# Michigan Turtles - Spotteds and Eastern Box



## Yonkers (Mar 19, 2007)

Hi All,

Saw my first painted turtles of the season while I was out doing some fishing and got me thinking about other turtles I use to see growing up the Eastern Box Turtles and Spotted Turtles.

Have not seen these guys in ages, I know they are protected due to low population numbers mostly I beleive due to loss of habitat.

Anyone still see these guys around? Just wondering let me know.


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## outdoorsman4 (Dec 5, 2006)

I haven't seen a spotted or box turtle in michigan ever. I have only sighted painted, red-eared slider, spiny soft-shelled, snapping, and wood turtles. I do think some species are becoming less common with all the loss of wetlands over the years. I was excited to encounter 2 wood turtles along the Ausable River while flyfishing last year. The wood turtles were neat because they were actually back up on land away from the river where I could get a good close look at them. They didn't seem very fearful of me and just stayed put. Most turtles hit the water once you get near them! I did see a box turtle in Kentucky 3 years ago, they are cool looking.


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## Yonkers (Mar 19, 2007)

Thats cool, I have never seen any wood turtles but from my understanding and reading they are not found in Allegan or Ottawa counties where most of my outdoors fun takes place.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

I've only seen a box turtle a couple of times. Unfortunately some of them I see in the road, one a dirt road that someone ran over. She was still alive and had eggs but was crushed. I had no choice but to end her suffering. I see a lot of painteds and snappers. A few years ago I was heading up to the folks and saw a good sized Blandings turtle in the road. I had to stop and help it to the other side. Maybe it's just me but I have a hard time believeing that many of them hit on the road are "unavoidable". That kinda irks me.


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## Yonkers (Mar 19, 2007)

I agree, I do wildlife rehab for turtles (sub-permitee at this time) and 90 percent of the ones I get are hit by cars. Turtles don't just run out infront of a car at the last minute...

Luckily (if it is lucky) most I see are not any of the protected species.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I always wonder if people would see a small child laying in the road...in fact, just recently, someone ran over and killed a drunk that was laying by the side of the road...some people should not be allowed to drive. 

I have seen one box turtle in Michigan, and believe it or not, that was up north. I have always wondered if it was wild or someone's lost pet. It certainly didn't want anything to do with me-slammed into it's shell immediately, and stayed there. That was the same year I saw a silver fox, never found out whether that was a released fur farm critter (none up here that I know of) or a released pet, or somehow, a wild one. 

Have seen quite a few while turkey hunting in Tennessee...awesome critters. 

Years ago, in the Grass River Natural Area, I found a LARGE tortoise...it was at least six inches wide and a foot long. I was able to identify it later in a wildlife book, but haven't seen any mention of it since...forgot what the name of it was. It was just big, greenish/gray, with large carapace markings. I'll always wonder about that critter, too.


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## Spartaned (Jan 24, 2006)

I've seen box turtles frequently down in Van Buren County, along with spotteds. I saw a woods turtle on the Pere Marquette a few years ago. A guy I work with found a spotted on an island on the Detroit River.


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## Yonkers (Mar 19, 2007)

Well glad to hear people are still finding them from time to time! Would be a shame to lose such cool species as these.


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