Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Are they going to arrest and fine children (or parents of children) who are chasing lizards like anoles at roadside picnic tables and stops?

Way too broad to say "wildlife".

DR
Suboc.com

Outside of "alterna-land", I've only ever been stopped by a game warden for herping one time, and that was in central Texas on a road cut while I was flipping rocks.

The only place hunting-licenses have ever been enforced for herpers is the Trans-Pecos . . . they don't even check the rattlesnake round-up guys from what I've heard.

I honestly don't think that even the revised versions of HB 2414 are actually targeting herpers . . . even so, we know how it will be enforced.

Troy

... that in the past selective enforcement was not in our favor?

The last thing any law should do is give the law enforcement officer very much discretion. It should be pretty cut and dried, that way we all follow the same rules all the time.

Lance

We all know that you can road cruise in East Texas for Copperheads and ratsnakes all you want and the only thing that might happen should you encounter a game warden is that he'd tell you a story about the time he killed the 9 foot 97 pound rattlesnake (e.g. the one from the internet).

The only place that roadcruising, etc, for herps actually gets enforced (under whatever law you're talking about) is in Terrell, Brewster, Presidio, Pecos, Jeff Davis, and Val Verde Counties.

Troy

Here is what I just received from the office of Pete Gallego via e-mail.......

Mrs. Engeldorf
I just visited with Matt from Representative Isett's office. Here is what he said...

The purpose of the bill is to prevent people from outside of the state to come to rural Texas and take reptiles out of Texas back to their home states. Texas Parks and Wildlife contacted the office regarding the bill. They said this has been a big problem and has caused the population of reptiles in certain areas to decrease. The intent of the bill is to preserve certain species of reptiles.

If you have any other questions feel free to let me know

Thanks

Katherine Frolow

State Representative Pete P. Gallego

Texas State Capitol - 4S.5

(o) 512-463-0566

If that isn't the biggest load of BS I've ever heard, then i don't know what is!

Where is the documentation for this claim? Where are these "certain areas"? Who says? What studies have shown a population decrease for ANY Texas herp species caused by collection?

As I said before-the only affect this bill will have is on herpers. And it's obvious there is an agenda here-they're trying to ban us through the back door-and they almost succeeded without a fight. Why use the back door? Because if they tried to be upfront they know they have ZERO scientific documentation to support them.

Brad Chambers

Your are 100% right. They have NO scientific evidence to back this up. This is left wing banning legislation if I have ever seen it. Next to stopping it out right, which is what we should do, bag limits for out of staters. This is really probably about the turtles. Let me know what I can do to help.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX
(915) 595-8831
OHI2007@elp.rr.com

Carl Isett is a Republican . . .

Troy

Yes, I know but what they are doing is typical left wing banning. We have Republicans pushing a left wing agenda... alert the media! Maybe we can use that to our advantage.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

I was just made aware of the following correspondence and must ask you to follow through with some due diligence on a couple of points:

“I just visited with Matt from Representative Isett's office. Here is what he said...

The purpose of the bill is to prevent people from outside of the state to come to rural Texas and take reptiles out of Texas back to their home states. Texas Parks and Wildlife contacted the office regarding the bill. They said this has been a big problem and has caused the population of reptiles in certain areas to decrease. The intent of the bill is to preserve certain species of reptiles.

If you have any other questions feel free to let me know

Thanks

Katherine Frolow

State Representative Pete P. Gallego

Texas State Capitol - 4S.5

(o) 512-463-0566”

The first thing is that they have done no studies to show that the populations of reptiles are decreasing. And to the point of people from out of state, they failed to mention that these people come her and buy an out of state license to collect reptiles in Texas. This is and should be treated no differently than any other sportsman who comes her to lawfully hunt other animals such as turkey or deer.

Please consider the following wording:

(b) This section does not apply to the trapping or capture of a raptor, reptile or amphibian for educational or sporting purposes as provided by Chapter 49.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to hear my concerns.

Lance Benton

>>Mrs. Engeldorf
>>I just visited with Matt from Representative Isett's office. Here is what he said...
>>
>>
>>The purpose of the bill is to prevent people from outside of the state to come to rural Texas and take reptiles out of Texas back to their home states. Texas Parks and Wildlife contacted the office regarding the bill. They said this has been a big problem and has caused the population of reptiles in certain areas to decrease. The intent of the bill is to preserve certain species of reptiles.

Even if there was ANY proof or documented study that supports this junk: "...They said this has been a big problem and has caused the population of reptiles in certain areas to decrease..."
...why do they go from no-regulations-whatsoever to nobody-can-collect-reptiles-whatsoever???!!!

DR