All turtles are edible whether you find them in salt water or fresh water, or on land. They can often be seen sunning themselves along the edges of lakes and rivers. If you find them in shallow water watch out for their mouths and claws.
Turtles are rich in fat from which the sun alone can render a clear flavorful oil, and are especially nutritious. Their blood and juices are sometimes used at sea to ease thirst.
Kill the turtle by concussion or by getting it to bite a stick and then cutting off it's head.
Watch out for reflex actions after it is dead.
Then turn it over and cut the skin all around. Skin the hide down the legs to the feet which can then be easily disjointed. Now using a sharp knife or a saw or ax or even a edged stone, cut through the substance connecting the top and bottom shells and pry off the latter. The entrails can then be easily reached and discarded.
If the turtle is a small one you can simmer it in the shell until the meat has cooked free. But if its a big one settle for cutting it into four quarters to cook.
If you are in a survival mode it might be possible to track a female turtle back to her nest of eggs, which are usually buried in sand or mud close to the water. They do not taste like hen eggs but will be nourishing even up to the embryonic stage.
Turtles are rich in fat from which the sun alone can render a clear flavorful oil, and are especially nutritious. Their blood and juices are sometimes used at sea to ease thirst.
Kill the turtle by concussion or by getting it to bite a stick and then cutting off it's head.
Watch out for reflex actions after it is dead.
Then turn it over and cut the skin all around. Skin the hide down the legs to the feet which can then be easily disjointed. Now using a sharp knife or a saw or ax or even a edged stone, cut through the substance connecting the top and bottom shells and pry off the latter. The entrails can then be easily reached and discarded.
If the turtle is a small one you can simmer it in the shell until the meat has cooked free. But if its a big one settle for cutting it into four quarters to cook.
If you are in a survival mode it might be possible to track a female turtle back to her nest of eggs, which are usually buried in sand or mud close to the water. They do not taste like hen eggs but will be nourishing even up to the embryonic stage.