Thats definitely a female Slider (Trachemys scripta). The particular subspecies (if you believe in that sort of thing) looks to be a yellowbelly slider (T. s. scripta). She was probably looking for a spot to lay her eggs or had finished and was heading back to her pond. I'd release her in a nearby pond/river/lake. While the injury looks nasty, I have little doubt she'll recover from it - I've got a turtle that had an injury almost exactly like that (nose was bitten off) and she recovered just fine with no help from me. I wouldn't entrust her to a wildlife rehab center - if its anything like the one's I've worked at its run by people who love bunnies and chipmunks and cute and fuzzy things and don't know jack about reptiles - the end result being that the turtles and other reptiles are severely neglected and not properly cared for. I would definitely have no hesitation about putting her back - trust me, she'll be just fine.

~Mike

Thank you! She's now in my tiny pond out front, having a great time. I'll keep an eye on her as long as she sticks around and make sure she doesn't have problems with her nose.

When I found her, she was heading (or trying to) uphill. She spent last night in my back yard, and my husband says he thinks she dug a hole under our hose reel! I wonder if I have baby turtle eggs!?

I'm very fortunate to live near Piedmont Wildlife Center in Chapel Hill, NC, which takes reptiles and raptors and other "icky" critters very seriously. One of their employees even has "save the turtle"-type bumper stickers all over her car! She is a big lover of turtles. So I know I can trust them -- they've fixed up a box turtle for me in the past.

I'll let you know if I find any eggs!

Great to hear - I'm also glad to hear of a wildlife center that appreciates the other critters and gives them the attention they deserve. Good luck.
~Mike