Seasons may be established for turtle, frog hunting

ALBANY, NY — The comment period closed last week for proposals that would set a 10-week hunting season for snapping turtles and a 15-week hunting season for frogs in New York State. Other native turtles are not included in the proposals, as most are already covered as endangered. Final rules are expected within 45 days.

Common snapping turtles can grow up to 18 inches in length and live up to 40 years. Though not currently endangered, there have been reports that large harvests have been taken in recent years to satisfy growing demand for the meat, especially from Asia, and serious incursions on the population are feared.

“Snapping turtles have historically been harvested for food in the absence of any regulatory measures to limit harvest,” the Department of Environmental Conservation said. “While a few persons may harvest a turtle for their own consumption, several commercial collectors reportedly harvested thousands of turtles using a variety of methods, including taking turtles prior to the females having nested for the year.”

By limiting the season for hunting snapping turtles and the size and number that can be taken, the regulations should protect egg-bearing females and immature turtles. The season would run from July 15 to September 30, the bag limit would be five, the season limit 30, and the minimum length 12 inches.

The hunting season for native frogs would be June 15 to September 30. However, taking northern cricket frogs, listed as endangered in New York, and eastern spadefoot toads would be illegal, and taking leopard frogs would be limited to designated regions.

James Gibbs, a professor of biology at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, filed a comment suggesting that the rules are not restrictive enough. He reported having witnessed individuals killing hundreds of frogs at a time, and felt that there should be a bag limit for frogs as well as snapping turtles. He also felt snapping turtle hunting should be banned entirely as some other states have done, given the increasing pressure of Asian demand which could overwhelm turtle populations.