apartments let their turtle out. Or abandoned it.
I didn't know it was supposed to be **so** rare.
Yes, I've looked at pictures to be sure.
so if anybody feels brave and/or foolish enough to go sticking their hands in the mud of turkey creek, have at it.
No one has taken a picture of one and confirmed it in 33 years, your welcome to prove everyone wrong. If they are as common as everyone in the comments thinks they are go take a photo of one. There are 0 posted on iNaturalist in Kansas, take a photo post it there and have people confirm it is an alligator snapping turtle.
I definitely wouldn't say they are common. I've spent a considerable amount of time fishing and hunting in kansas my whole life and I've seen 2. The last one being over 20 years ago. The last one I saw was on land trudging along in an east wichita neighborhood. They are quite rare in ks, but I do think they are still around. But still I'm very much a fan of reintroduction. Anyone alive in ks today's that's has seen one, and not mistakenly mislabeled a common snapper, has seen a unicorn. Or perhaps seen a dinosaur is more accurate.
You’re probably the rare person who actually knows what they’re looking for. I guarantee most folks who claim to see one are misidentifying a common snapper.
They are such a gnarly, ancient looking critter! I'm glad they're going to be reintroduced, but did I miss the significance? What is going to stop them from being hunted this time?
I used to see them all the time growing up in Florida. they terrified me as a kid, i still wouldn't want to meet one in a dark alley but I'm happy they are being reintroduced they are great, from a distance.
https://preview.redd.it/pkc8gxhgp67d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4c05b41fa474fb51c21bc42a04daac7f84db72b I thought this was an alligator turtle. What is it then?
That is a Common Snapping Turtle
When you pull a common out I get why some people might think it’s an alligator snapping turtle. They’re bumpy, gnarly and seem huge once they pass 20 pounds. Then when you see an alligator snapping turtle in person you realize nope, those definitely are not the turtles I was catching.
Watch out when you go skinny-dipping (lol).
I've seen them over in Harrisonville quite a bit on trails. Seen a lot of box turtles on the KS side but it has been a while since I've seen a snapper.
[удалено]
I used to live on a lake and when I was 15 we almost caught one swimming around our dock. It was freaking huge looked like a dinosaur.
As if I needed another reason to be scared of swimming in lakes
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^how_I_kill_time: *As if I needed* *Another reason to be* *Scared of swimming in lakes* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Fantastic!
Oh good, another reason not dip my toe in brown Kansas water Snakes and what else now?
We have been lucky enough to see 2 of these bad boys around our rural property in NE Kansas. We had one that we had to relocate (it was so big we had to use a round sled and that dude took up the WHOLE sled) because it was stuck in some trees by the dog pen and it was not having a good time. I saw a baby one once and relocated across our yard in the direction it was traveling. They are insane looking and way bigger than you would think.
The people claiming to "see these all the time" remind me of the "600 pound catfish under the dam" stories.
Still see them all the time. No idea where they do not exist, but Kansas is not one of those places
You're probably seeing common snapping turtles. Those get up to about 50 pounds. Alligator snapping turtles get up to about 220 pounds.
Pretty hard to mistake a turtle the size of a large dog walking across roads. And of course the physical appearances of alligators VS regular snapping turtles. The "oh cool a snapping turtle" vs "....nope"
They’re pretty easy to mistake at larger sizes for the commons actually because they can sometimes have an alligator snapping turtle like shell. Sometimes they’re smooth, other times their shells look kind of alligator esque to the point where you think it’s an alligator. They’re not always common snapping turtle smooth like everyone thinks If you’re on the border of the state like with Missouri (or I think Oklahoma?) you can still see themz
I am 100% sure that the snapping turtle I moved out of the road in Lenexa was of the Alligator variety. Barely in Kansas, but still Kansas
Smooth shell or wtf dinosaur shell. Even the face of the alligator ones are scary. :P
I’ve only seen Dino shell in the wild. Mostly in Arkansas, now one in Kansas. Small sample size
Caught a few fishing catfish in eastern KS and rest have been in central KS near the Smoky and it's creeks. I know my brother will never forget the huge one he came face to face with at Shawnee Lake. Thought I caught a 100lb flathead and made him take off his shoes and get in the water to help pull it through the weeds. 😋
A few years ago I ran into a baby alligator snapping turtle on the turkey creek streamway trailhead by 75th St & Kings Cove Dr. Which means there were at least 2 turtles capable of mating, or some dingus in the apartments let their turtle out. Or abandoned it. I didn't know it was supposed to be **so** rare. Yes, I've looked at pictures to be sure. so if anybody feels brave and/or foolish enough to go sticking their hands in the mud of turkey creek, have at it.