The Turtle Man - Ernie Brown Jr.'s Wild Story

For many, the name Ernie Brown Jr. might not immediately ring a bell, yet if you mention "the Turtle Man," a spark of recognition often lights up faces. This fellow from Kentucky, known for his extraordinary knack with snapping turtles, captured the hearts of many television watchers. His unique approach to handling these creatures, often with his bare hands, really set him apart, making him a household name for a time, so it's almost a story that sticks with people.

This individual, who rose to prominence on a show that aired on Animal Planet, found himself in the public eye for quite some time. His television program, which followed his daily happenings as he dealt with bothersome wild animals, brought a bit of the Kentucky countryside right into living rooms across the nation. People seemed to genuinely enjoy watching him, seeing his ways with the creatures, and, you know, just getting a peek into his particular life.

However, the journey of the Turtle Man, like many public figures, had its share of ups and downs. From being a beloved figure on the screen to facing serious questions about how he managed animals, his story holds a lot of different moments. We'll be taking a closer look at his path, what made him famous, the difficulties he encountered, and what he's been up to since his time on the air, in some respects, giving a full picture of his life.

Table of Contents

Who is the Turtle Man - Ernie Brown Jr.?

Ernie Brown Jr., the person everyone came to know as the Turtle Man, has roots deep in Washington County, Kentucky. He's a fellow who grew up with a deep connection to the wild places of his home state, learning about the animals and the land from a very young age. His reputation for handling snapping turtles, a skill he developed when he was just a kid, really set him apart from most people you'd meet. He's not just someone who lives in the country; he's a true woodsman, someone who understands the rhythm of nature and its creatures, you know, in a way that few others do.

Before his time in the public eye, Ernie Brown Jr. was simply a local figure, someone known in his community for his particular talent. His knack for catching these rather tough-to-handle turtles, often using just his bare hands, was something of a local legend. It was this very unique skill, this way he had with the creatures, that would eventually put him on a bigger stage. His life, in some respects, changed quite a bit when the television cameras arrived, but his core identity as a person of the wild stayed with him, really.

His story is one of a regular person from a rural area finding unexpected fame because of a very specific ability. It shows how sometimes, the most interesting stories come from the places you might least expect, and from people who are just living their lives, doing what they do best. He's a person who, basically, became a symbol for a certain kind of wild living, and that's something quite remarkable, honestly.

Personal Details & Bio Data for the Turtle Man

DetailInformation
Full NameErnie Brown Jr.
Known AsThe Turtle Man
BirthplaceWashington County, Kentucky
ProfessionTelevision Personality, Animal Handler
Net Worth (estimated)$1 Million Dollars
Family StatusDivorced, has two daughters

How Did the Turtle Man Become Famous?

The path to widespread recognition for the Turtle Man, Ernie Brown Jr., really started with a video that caught fire on the internet. Imagine, a person diving into murky water, then wrestling a very large turtle out of it with just his hands. This kind of sight is not something you see every day, and it quickly became a sensation on YouTube. That video, basically, showed the world what he was capable of, and it got a lot of people talking about this unusual individual from Kentucky. It was, in a way, the spark that lit the flame for his public career, you know.

This internet buzz caught the eye of television producers, leading to his own program on Animal Planet, called "Call of the Wildman." The show followed Ernie Brown Jr. as he went about his work, dealing with wild animals that had become a nuisance to people. He had a particular way of doing things, often catching these creatures without causing them harm, and then letting them go back into their natural surroundings. This approach, along with his rather unique personality, made the show quite popular with viewers, really drawing in a lot of folks who enjoyed seeing something a bit different, that is.

For four seasons, from late 2011 to late 2014, the show was a regular feature for many households. It gave millions of viewers a peek into the life of this country person, someone who had a deep connection to the wild parts of Kentucky. He often had his friend, Neal James, and his dog, Lolly, by his side, making the whole setup feel very much like a genuine look at his life. The program, basically, turned him into a national figure, someone people recognized and talked about, which is pretty neat, you know.

What Happened with Call of the Wildman?

Despite its popularity and the millions of viewers it attracted, the program "Call of the Wildman" eventually came to an end. The show's cancellation, which happened in 2014, wasn't due to a lack of people watching, apparently. Reports suggested that the number of people tuning in was still quite high, even up to the year before it was taken off the air. So, the decision to stop airing the show seemed to come from other concerns, which, in some respects, were quite serious for a program focused on animals.

A big part of the trouble for the Turtle Man's show involved questions about how animals were treated during filming. There were claims that some of the scenes were not entirely real, that they were set up for the cameras. More troubling, there were also accusations of animals being handled in ways that were not good for their well-

How Did 'Turtle Man' Ernie Brown Jr. Get Into the Business? - American

How Did 'Turtle Man' Ernie Brown Jr. Get Into the Business? - American

Ernie Brown's Instagram, Twitter & Facebook on IDCrawl

Ernie Brown's Instagram, Twitter & Facebook on IDCrawl

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Former Animal Planet star 'The Turtleman' is coming to Carterville

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  • Name : Laney DuBuque Jr.
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