Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It has been a banner year for alterna...so how many has each of you taken home to be put in boxes? How many alterna have you photographed and released? Let's look at the ratio of take to release...

Ray

they get zero data from me until they get their act together.

I will throw out a bone though, I've "seen" a crapload of snakes this year.

I am not scared to give away the data from observing what I see when I am out legally listening to Syrrophus. I am not a collector but a mere observer. Been back from Mexico for a few days now, but have seen three alterna south of alpine while photographing Syrrophus. At home is where all bags stay. My only collecting equipment is a film camera, a data book, and my memory. There is nothing illegal with sitting on the side of the road with a parabolic microphone recording frogs calling.

r

They can't manage the resource without data, and they can't collect the data themselves. In case they didn't think of it prior, they just cut off their data source to spite their face.

I'm not sure they care though, since they have exactly one Herpetologist on staff and god bless him he has health issues.

Your data alone, or even the Gray-band sightings from Terrell county won't change the fact that the Department, and the non-game resources are poorly managed, and the wrong answer is closing off take from roads and right of ways to hobbyist collectors and breeders.

If it doesn't have horns and hoofs, it doesn't matter, never mind it might native to Africa, and displacing native species. Some dumbass might to pay $10k to fly down and shoot it during a canned hunt.

In our group, one of the four seen was released. Hippolusk, you sound like you feel the ratio of take to capture, photograph, and release may make a difference in how LE feels about herpers looking for altera......it probably won't....taking a few animals off cuts every year will probably not have a large impact on population numbers of Lampropeltis alterna. Although some people enjoy catching the animals and releasing them, many like to take their animals home .... I see nothing wrong with either philosophy. However, if you are a follower of either belief, this MAY be the last year you can legally do either!

I kept the one alterna that I've seen this year, turned loose all 3 celaenops that I've seen, including the one Monday night. Will most likely turn loose the annulata that I found the other night after it sheds and I get photos. Note, all releases were at site of capture.

Troy