Reptile & Amphibian Forums

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20120726a

I think it'd be a good idea to write, email, etc. with a congratulations and a "looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship" from the TX herping community...
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

You must be the only one who thinks we should do this! And this is exactly the problem with the reptile community at large - complacency

For my money TP&W is not worth the space they take up in the State of Texas. I say this because I have been harassed numerous times this season by the wardens - especially in Val Verde County. They hired a bunch of young kids to carry a gun and a badge, but they do not even know how to identify any of the snakes they are out there to "protect" except of course for the alterna. I have been stopped five times while walking a cut this season in Val Verde County. Every one of these guys was under 25 years old. And they all had plenty of "attitude". Like I was some kind of drug smuggler or something. Of course in Texas you can come here and slaughter as many animals as you can afford to carry home, but pick up a live snake and you are a nazi of some kind. Aside from the fact that these guys want to just stand around and talk and pump you for info, they aslo wanted me to walk the 1/2 to 1 mile back to my truck so they could search it. Really? I had the vest on. I was walking. I had every hunting license and stamp Texas offers for non game/reptiles. Where was "reasonable suspicion" or "probable cause" ? There was none. I was involved in a legal activity in complete compliance with every regulation ste forth by TP&W. They did not search my vehicle because I asked a simple question...."Am I under arrest or am I free to go"? They either had to place me into custody or leave me alone. Had they placed me into custody for the sole purpose of searching my truck and later let me go, they would have been facing a Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit and formal complaints to Austin. This is how we need to handle TP&W - not by kissing their collective arses ! I personally am fed up with the reptile community at large just bending over and taking whatever TP&W wants to give us.

"WHEN THE MEEK INHERIT THE EARTH - IT WON'T BE WORTH HAVING !!!

You must be the only one who thinks we should do this!

I'm not the ONLY one, but perhaps one of only a handful.

I say this because I have been harassed numerous times this season by the wardens - especially in Val Verde County.

I think this information would be useful to relay to not only TPWD "higher-ups," but your state legislators. It runs counter to the general vibe other herpers are putting out; that the vest helps identify us as a "non-threat" who is out there following the rules (although a large number of survey respondents said it makes us a bigger target for wardens). I think both points are important to emphasize and maybe should be stressed in warden training (especially those charged with looking for herpers--they should be able to identify the species in their respective counties).

Is there a formal complaint process you could follow? Even if no action is taken, I think it would be worthwhile to have your experience be made a matter of official record.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

>>You must be the only one who thinks we should do this! And this is exactly the problem with the reptile community at large - complacency

I doubt it. I think opening the lines of communication is a very proactive and forward-thinking approach.

And Chris, I admire your diplomacy.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Let me say first that I too admire Chris' ability and efforts and I in no way meant anything ill towards him or that effort. I am, however, fed up with TP&W treating us like criminals and I just think there has been enough a** kissing to the powers that be in Austin over the past 30-40 years. Now if we wanted to run around killing every snake we saw - TP&W would bend over backwards to see that we had the ability to do so like they do by allowing the slaughter of basically every other animal in the the state. Let's see.....did you know that anything in the form of big game that does not occur in Texas can be hunted all year, at night, with spotlights, baited and no limit? Axis, Sika, Blackbucks, Mouflon, Auodad, etc,....You think TP&W checks every Jaycee in Sweetwater to see if they have the non-game stamp and Texas hunting license when they bring in hundreds of atrox for slaughter? No way. Why? MONEY! And PS....I hunt big game.

I did actually call LE in both Del Rio and Austin in regards to these issues. Never heard a word from either of them. And really they did not do anything except take up my time, but they did try to "threaten" me into an illegal search. I never have anything in my truck anyway cause I'm forced to leave it beside the road in the middle of nowhere.

On a funny note.....anyone else recall seeing that black and white dodge pickup truck as you turn onto Juno Rd. off 90? It has only been there since last summer. But the State has time to bother a bunch of people looking for snakes while a stolen/abandoned vehicle just sits along the ROW !