Chrish,

I could not agree with you more and well said. I'm not one to give a lecture about collecting as I've done my share. For years I would collect every alterna I found. The most was 12 in a 13 night run back in 94. To date I'm right around 25 alterna under my belt with the last four released. Two of those were in Mexico and I had no choice. I still go to Texas about every other year and it's just for the "rush" of finding a alterna but, not to collect. A good pic is enough for me now. I have all the alterna I want in my collection and just because I found another one doesn't mean I have to take it. If one dies in my collection, I replace it with a captive bred snake now. There's a good variety out there now to pick from and they're cheap! For myself, this is "growing up" and we all have our different views of what grown up is. Everyone of those is fine. "To each their own" and I really don't give a crap about what anyone else does. What I don't understand is why people hunt the same road(s) year after year and find the same snake (Many are ugly snakes that have a undesirable look to them. Any breeder working on "good looking" gene selection would not want to mix these rank looking snakes to their colony. The buying public doesn't want it either.) and have to take it no matter what. I don't look down at anyone that does it. I guess I would like to see more adventurous herpers that try herping new or less hunted areas and see what else is out there. I know there are a small few. There's alot to still be learned on the range of alterna. Many of "us" should try and see what is else is out there. That's what I'm trying to do and I still will continue to leave what I found in the field.

Paul Lynum

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