[BlueMthunter]

While sitting out back this morning I noticed what appeared to be a large smooth rock in the field. Wrong.....caught this girl laying some eggs. This shot was taken from pretty far. I didn't want to chase her off. Went back out about 45 minutes later,the turtle was gone and the hole was all filled in.

 

[stackbarrel]

Looks like a snapper to me.

 

[John B.]

cool pic

 

[BlueMthunter]

I was suprised because the creek below where the turtle is is only about 2 feet wide and not very deep. There is a larger body of water several hundred yards down stream. I guess that maybe it came upstream to lay eggs.

 

[47studebaker]

not enough "ridge" on the shell for a snapper, Woods or Box turtle?

 

[*Moose]

not enough "ridge" on the shell for a snapper, Woods or Box turtle?

That's what I think too.

 

[hellbender]

Agree with the ridge comment. Also too smooth for a Wood turtle and too small for a Box. I'm goin with Red Belly.

 

[stackbarrel]

Notice the upturned rear of the shell. We finally had a few snappers laying eggs here after the rains last night. Both were young, on the smaller side, so they didn't get caught for soup. Looked like the terrapin in the OP's pic.

 

[Lackawanna Fox]

I'm sayin painted

 

[deluxe hunter]

nice

 

[always hunting]

Hard to tell. I will say snappers will go pretty far to lay eggs, and to travel to different bodies of water. Seen one twice, or two different ones monday evening. Appeared to be looking for a place to bury their eggs. Seen a "leather back" laying eggs along the allegheny couple years back. Went back the next morning and the nest was dug up and eggs were broken/eaten. Now that I know what to look for, I see the nests tore up all the time.