Jon reels in his net after an attempted catch to see if he snagged a catch.  The Reeling in of the net is always a bit like opening a present on Christmas morning- you just don't know what you're going to find inside.  More often than not...the net comes back full of leaves, sticks, goop and snails and is generally turtle free....but occasionally, you see the bright underside of a panted turtle, or the archaic back of a snapper.  The feeling of actually catching a turtle must be experienced...no explanation will do it justice.

Jon is all smiles as he shows off one of his catches of the day.  The exhilaration of catching a turtle is an experience few get to experience in their lifetimes.  Notice in this picture you can see the special custom-wrist-rope attachment connecting Jon's arm to his net, enabling him to 'Toss the Bucket', should he chose to do so.  

Brad pulls out one of his own successful catches.  Since inventing the sport of turtle hunting in 1986, Brad has trained both Jon Peterson and Steve Haqq to be master Turtle-hunters in their own right.  Together, these three Turtle Masters make up the leading governing body of Turtle-Hunters worldwide.

One may only be promoted to 'Turtle Master' by acquiring this appointment from Grand Turtle Master- Brad Gottlieb.  To date, Jon Peterson and Steve Haqq are the only Turtle Masters in the world besides Brad Gottlieb.  If you wish to seek turtle training from a certified master, please request instruction from any of the Turtle Masters, listed below.

Steve Haqq paddles away in a most-manly fashion as we take to Heart Lake via The Turtleizer.  Using the raft as a method for turtle hunting is as advantageous as is building your own website as a mechanism for referring to yourself frequently in the third person.  

Steve enjoys a quick smoke at the helm of the raft. Cloudy days are not desirable for turtle-hunting, as turtles are out in much higher populations when the sun is shining, as they absorb their own bodies energy from the sun's rays.  That is not to say that turtle-hunting is never good on cloudy days, but generally speaking.....sunny days are best.  Windy and/or colder days are the worst days for turtle hunting.  If a strong wind is blowing....you're better of staying inside and playing guitar....or video games.

Never one to be selfish, Steve gladly shares some of his smoke with one of the day's catches...

Turtle Hunting can be a very frustrating endeavor.....to actually make a catch requires determination, patience and skill.  Here, Steve demonstrates to us some of the frustration one can find while learning to Turtle Hunt.  It was not long after this picture was taken that Steve earned his promotion from 'Turtle Apprentice', to 'Turtle Journeyman'....before finally achieving the coveted 'Turtle Master' rank on August 3rd, 2002.  This was one of, if not the happiest days of Steve's entire life.

Steve's tutelage, under Grand Master Hunter Brad Gottlieb has paid off greatly, evidenced below with one of Steve's catches.  The excitement that Steve feels here can be read by the smile on his face.  

Some parts of Heart Lake are overgrown with hanging trees.  These areas are accessible only from The Turtleizer.  Below, Brad and Steve cautiously reconnoiter their surroundings as they gather their bearings amidst one of the hunts.  On this particular day...there were numerous sightings of The Grand Daddy.

 The Grand Daddy is patriarch of all of Heart Lake's Snapping Turtles.  Heart lake has an incredibly immense population of Snapping Turtles due to it's large supply of Snails, which provide a virtually limitless supply of food for the turtles.  The snails are consumed in their entirety, and their hard plate-like bases are then excreted.  Snapping turtles are typically a fairly rare sighting for the Turtle Hunter....but at Heart Lake...it is a very rare experience to go there and not observe at least one of these archaic swamp lords.

The Grand Daddy is so named because of his ridiculously immense size.  Brad estimates his overall shell length to be at least 22 to 24 inches in length, which would make it the largest Common Snapping turtle in the history of Minnesota if caught and recorded.  Both Jon and Steve are also witnesses to this gargantuan monstrosity.  Witnessing The Grand Daddy is a sobering experience, to say the least.  Snapping turtles may appear ominous, but rarely pose any danger to humans when they are in the water.  They have a fairly unprotected plastron (underside of the shell), so they are very defensive and dangerous when on land, but in the water, they really pose no threat to people at all, even if stepped on.  Their smaller and odd-sized plastron allows for their legs to be much more agile than most other turtles, making Snapping Turtles some of the best reptile swimmers in nature.

Even still.....watching The Grand Daddy rise to the surface of Heart Lake ten meters from The Turtleizer is a sight that is remarkable enough to make even the Turtle Masters uneasy.  The Grand Daddy is probably over 50 years old.

Brad Demonstrates to Steve why he is the Grand Master of all Turtle Hunters with a two-turtles-in-one-net catch, which is often referred to by Turtle Hunters as a 'Deuce'.  As always, the turtles are treated kindly, with respect and are promptly and gently released back into Heart Lake after they are caught.  Turtle Hunting is a Karmic sport of fun...hurting or killing any creatures of the lake is strictly prohibited.  Turtle Hunting is a sport born from a love for these creatures.

Brad's love and fascination for turtles of every type has been ongoing for almost twenty years.  Occasionally, Brad will further demonstrate why he is the Grand Master, by catching turtles with his bare hands.  This feat is a requisite action for anyone to be promoted from 'Turtle Journeyman' to 'Turtle Master.'   To be promoted from 'Turtle Apprentice' to 'Turtle Journeyman' one must successfully catch a Snapping turtle.   To acquire the title of 'Turtle Apprentice' you must simply catch one turtle of any type....but your catch must be supervised by at least a 'Turtle Journeyman'.  One can only be promoted to 'Turtle Master' by a Grand Master.

Steve smiles triumphantly as he shows off his official hand-caught turtle, enabling Brad to promote Steve to 'Turtle Master' on August 3rd, 2002.    On this celebrated date, Steve became the third 'Turtle Master' in the world, following in the footsteps of Grand-Master Brad Gottlieb, and 'Turtle Master' Jon Peterson.   Jon is on track to becoming a Grand Master himself...as most likely Steve will one day become as well...

The Turtle-Hunter ranking system is employed to ensure the continuing survival and respect for the sport of Turtle Hunting.  For it truly is the noblest of all sports throughout the world.

Brad paddles 'The Turtleizer' through the murky waters of Heart Lake.  Behind him and to the left, you can see a medium-sized painted turtle has surfaced. 

Can you spot the turtles in the picture below....if so.......you maybe on the right track to becoming a Turtle-Hunter yourself.  This situation presents turtles whom are positioned to provide a nearly impossible catch due to the maze of branches protecting them.  Rather than disturb them....Brad and Steve paddle The Turtleizer forward...

Steve lightheartedly shows off his new turtle hat.  Steve was in great spirits as he was promoted to Turtle Master this day.  

Keeping the ripples and noise to a minimum with the grace and skill that only a celebrated 'Turtle Master' can perform...Steve inches his way towards the shoreline, moving in for a closer observation of a Snapping Turtle that he and Brad just witnessed.  Snapping turtles are a fascinating species to observe, and are difficult to catch.  Heart Lake is home to One-Eyed Willy, which is a one-eyed snapping turtle that Brad has caught and released every year for the past 5 years.  Capturing One-Eyed Willy has now become an annual tradition for Brad, though no-one else has yet caught him...

Steve paddles forward into Heart Lake as our adventure comes to an end.....for now.  Please visit again soon though, as 2005 is going to be a very promising Turtle-Hunting summer.  Later this summer, we will have new pictures, stories and a full-length video of a 'Bonzai' Turtle-Hunting strike, which I assure you, will be as amusing as it is amazing.  Remember, if you want to go out and catch turtles on your own, follow the Grand Master's advice:

The Turtle-Hunter's Code

1) NEVER harm any turtles, or any other animals.  Treat them as you would treat yourself.  Respect Nature.

2) Always release the turtles you catch...and always follow all of the laws present where you live. 

3) If you do decide keep a turtle for a pet, and violate rule #2...treat it well, keep the tank clean, and release him into the wild in early to mid-summer right back where you caught it.

4) Do not approach Snapping Turtles (or any dangerous animals)...especially when they are out of the water.

5) For best results...hunt for turtles on a sunny, warm/hot day with little to no wind, these are the ideal conditions for catching turtles..

6) Always wash your hands after handling turtles

7) Respect other people's property...ask permission before going onto anyone's land

8) Always pay the utmost respect to Turtle-hunters of a higher rank than you.

9) Be Quiet, Be Patient, and wait for the right moment to strike out with your net or hands.  You will only have ONE chance to get the turtle before it is long gone.  

10) If you're under 18, always go under the supervision of a parent or guardian.

11) Do not attempt to catch or interfere in any way with any protected or endangered species of turtles or any other type of life.

If you have any questions, or want lessons or instruction from a Master Hunter.  Please contact them via e-mail below.  Response times may be delayed due to the high-volume of e-mails and fan mail each of them receive on a daily basis.

Brad Gottlieb- Grand Master Turtle Hunter

Jon Peterson- Master Turtle Hunter

Steve Haqq- Master Turtle Hunter

A little-known fact about the BOG is that he is an official Turtle Journeyman, earning that promotion from his nephew, the Grand Master Turtle-Hunter Brad Gottlieb.  BOG holds the distinction of rescuing, hatching and caring for a young snapping turtle...a feat few others in the world can claim.  Bog graciously provided us with some pictures from his neighborhood pond of a female snapper out laying eggs.....and the sad remains of a scavenged nest....

Doc Bobcat shows off one of his snapping turtle catches!

Below, you can see the photos which allowed Brad to promote Kerry, DGS official East-Coast Manager to the esteemed position of official Turtle Journeyman.  Kerry's splendid use of proper snapping turtle handling techniques is extremely impressive.  At work, Kerry is the Go-To-Guy for any type of wildlife or nature issues that may arise.  This snapper was found wandering about in Kerry's work parking lot.  Kerry was called upon to control the situation and- using his trained reflexes and dazzling knowledge of nature, he successfully caught the snapper, and released him safely back into the wild as only a trained journeyman could do.

It should be noted that one should not attempt this on their own- Kerry is a trained specialist.

Get Rocked at Doc's!

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