The following letter is longer than I would have preferred, but it is arranged in bullet format (not sure how to make the bullets and indents show in this forum) and addresses most of my concerns. I used a little hyperbole to get there attention. Hopefully, the hyperbole is not extreme enough to expose my tin foil hat. I plan to send this to all state reps and senators. My hope is that it will persuade some that are on the fence and give ammo to some that are already on our side. I doubt it will persuade any that are already against us.

-----------------



Dear (Insert Reps Name Here),



I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 2414, relating to hunting from public roads or rights-of-way. Please consider the following points when deciding how you will vote.



HB 2414 would make it illegal to save a turtles live by moving it off of the road:

This bill, as currently worded, seems to protect wildlife along Texas roads and rights-of-way. However, TPWD currently defines hunting as “the pursuit with the intent to capture or kill”. Furthermore, capture is loosely interpreted as exercising any control or limitation over the movement of an animal. Any concerned citizen that tries to remove a turtle from the path of traffic must “pursue it with the intent to capture”. Ironically, it would not be illegal to “accidentally” run over the same turtle.



HB 2414 would make it illegal for a 10 year old to chase after a lizard at a rest stop:

If a child chases a lizard at a road side rest stop, he/she is “pursuing it with the intent to capture.” Does the state of Texas really want to criminalize the natural curiosity of a child?



HB 2414 would make it illegal for a photographer to pose or limit the movement of an animal while taking a picture:

For the same reasons as stated above, a citizen or tourist would be in violation of the law if he/she tried to take picture of a an animal and used any means to control the animals freedom of movement. For instance, using a stick to tap next to a snake and make it coil could be considered “pursuit with the intent to capture” and therefore hunting, even if the snake is allowed to crawl away unharmed after the picture is taken.



HB 2414 would make it illegal for citizens to collect scientific data by collecting and preserving road killed animals:

Many amateur naturalists collect road killed animals for research and preservation. Many of these animals are contributed to schools and museums for important scientific study. Check with the biology department at any state university or museum and they will confirm the importance of this type of collection and contribution by private citizens. Personally, as a young child (I’m now 42) I developed an interest in biology and learned a great deal about reptile anatomy and food preferences by collecting and dissecting numerous road killed reptiles.



HB 2414 would make it illegal for reptile and amphibian enthusiasts to pursue their hobby in virtually the only land in Texas that is currently open for them:

Approximately 98% of the land in Texas is either privately owned or protected as state or national park land. Additional, most of the Wildlife Management Areas and state owned hunting land prohibit the collection of reptiles or amphibians (I’ve never understood why it is legal to shoot a deer in a WMA but illegal to pick-up a frog). In many regions of the Lone Star State, the ONLY land that is currently open to reptile enthusiasts is the public road right of ways. Additionally, one of the most effective and time tested methods of reptile or amphibian collection or observation is to drive along lightly travelled rural roads in the evening or at night.



HB 2414 would make Texas the first state in the USA to ban the public from pursuing reptiles and amphibians along public roads and right-of-ways:

Driving rural roads and walking along the right-of-way is a time honored method of collecting or observing reptiles that is used in every state in this great nation. To the best of my knowledge, and based on inquiries to dozens of reptile enthusiasts all over the nation, there are currently zero states that ban this method of collection. This bill would make Texas the ONLY state in the nation to ban the public from pursuing reptiles and amphibians along public roads and right-of-ways.



HB 2414 would deprive TPWD from revenue generated by the purchase of hunting licenses:

Texas requires individuals to purchase a hunting license in order to pursue or collect reptiles or amphibians. As a reptile enthusiast that would never consider taking the life of any wild animal, I would have no reason to purchase a hunting license if this bill passed (public roads and ROWs are virtually the only place I “hunt” reptiles).



HB 2414 would deprive rural communities across Texas of much need tourism dollars:

Thousands of reptile and amphibian enthusiasts travel from various regions of Texas, other states and even foreign countries to spend their vacation time and dollars in rural Texas towns in order to collect or observe the wonderful reptiles and amphibians of this great state. Hotel operators and other retailers in many rural towns depend on these tourism dollars to remain in business during their off-seasons.



HB 2414 would greatly reduce the revenue generated by Texas’ world famous rattlesnake round-ups:

A very high percentage of the rattlesnakes collected for rattlesnake round-ups are collected from public roads and ROWs. This bill would prohibit this collection and thereby reduce the numbers of rattlesnakes collected and revenue generated by these highly profitable fundraisers. While I would personally love to see the rattlesnake round-ups stopped, this bill is not the correct means to do so.



HB2414 may be intended to limit commercial collection, but its broad language would also ban recreational collection and observation for non-commercial reasons:

It should be noted that the vast majority of reptile “collectors” actually collect very few reptiles from the wild. Most are simply enjoying the sport and releasing almost all of the animals they encounter. The few reptiles that are collected are mostly used in captive breeding programs that reduce the demand for wild caught animals. For instance, a typical reptile enthusiast will spend an average of $2500 in pursuit of Texas’ most famous reptile (the gray banded kingsnake) while the market value of that animal averages only $200. Personally, I have spent several dozen nights and untold dollars looking for a gray banded king along west Texas roads and ROWs and have not yet caught a single one. A separate bill to regulate or even ban the commercial collection of reptiles and amphibians would have the support of the vast majority of reptile enthusiasts. Most of us are extremely opposed to any commercial exploitation of our native wild populations of reptiles and amphibians.





Thank you for your time and consideration,

Daryl L. Eby

HC 65, Box 132-U

Alpine, TX 79830

432-371-2861

[ Show Entire Thread ]