Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I personally think this has something to do with the state of affairs in the Texas herp world.

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The Texas Parks and Wildlife issued the following news release:

Carter Smith was named executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on Dec. 5 at a special meeting of the TPW Commission in San Antonio. Smith will be leaving the helm at The Nature Conservancy of Texas to take the top job at TPWD.

"Carter Smith is a well-respected conservationist and has proven his ability to develop successful partnerships with landowners and others," said TPW Commission Chairman Peter Holt."

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Peter Holt of Holt Caterpillar...wonder how he makes his money?

The issue is way bigger than just one single solitary Texas legislator, Rep. Hilderbrand. He is but a cog in the wheel.

I don't think playing nice with Texas Parks and Wildlife has paid off so far.

I also don't think being divisive and sacrificing herp sectors for appeasment has done a bit of good.

Furthermore, I do think the Commercial interests that carve up real estate for profit, thereby modifying, fracturing, degrading, polluting, and destroying habitat are in bed with the "Professional Wildlife Authorities" of Academia, Zoos, Institutions, Federal and State Authorities, non-profit Animal Rights Organizations; with that unspoken agreement to carve up America between themselves, thereby cutting the Private Sector out.

For we are unqualified and unworthy. We are but the lowly laymen of this World. If that's not Class Warfare, I don't know what is. They're putting up a very high fence around what we love and do. And they're getting ready to put a very big lock on the gate.

I think adequate proof is in the TP&W announcement that I posted above. That was back in 2007, by the way.

jsc

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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

"I don't think playing nice with Texas Parks and Wildlife has paid off so far."

That's why we aren't relying on "playing nice" this time around. But you about have to try the carrot before you bring out the stick. Stay tuned.
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

Breeder of:
Green Tree Pythons
Jungle Carpet Pythons
Pastel, Pinstripe, FIRE, Piebald, Clown, Lavender Albino, Leucistic, and Spider Ball Pythons
Striped Colombian Boa Constrictors
Kenyan, Rufescens, and Conicus Sand Boas
Red Phase Western Hognose Snakes
Spider Western Hognose Snakes
Albino Western Hognose Snakes
Locality Trans-Pecos Mexican Hognose Snakes
Southern Hognose Snakes
Eastern Hognose Snakes
Tricolor Hognose Snakes
Hypo Checkered Garter Snakes
Eastern Blackneck Garter Snakes
Stillwater Hypo Bullsnakes
Patternless Bullsnakes
S. GA Eastern Kingsnakes
Locality Desert Kingsnakes
Albino Desert Kingsnakes
Hypo Desert Kingsnakes
Mexican Black Kingsnakes
Desert Phase, Striped Desert, Newport, and Coastal California Kingsnakes
Locality Mexican Milksnakes
Spotted Mexican Milksnakes
Tangerine Mexican Milksnakes
Locality Alterna
Abbott Okeetee Cornsnakes
Mexican Baird's Ratsnakes
Cape Housesnakes
Tangerine Albino African Fat -Tailed Geckos
Locality Spotted Turtles

I was born in North Florida and proud of it. As a child we plowed the fields with a mule and we had two kinds of them my Grandma said. One kind you hitched up and told it what to do and it did just that. The other kind she'd walk up to and slap on the butt a bit hard. She said that was to get it's attention and let it know who the boss was and then you'd have no trouble with it. It seems to me that analogy could be thought about in other arena's considering the mess we're in...thanks
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I worked for quite a bit of time in an industry which was nearly destroyed in past decades. Some of the negative attention they received was deserved ( think tuna and dolphins or discarded by catch or over exploitation of the resource ) but by and large they provide a valuable service ( food ). What I learned after speaking with many leaders in that industry was that they survived by becoming smart, proactive and fighting for their livelihoods. They formed a very strong association that has lobbied for them extensively and they have won a future for themselves by using every tool at their disposal. That kind of thinking and action is what this industry needs. I am no expert but I know a lot of you out there are.