In PA, you have the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, with well-defined ridges on a hard shell, a long saw-toothed tail, broad powerful foreclaws, and and a large thick head with powerful jaws. The softshell turtles, of which PA has several species, are genus Trionyx, and are distinguished by very flat, rounded, and smooth shells with a leathery coating, slender feet and head, and a long sharply pointed snout. The softshells are generally less aggressive and smaller in size than the snapping turtles. Though provoking a turtle bite of any kind is probably ill-advised, the snapping turtle would have a considerably more damaging bite.
When we catch turtles on fishing lines, we simply snip the line close to the turtle's mouth to free it. Both the jaws and neck muscles are very strong, and it is difficult to keep the head pulled out for a decapitation if you intend to keep the turtle as food. I have never eaten a turtle, but my grandfather has told me that turtle soup is tasty, especially the softshell variety.
