Reptile & Amphibian Forums

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:507501

I invite all to respond on the Austin Chronicle's web site.
My statements were reported pretty accurately and some of the
statements made by TP & W and Hilderbrans office deserve comment.

My response is forthcoming...
Reptile Hunters Rattled Over Ban on Texas Traditio

Edited on July 26, 2007 at 09:19:21 by jeffb.

Jeff...........I read the article. If I was to look at this from a non-herpers point of view, I'd say your boy Todd was pretty slick in his presentation. Bottom line: The powers that be don't want any "lollygagging" on the public highways. Your personal safety is near and dear to their hearts, and no one would even consider prosecuting a "good Samaritan" for moving Bambi to safety.

I still don't see how this would change anything one wit, if you are simply walking a roadway at night taking pics. I'm guessing TPWD and company figured they would cross that bridge when necessary. I'm also guessing you folks can soon expect plenty of harrassment via traffic safety violations.

Good luck dealing with government officials of this ilk!

I posted a comment. Now I can't see my comment or any of the others. I keep getting an error message.

>>I posted a comment. Now I can't see my comment or any of the others. I keep getting an error message.

EBY - Now you've done it - you blew up the Chronicles web servers!

Naw we may be sending too much traffic their way, I got a timeout error then got a dbase error when I went to look at the comments

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/ReaderComments/?ContainerID=507501

Try this link - you may need to refresh the page in your browser
Austin Chronicle Comments - Reptile Article

Edited on July 26, 2007 at 11:27:54 by jeffb.

I emailed papers webmaster for assistance.

Software error:
db error: Can't open file: '__Obj.MYI' (errno: 145) at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Instance.pm line 56
Gyrobase::Instance::fetch(507501) called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/class.pm line 65
Gyrobase:ngine::class::evaluate('HASH(0x903b398)', 'HASH(0x952fa48)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 111
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::get_tag_evaluation('HASH(0x903b398)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 76
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::get_item_value('HASH(0x903b398)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 142
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::_process_word('Gyrobase:ngine::if=HASH(0x863035c)', 'HASH(0x903b398)', 'SCALAR(0x9538494)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 105
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::get_tag_evaluation('HASH(0x8ff2cac)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 76
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::get_item_value('HASH(0x8ff2cac)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 46
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::evaluate_array('ARRAY(0x9543704)', 'SCALAR(0x952ca84)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/if.pm line 58
Gyrobase:ngine::if::answer('HASH(0x8fe8320)', 1, 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 81
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::get_item_value('HASH(0x8fe8320)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/Engine/Evaluate.pm line 46
Gyrobase:ngine:valuate::evaluate_array('ARRAY(0x9036bd4)', 'SCALAR(0x9420080)', 'HASH(0x954685c)') called at /usr/local/gyrobase/Gyrobase/RenderTemplate.pm line 81
Gyrobase::RenderTemplate::handle_render_template('ReaderComments/', undef) called at /usr/local/gyrobase/app/template line 45

For help, please send mail to the webmaster (webmaster@austinchronicle.com), giving this error message and the time and date of the error.

I guess that HH is still trying to polish that turd?

He is saying that the other reps knew - that is false

He is saying that we are being treated like other hunters - We have different needs because we do not hunt with a firearm and are out at night

If anybody is injured or killed in open country at night I think that HH should be forced to defend himself in that civil suit.

Lance

he is feeling the pain of this now, and is trying to blow smoke all around the issue. We are hurting him in the political popularity contest and everybody is watching.

I think we need to be better than keep it up, I think we need to deliver more than he has ever seen.

I think we need to bring this out of his closet and let his voters see what kind of politician he is.

I appreciate the hard work that everybody has contributed and do not see anything other than getting his under the table laws off the books and him out of power as a solution.

He is not the right person for TP&W, he is not honest enough to be a polician, and he is a threat to native wildlife with his support of canned hunts and exotic animals.

Lance

I don't think Harvey is feeling any pain whatsoever from this. The only reason his lackey asked everyone to back off is because he was angry at the responses, not scared. It's time for billboards and newspaper adds in the Kerrville area.

If you think the fine folks who voted H.H. into office and keep him there care one bit about snakes or herpers you're sadly mistaken. All we're really doing is causing him a bit of embarressment which is making him angry - hence the lackey. On the other hand, we certainly CAN keep reminding folks of the underhanded way this was pushed past the wishes of his peers and perhaps deny him plum committee assignments, etc. That will hurt him on a very personal level. And I'm ok with that.......

I love how they try to play up the saftey issue? Since when does TPW get involved with Highway Saftey? Isn't that a DPS issue? They also didn't mention that these roads are not I-10 in the middle of Houston, they are small, backroads in the middle of no where. I don't know how many nights I've driven around and the only cars I saw were other herpers.

But on a lighter note, the cartoon was pretty funny! Did anyone catch the lizard mooning the herpers?!

The real shame is that the only people posting, and possibly reading this, are herpers.

I added this comment. I do not see it yet. I hope it just takes time for it to go through.

Matt Wagner is correct. There is no way of knowing how many animals are taken from the roadway. Does he think he will know how many animals are taken from private land? It would be much easier to keep an eye on the roadways than on private land. The main reason they have no idea how many animals are taken from the roadway is they have never even tried to collect any data from non game animals in the wild. They have a permitting system in place for collectors and dealers. Mix numbers from wild caught and captive bred animals get mixed together. It seems they may be taking the easy way out. Stop everything instead of managing it.
If they are so worried about safety then way does the state sponsor the Adopt A Highway program? TPWD created and promote several watch programs that encourage using the roadways to gather data. How many times have you seen people in orange jump suits pricking up trash on the right of way? Why did they make an exemption for the raptor group? Why is TPWD policing pedestrians’ on the roadway? I thought the department on public safety was in charge of that. I don’t think safety has anything to do with this. There was over 2000 hunting accidents in 3 years. Why have they not stopped hunting? No fatalities or accidents have been found involving people looking for reptile and amphibians.
Why would a game warden be called to check out suspicious lights. I think the sheriffs department or border patrol would be called.
Sinclair says game wardens can use common sense in distinguishing between rescuers and hunters. There is nothing in the law that allows them to interpret the law the way they want to. They are law enforcement not a judge. This also makes it very difficult to know what is “OK” and what is not. Is photographing ok? What about an animal that is dead on the road? Could I move it or photo it?
TPWD seems to be worried about the wrong thinks. They are worried that too many animals are being taken from the road. They have done nothing to find the facts on how many are being taken. The same time they are allowing over 300000 turtles to be shipped to Asia for food and over 84000 rattlesnakes in three years be killed at roundups. They have not even attempted to collect date to analyze the effect.

Mark Pyle

Your post was sent to internet oblivion.

Try posting again. After submitting your post, you are given a chance to proof read, edit, or post your comment. I'm guessing that you missed this screen and never officially posted your comment.

Both of my comments have been added immediately.

Thank you. I tried it again and the edit page poped up this time. It is there now.
Mark

Crap! That must be what happened to mine...I just thought they removed it because it was, well, not so nice...
-----
Snakes to the Max

I am in.
-----
Todd Hughes

If Matt Wagner was quoted correctly, it is very disappointing. His comment is really off base. Certainly human trafficking is second to narcotics, followed by fire arms, illegally imported goods et. al. The numbers simply don't back Matt's statements. As to Todd K' s assertion that the Senators and Reps knew about the ban being included in HB 12, I have spoken to approx. a dozen who did not. I would encourage everyone to politely call their Reps and State Senators and ask if they knew. As to the comment about snakes from Todd. I think it clearly demostrates his agenda. Frankly the take from roads can be controlled in the same way fishing limits are managed.
Richard Strieber

I would suggest we lobby to have reptiles considered in the category of "fishing" for purposes of TPW regulation-just like in some other states. Aftert all, unlike hunters, WE "throw back" most of what we catch.

This would also secure our access to road rights-of-way. Can you imagine the uproar if they tried to deny FISHERMAN access to bridges, abuttments, and roadside streams and canals?

Brad Chambers

They do, it is illegal to fish from a bridge or roadway.. But not the right of way..

A little better, but not perfect.

Lance