Q: Is it true that snapping turtles were once a Hoosier Thanksgiving delicacy?
A: It’s tough to find indisputable proof that snapping turtles were an Indiana Thanksgiving staple, like cranberry sauce and stuffing. But it’s easy to find evidence that these nippy creek dwellers were regularly enjoyed by rustic Hoosier gourmands. Traditional Arts Indiana, an Indiana University program documenting folk traditions, found that in Dubois County, turtle soup was a favorite at church socials and fall festivals. Locals still practice “noodling,” which is feeling around under creek overhangs and in underwater holes for snapping turtles and pulling them out barehanded. Interestingly, Indiana still classifies the eastern snapping turtle as a game species, with its own hunting season. Hunters can take turtles measuring at least 12 inches across the shell from July 1 to March 31. A season that, conveniently enough, includes Thanksgiving.
