Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If anyone can meet me or go collecting with me or give me some localities, in the next couple of days, I would greatly appreciate it.I am in Cincinnati.
I would mostly like to see snakes, but I like everything else
too.
I have my cell phone 352-634-0761
I will be heading back down to florida by interstate 75 if anyone has localities along that route south of Ohio into Kentuky and Tennassee.
Thank you for any and all help.
Phil Frank

and then take them out of state. You can only collect animals if you are a state resident and buy the proper permits.

Thank you for the up date on collecting Ohio. I was only here a few days to visit my daughter and her family and thought I would like to see your herpetofauna and needed a local expert to help as I have not collected here ever and probably never will again, as my daughter is moving back down to Florida.
It is a shame that despite the local laws, a native Ohioan cannot find time to show a fellow enthusiast around while he visits for just ONE day at the risk of sounding illegal. Despite my lack of residence, a friendly native could have collected the specimens and I could have photographed them! Any broken laws in that?
If ever any of you would like to be shown a good time in Florida looking through a very large and diverse population of herps, just let me know and I will assuredly go with you or lead you to a fellow collector. I can keep you from collecting ANY illegal animals while there and a good time will be had by all!
Hopefuly, a lasting relationship will be made and we can continue to share in our love of all things herp and no one will have to be arrested, stigmatised or the like.
Any takers?
Phil Frank

Phil,

I think people were not sure of your intentions. Your use of the words "collector and collect" are not the same as "herper" or "catch and release for pics" here in OH. I think if you had more carefully worded your post the first time around people would have been more willing to help.

That being said - there really aren't that many fieldherpers in Cinci who regularily get out in the field. The ones who do and who actually check this forum, were all out of town to the best of my knowledge. I was in the eastern part of the state for the weekend and many people from the society were down in KY for the "Herp Weekend".

Sorry for the way things turned out. I think you ran into a little bit of bad timing and possibily some confusion about your intentions.

Jason
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www.buckeyeherps.com

When replying to a post like this one, you never to sound insulting by suggesting they are up to something illegal or unethical, but the fact is, there are decent people and dirtbags everywhere, and all we have to go on is a few lines of text from someone we have never met.

Spell out your intentions clearly upfront and you may get someone willing to go with you or show you a place or 2.

But, as mentioned...I was out of town as well as most of the Cincy area herpers. I don't think it would have happened last week. Sorry it didn't work out.

This idea about "dirt bags" can be relative.
Some people think sound scientific research which requires vouchering of specimens is "dirt bag" in it's treatment of these animals. If animals are obtained to feed your livestock, this could be interpreted as "dirt bag" for those who have cobras and need rat snakes for their meals.
Others who collect for a living or for trade purposes are very often considered "dirt bag" in that they offend those who are in direct opposition with them like researches who don't want their area dispoiled, breeders who don't want to compete with wild caughts, or conservationist who insist people are invasive species.
I think to someone or another, we are all "dirt bags" somehow.
My beef is when someone is quick to appoint or think or react to a fellow herper with a "dirt bag" slant that this is one of the reasons this hobby is in such trouble. It is ,by far ,the most non-helpful and suspicious group I have seen. And it didn't used to be that way.
In the seventies and early eighties I used to visit herpetoculturalists by the scores and the information highway ran freely. I was even privy to an E.indigo breeder who had developed a half red snake back in the day when they were cheap and available. I saw keepers raising hatchling sea turtles for release. I saw Phelsuma breeders with more species than most herpers have ever heard of, all in one room! Island boas were available and the rarer ones were bred by a few, I even had some back then. In those days people were people and the trade was open and welcome. Then a few people got robbed and some even attacked. The greed net closed in and the hobby went nocturnal.
Maybe now it is inhabited by "dirt bags"
In defense I must say there are some very open and helpful herpers out there. These individuals are a great source of inspiration for those of you who whould like to see the "good 'ole days" of herping return. With the advent of laws closing in on almost every aspect of our hobby, we must be willing to oppose close mindedness and come together as a group to lobby for our rights and this requires one sightedness as well. The diverse interests of herpers should not be used as a tool for seperation, but as an invigorating tonic to season us into a delectable union of tremendous interest to all things intellegent.
Conservationists who will keep our wildlife fecund. Collectors to supply breeders and scientists. Scientists to discover new species and behaviors and breeders to tantalize the novice who will supply our future generations of Herpers.
Phil Frank

I'm sorry my response was taken that way. I just saw the word collect and wanted to make sure that you had a quick update on the newer herp laws in the state.

That way if you were just looking to see some Ohio herps you would at least know that you could get in trouble if you were to pack up a few, even if just to relocate them for pictures and such.

I am in NE ohio and don't really know any spots around the Cinnci area.

I think you are reading a lot more into it than is there.
It seems like you have gone and decided what I meant by dirtbags...and mistakenly I might add.

There are people from out of town that I have gotten to "know" though many conversations and I've trusted them enought to take them herping (photo documenting only) at some places.

And...there are people that I have met that, if shown a good spot, would go back the week later and take every single animal that they could find, and sell it on their table at a swap meet.

Those people, in my opinion, are dirtbags.

I did not mean to offend you or suggest you are one of those people...but, let's face it, all we know you as is a name on a computer. It would be borderline irresponsible of a herper to take someone to a "sacred" spot without understanding their intentions.

Cincy is not like Florida. There are not herps everywhere. We are relatively protective of the few spots that are left.

N/P

I completely understand your reluctance and reaction to this issue, as you have helped individuals and had several of them violate your trust in the area of giving out locations for field herping.

Unfortunately, within a group of respectful individuals, there are always a handful of uncaring, self involved folks that have no regard for honor and place their desires before decency to others.

We have to keep our guard up regarding the things we care about, lest that which we value will be violated.

Neil