To Texas Legislators, Hilderbran, Todd K, TPW,
And also to my fellow reptile enthusiasts:
By now you legislators have surely discovered you have been given wrong information. It seems to me you put the cart before the horse on this one. Laws, stop signs, and street lights are generally put into place after a problem has been found not before. If you are really concerned with public safety keep us on the roads. The Border Patrol, TP&W, DPS, everyone knows where we are if we are on the roads. If someone gets hurt or dies out away from the roads, where they could not have gotten help, it will all come back to your office and HB12 will get the blame. Nearly every year someone dies in the southwest deserts in the daylight from getting lost. Imagine the dangers at night.
My name is Roy Engeldorf. I have been coming to west Texas for over 30 years looking for reptiles and enjoying this part of the country and its people. About 5 years ago my wife Ruth and I decided to try new way of life. We moved to Sanderson Texas and bought a motel. It was not an easy decision. She had a great paying job with great benefits and we owned a pet store in Lawrence Kansas for 6 years. We had a large house on 10 acres with a pond (I miss my 14” crappie) my wife misses not having to drive 2 hours to shop. We have 3 grown children and 3 grand children. We knew we would vacation to see them and they would come to see us. If this law was in place then the decision would have been easy we would not have risked our financial investments and retirement to move to Texas. One of the perks of living in Sanderson is that I can go out any night I want to look for reptiles. To me this is a very exiting yet a relaxing way to spend a few hours in the evening.
I started a retile exhibit and education center at the motel in the spring of 2003. I do reptile rescue, safety presentations, educational programs at school and other functions all for free.
In the summer of 2003 the local economic development director asked me to create an “alterna” or “gray banded king snake” day, a function in the community to help bring business to town. We need tourist to have a reason to stop and stay here, he said. To make a long story short reptile enthusiasts make up about 25% of my yearly motel business. They stay here shop and eat at our restaurants, buy gasoline, etc. AT LEAST THE DID! Until HB12 passed. Now, since this has passed into law I have NO reptile enthusiasts here at my motel. Our whole county looses revenue. The first 2 weeks in June we were full of reptile enthusiasts from mostly Texas but we also had people from all over the country (NY, Delaware, Michigan, CA) and from all over the world (the UK). The reptile season had started. A great time was being had by all. Almost every group of people found at least 1 “gray band”. Most were kept, some were released, all were photographed many times and the stories, fishermen have nothing on us. Yes the #1 sought after snake was the gray banded king snake, at least by most but not all. It is the “trophy” down here in the reptile world. The conservation issue you’ve already heard it. Big, big area of habitat, very, very few roads, you do the math! After more than 30 years of road collecting in west Texas there would not have been so many gray bands seen in a 2 week period if the animals were in danger. I believe it was the most common snake found.
Yes in my opinion this rider to HB12 is uncalled for. Not to mention the fact that I will loose thousands and Texas will loose 100’s of thousands of tourism dollars$$$$$$$$.
A note to our fellow herpers;
I have talked to a few TP&W field agents; they were just as surprised as we were with this bill. They have had very few problems with us. Don’t blame them or take this out on them. Let’s not give them a reason to dislike us. They do have to do their job just like we do to make a living.
Last but not least here is an invitation to TP&W or any legislators’ office or representative that wants to help: I will be your host; a room, a night of reptile looking and wildlife observation. Come and I’ll show you how we use to road hunt. See what we are all about.
Roy and Ruth Engeldorf
Outback Oasis Motel
Sanderson, TX
432-345-2850
