Larry Swanson (L) and Laura Helmich (NLI Field Biologist), holding a snapping turtle.
Larry Swanson got to wrangle turtles one day recently with NLI Stewardship staff. He isn’t staff, but got to experience the joy and fun, and challenges of monitoring turtles on an NLI property because he won the bid for the turtle monitoring experience that was part of the silent auction at NLI’s Annual Dinner on March 20, 2025.
Larry’s turtle wrangling experience was at Nygren Wetland Preserve. When asked why he bid on the experience he said, “I bid on the turtle field trip as another chance to do something different in a loved place with wonderful friends.” He goes on to say, “The first set of traps were empty. The second had three snappers, so after watching Laura, we each had a chance to pull up the trap, wrangle the turtle out of the net, record data, and notch his shell. I was the only one who got stuck in the mud and fell face first into the pond. Lots of fun!”
Well Larry, we are glad you had fun despite the muddy faceplant! Thank you for sharing your experience with us and being so good natured about it. We hope it was worth it!
Maybe someone reading this story will have the courage to bid on this or a similar experience at the next NLI silent auction. You never know what we will have in store for you. Let us know if you have an idea for an experience you would be willing to bid on. Email us at info@naturalland.org.
All photos by Zach Grycan
Snapping turtles were found in these traps.
Laura Helmich wrangles a snapping turtle while Larry Swanson stands by.
Larry measures a snapping turtle while Laura holds it.
Grace Wieland, AmeriCorps Service Member and NLI Stewardship Staff, had her share of wrangling snapping turtles during this monitoring visit.