Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Everybody needs to visit the site and "dig" the article... post a comment or two, etc and so on... The more traffic this article has the longer it will stay up at the top of this very busy site.
Who will save our snakes?

I "Dugg It", commented on it, and posted a link to it on another forum.

Why only 4 diggs so far?

If you are reading this, you need to get off you're a$$, visit the article on Digg It, post your comment, and "Digg It".

digg.com/politics/Who_will_save_our_snakes

Done !! Dugit !! What happened to Joe's hair??

I think he pulled it out in a rage over HB 12?

I have thought about that look myself when I get on the road, one less thing to worry with... In fact I did a buzz cut once just to go hunting a couple of years ago.

Lance

This weekend get your friends and family to digg this article as well, if we get it high enough it will stay around and likely be picked up in larger media outlets....

Keep Digging we are getting closer

Lance

Some group of cowards are hitting the "bury it" option on the article. Everytime they do, it cancels out one of our diggs. We are down to just 10 diggs now.

Not surprisingly, the cowards that are trying to bury the article have not had the courage (or a convincing lie) to post any negative comments about the article. Looks like HH and gang are still working in the shadows.

EVERYONE READING THIS NEEDS TO "DIGG" THIS ARTICLE.

This is a media war! We have to learn how to work the system and fight back. Don't let these cowards duck and cover.

Keep getting everybody willing to support us to digg this...

Friends, Families, Willing Strangers... If you are active on blog, then blog it...

If I we can get this thing to spread to a thousand diggs then we will be a hot item and get some media attention... It is not hard to hit 1000 if we get the word out to everybody and pay it forward.

Lance

Get it out there... It will only take a few minutes to come up with a few people no on KS.com that do not know about this yet that will care enough about you and your hobby to digg it.

Lance

I say bury it. While I support most of what Joe says he is the President of an organization with a BAD agenda. Joe's group wants to BAN the sale of wild caught animals in any number and that is WRONG. Bury it!

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

The large scale sale of animals for the skin and meat trade are the goal. The goal is not impact the low impact collectors and hobbyist.

You can believe what you wish, but the days of zero regulation are coming to an end, the whole view of things is changing. Our goal is to find a set of rules and regulations that are favorable to hobbyist collectors and breeders. If you do not want to be a part of that, then that is fine you can head in your own direction.

Now think about it, the white list you hate so much is on the books. The tried and true collecting method along the ROW is illegal for now. There is a reg on the books for exotic Reptiles. All signs of the changes we must face and deal with. We are no longer a group of unnoticed sportsmen, and now we must organize or face more and more such regulations that will chew away at our rights to catch keep or sell any herps in Texas.

So, what is your plan to make things work?

Lance

Lance,

HCU supports the BANNING of selling ANY wild caught animals. Don't try and put it back on me. Admit what is in your constitution Lance! It states this fact openly w/o options. I have posted my ideas many times and you know it. Let me say it one more time so you can understand BAG LIMITS! And another way BAG LIMITS and again BAG LIMITS.

Don't try and come off like you don't know what this is about. You know darn well. I will not argue back and forth with members of HCU about this. You put it in your constitution. You know my ideas are fair and reasonable and you know what they are.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

Mike, you have flip flopped on this again and again, instead of trying to drag HCU through the mud, the ones who stood up against this crap, why don't you single-handedly save us all? Because no man is an island, you can't! So quit whining and do something to further YOUR cause. Your rights are slipping away as you spend your time harassing others who at least are doing something. As a hobbyist collector, you should see some benefits, as a commercial collector, you will see none from HCU.
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Todd Hughes

Todd,

I have NEVER flip flopped on anything, pal. I have done a lot to help. I have written my letter to the Governor concerning the new Director and Commissioners. Have you? I have asked my contacts from around the country to write as well. Have you? I filled in the first 50 media outlets on Joe's media contact database. Did you fill in any? I got my Rep here in El Paso to vote "no" on HB 1309 and HB 2414. Did you get your Rep to do that? I made a several page list of all the ideas that were floated on the forum and posted it so we could keep track of all the ideas to fight HB 2414. Do you remember that? I am the ONLY person to get a hold of a lobbyist, remember? I called all the Reps and asked them to vote "no" on HB 2414. Did you? I contacted the Governor daily to get him to not sign HB 12. Did you?

What the heck have you done? Run your mouth on this forum? I am defintely in the top 5 of people who have been working on this. Next false accusation?

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

Mike, I have done all you have done except get a lobbyist, but again, not as much as you. I do not have my livelihood to think about as you do, only my true passion for life. I have publicly apologized to you on an above thread (Gerold McKeown) for slandering your take of herps but, pal, let's get something clear, I am not the one running my mouth, I am defending what I believe is a right, one that you seem so keen in destroying. If you do not agree, cool. If you cannot trust people that have more to lose than you, that is your problem. I wanted to revolve my life around the herp thing, different than your thing, but herp centerted. I have found something more important, to keep fighting the right thing. So I will say it again, I apologize for my comment about your taking ANY thing ANY time, and I thank you as a memeber of HCU for your help in the collection of newspaper editor data, it will be very useful in the future for HCU. What I want to know is if you do not agree with us then why help us?
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Todd Hughes

Todd,

I almost agree with you and HCU but I sell animals for a living. I sell both captive born (for hobbyists and pet trade) and wild caught (for reserchers, zoos and hobbyists). I beleive this service I offer is a legitimate, conservation minded approach to the relaity that some wild caught animals are needed and life isn't free (I have bills and expenses). It is vitally important for the door to selling wild caught animals remains open. There are so many reasons why this is the case. I have posted these many times. All you would have to do to get my full support is to change Resolution 2 otherwise I will be against you. It is as simple as that.

We do need to ban together but HCU will not get all of the stakeholders it needs to be a well rounded group without changing Resolution 2. Before people go slamming me again. I DO NOT SUPPORT OVER-COLLECTION and I beleive that if high numbers of a particular species are needed for something i.e. research, round ups, pet trade or turtle soup they should be captive born to not negatively affect wild populations.

That is the bottom line with me and always has been. Leave the door open to low impact wild sale, support captive propagation of all species (including E & T species)as a "safety net", no possession limits or limits on captive born as long as the animals are being well cared for. That is all I want.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

I would then suggest that you join and have a voice to try to change this"stance" in house rather than throw stones from outside. What do you have to fear? They have shut down the ROWS and roads, otherwise, I hope you have a great deal of land out there or you will have a hard time paying the bills. We want the ROWS and roadways back, we want WMA's opened up, we want fair laws and we want to be a part of making those laws. You should too, and if I were you, I would get ready to join and try to change those things from inside rather than not to have a voice at all.
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Todd Hughes

Todd,

You make some excellent points. I will consider this. I would just like to see stronger language at the outset. I don't want to end up wasting my time and energy trying to change things that some are not willing to change. My time might be better spent creating an organziation that is more inclusive and reasonable from the get go. But again having ONE organization with a well rounded all inclusive (almost all) agenda is better than two or more separate organizations don't you think?

The language of Resolution 2 will have to be changed for me to become fully and completely involved.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

Lance,

From the HCU's Constitution:

Resolution 2: HCU does not support the collection of any reptile or amphibian from the wild for the purposes of sale, including, but not limited to, the wholesale commercial collection of turtles for food markets and similar trade in rattlesnake skins, meat, and organs.

You owe me a public apology, Lance

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

Thank you for pointing out that HCU does not support commercial collecting. I will definitely support them now!
Thanks Mike!

Elaphefan, you are the wisest poster today! Mike, give it up buddy, and fight your own fight, please. If you don't like it, don't be a part of something that IS going to change the way herping is done, for the better!
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Todd Hughes

Apology?

You might not want to hold your breath... The HCU does not support the trade in WC animals, you knew that... Do also remember what I let you know about our goals to regulate that... You seemed to think that was a good approach, and it has not changed.

I will just lend you a shovel, you keep digging and see where it gets you.

Lance

>>Apology?
>>
>>You might not want to hold your breath... The HCU does not support the trade in WC animals, you knew that... Do also remember what I let you know about our goals to regulate that... You seemed to think that was a good approach, and it has not changed.
>>
>>I will just lend you a shovel, you keep digging and see where it gets you.
>>
>>Lance

Lance, I think you owe him some gov. cheese to go with that "whine". LOL
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Steve W.

LOL, Mike seriously, you were the one who said we should not be fighting amongst ourselves and here you are, you owe HCU an apology!
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Todd Hughes

Mike you are entitled to your opinion and I will bury anything I see from you in the future. Mike is for the selling of ANY native herp for ANY reason and I say bury it.
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Todd Hughes

Todd,

I am not for the selling of ANY native herp for ANY reason. Don't spread lies about me. I am for the right to sell any native herp legally collected for captive propagation, research, education and exhibition to qualified people who can take care of it properly. Get it right, dude!

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

We have got to stop arguing on a public forum. It only hurts.
Richard Strieber

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