Yes, I know, people think I'm nuts to move turtles but thankfully my Sheriff's Deputies just shake their heads and whisper "Turtle Patrol" with a grin to their partners.

I have known for years that turtle and frog populations are declining, so I don't allow the kids to keep frogs that they've captured from the pond and I move turtles. If the Sheriff's Department doesn't like it, they can give me a ticket for impeding traffic or something. Eh. I'll pay it, if it happens.

Annie

I would move turtles if we had any here in Calif. I do swerve for animals. That being said, there are some folk I wouldn't avoid on the internet highway....darfc...

Lmao Jessica! Same ;-)

Actually, I avoid hitting animals at all costs, but the stupid Canadian geese do tempt me.....

Alexa

Yeah those Canada geese are just feathered poop machines. I see one plastered on Kelly Drive once in awhile and think "good aim." I, on the other hand, do brake for animals. I've hit a few squirrel in my day and I get the creeps from that "thump thump" when I get one. On the other hand, the damn deer are suicidal and throw themselves in front of cars everywhere.

There are turtle crossing signs in parts of Delaware near the beach. Most people watch out for them but some don't. Unfortunately they cross a busy highway and it can be dangerous to slam on your brakes for a turtle as you could cause a five car pile up behind you.

There is a pond near me and it is FULL of turtles. They seem to stick to the water, though.

Mustangs, are they turtles or are they tortoises? Over here on the east coast those tortoises are protected, except from developers who bury them. I stop too, but don't move. Just wait and let them go where they want.

Most of the ones I see in my countryish neighborhood are box and snapping turtles and a few alligator turtles. My SIL had to wait to build their house because a Gopher Tortoise was nesting on their property.

Gopher tortoises are the only critters we have over here. When they were building, a lady who rescued them brought out babies that were still yellow, and an old guy that had a star-wars shell. Awesome. At least I hope she saved them.

We found a little yellow guy in the front yard last month. We watched and hope he would stay. No, he wouldn't.

My BF *always* stops to move turtles off the road, and they're snappers here. One day we had to turn around to save one, but by the time we got back to it, someone else had stopped and was putting it in the back seat of their car! My BF went *nuts*... we think it was going to be their dinner. :(

I guess I'm naive, but I've never heard of people deliberately hitting turtles. Everyone I know stops to help the turtle cross the road. I just don't understand how people get enjoyment from killing animals, but that is one of the most popular hobbies, I guess.

Sally

Sally, I'm with you! That's why I shared the article, I was surprised that people go out of their way to run over turtles. Whenever I see a smashed turtle (or other roadkill) I always imagine it being late at night and the driver isn't aware or couldn't avoid the animal.

DH has always chastised me because I put myself and passengers at risk to save an animal in the road. He begs me to think safety first which I certainly do with the babies in the car.

Another turtle mover, here.

I have witnessed a driver deliberately swerving to hit/kill a large snapping turtle. Lucky for that guy Tim was driving at the time or I would have turned around, chased hime down and read him the riot act!

I don't understand why anyone would deliberately kill an animal that they were not planning to eat.

Linda

I agree, Linda, I was always told that if you kill it, be prepared to eat it. Killing simply for the sake of it is unacceptable to me and against everything I was ever taught, but many things in today's society are unacceptable to me. Violence in all aspects of life is far more common. (sigh)

Should I blame it on television? Violent games? Lack of parental control? A self-centered society? I dunno, but I don't like it.

Annie

I don't know, either, Annie. I don't know if it's gotten worse, or we just hear about it more now. Probably both.

Sally

I think it's both, Sally, but I know a lot more guys now who shoot things just to put the heads on the wall than I ever did.

I worked for the Prosecutor for over three decades and it just got worse and worse, the crimes got more and more serious and people became more violent.

My family has always hunted and fished to eat, now people spend thousands of dollars to shoot an animal that's penned up inside a fence so they can have it stuffed and add it to a "collection". Those wild boar/antelope/whatever ranches are absurd, I might as well walk out into the barnyard and shoot Bossy Cow. And the meat should at least be donated to a food bank of shelter, sheesh. I have no understanding or respect for "trophy" hunters. Ugh. If you're going to shoot it, eat it!

Annie

I don't see turtles here. I must not be looking? I dunno, too city-fied? But to see that some people swerve to hit them?!!! I cannot believe it. I get not stopping, but deliberately trying to hurt/killl them? I don't understand that at all.