Red Ear Slider Turtle Survival

Question
I have two 3-year old Red Ear Sliders, about 6 inches long each.  The have been
living in an indoor lighted aquarium for about two years but we think they would
be much happier in a larger habitat outdoors.  We have the opportunity to re-
home them to a 3/4 acre, 14 foot deep mud-bottomed pond in upstate NY.  The
pond freezes over entirely in the winter time but the fish and frogs survive.  
Would our turtles also be able to survive the cold winter?

Answer
Probably, but there are a few strikes to consider.

1. Long term captives can certainly survive in the wild, but they will not know the territory, hiding places, predator evasion tactics, etc. that are specific to locations.

2. It is getting kind of late in the year- if you do this, do it very soon. Most turtles already found their hibernation sites and are close to them.

3. Upstate NY is quite a bit north of the slider's native home. You'll be introducing a non-native species to a new habitat, which can cause problems for native species. (Sliders are taking over ponds from native species around the US and even in cities around the world.)

Please understand that I am not a fan of releasing captive animals to the wild and never fully support it. I can give you several reasons for my opinions on this, and I can get quite stubborn about it in discussions. However I understand why people do it and at least in this case you have thought things out a little.  

If you think this is the right course, just do it soon so the turtles have a chance to find good hibernacula.

Good luck!