25 June 2007
Giant Pre-historic Turtle Discovered at Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas
Posted by Darrell under: Arkansas; Noteworthy Pictures .
During our recent spearfishing trip to Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas, we discovered a huge fresh water turtle. I don’t know if it was pre-historic, but it certainly looked it. This turtle was as long, head to tail, as me (that’s a whopping 6′) and it’s head was 50% again bigger than mine. This turtle, which we found sitting on a ledge at 13 feet deep, must have been ancient. We guessed it to be well over 250lbs! There were 4 of us that saw it and we were all blown away. None of us had ever seen anything like it before. It is Bull Shoals Lake’s version of the Loch Ness Monster! I wish we’d have been better prepared to document this thing as it had to be a state (or world) record for a fresh water turtle.
Today, I look for it again!
8 Comments so far...
Dash Says:
27 June 2007 at 8:15 am.
That’s an Alligator Snapping Turtle or what we used to call a Loggerhead. They can get well over 200 pounds and they make great turtle soup or a cajun dish called turtle sauce piquant. They’re endangered in some states because people kill them for their tasty meat. If you see it again, don’t stick your hand or foot anywhere near its mouth or you’ll lose it.
Jon Bryan Says:
27 June 2007 at 8:45 pm.
Some Turtle. I havn’t seen one that big in Texas and you know we have the biggest and best of everything.
Remember, if it would get a hold of you, it wouldn’t let go until it thundered!
Eric Easton Says:
10 July 2007 at 12:20 pm.
On June 23, 2007, my family and I were swimming/fishing on the west side (east bank) of horseshoe bend (Bull Shoals Lake) when I saw what I assumed to be a giant turtle. It swam submerged about 2 feet deep and about 20 feet from my boat which was about forty feet from the bank (bluff). This turtle was at least as large as what you have described above. I did not get a clear view because it was submerged, but it’s shell was at least 4.5 feet in diameter. I have been telling folks about it and most people (skeptically) agree it’s possible, but several don’t really believe me. Now I can show them I’m not the only one who has witnesses these HUGE turtles.
Darrell Says:
10 July 2007 at 1:06 pm.
Eric, thanks for the comment. People don’t want to believe that turtles that big are in fresh water lakes - but there obviously are. I’m going to Bull Shoals for the weekend and I’m going to try to get some video of one of these monster turtles.
Angela Johnson Says:
9 March 2009 at 2:28 pm.
My family and I are going to stay at Bull Shoals lake this summer and now I am TERRIFIED of the huge A turtles! Where would they be? Like in what areas?
tHOMAS MARASCHIELLO Says:
4 April 2009 at 4:17 pm.
I LIVE IN lOCKPORT N.Y. AND, I WENT TO ELLICUT CREEK IN AMHURST N.Y. IN MARCH OF 2001 AFTER MY BACK SURGURY, AND SAW A PREHISTORIC TURTLE.THE CREEK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO WAS 20 FEET WIDE. THIS TURTLE WAS AT LEAST 10 FEET WIDE, AND JUST AS MUCH LONG,I WAS IN SHOCK AND USED MY FISHING POLE TO SNAG IT, BUT I’M GLAD I DID NOT HAVE A CAMERA,BECAUSE I RESPECT NATURE AND SOME TROPHY HUNTER WOULD KILL IT TO HAVE HIS FACE IN THE PAPER.I BELIEVE YOU AND EVERY YEAR THEY FIND A NEW SPECIES,BUT TO PROTECT THIS TURT I WONT REVIEL ANY MORE. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. IT WAS’NT A SNAPPING TURTLE, IT LOOKED MORE LIKE AN EXTINCT FRESH WAter turtle.
james milligan Says:
5 June 2009 at 11:34 pm.
I spear fish bull shoals every year and fished the lake for about 25yrs now. Ive seen a couple of the giant turtles. I have seen 4 of them that were around 3 feet long, and the head about the size of a 1 pound coffee can.
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