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roundup
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by bush_viper17 on March 23, 2005
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Ive been checking the roundup guestbook and putting in my comments everyday. When something happens to our keeping rights,everyone jumps on board and makes a big deal about it, but when something effects the wild snakes, noone has anything to say. Too many people are focused on breeding and keeping snakes in captivity and not enough people actual go to the woods anymore and try to help the snakes. Too many people take everything they find. Ive been with some of my friends who even take ringneck snakes out of the wild. What use was he going to get by taking it? The roundups and killings are still going on while most of us sit back and worry about if our state is next on the banning list. I am the last person who wants bans but I think if there were more regulations, the wild populations would benefit. Look at all of the ball pythons imported. Look at the egyptian cobras imported. Most of these snakes die and people go right out and buy another one.
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RE: roundup
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by Cro on March 23, 2005
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Jeremy: It is good to see that you are against the roundups. Things are getting better though. 20 years ago, there were 15 towns in S. Georgia that had roundups. Now, there are about 3. Texas had about 7, and now there are 2.
Over time, I think people are learning, and growing up to teach their children the same. It takes time though. There are plenty of laws and regulations, it is a matter of inforcement. The local game and fish folks live in the same community as the people doing the roundups. There is a lot of pressure for them to just not get involved.
If the SHHS, and individuals who give educational talks about venomous reptiles, keep teaching the young folks, over time roundups will become more distastefull. Also, shows on GPTV, and Discovery, and National Geographic help to teach people about the value of wildlife and conservation.
Even though many foreign snakes are still imported, many states now restrict collecting native reptiles. This is unfortunate in that it is bad for the young person who wants to keep a king or corn snake he catches, but it is good in that it has stopped some of the commercial collecting of the past.
Keep up the pressure on the roundup folks Jeremy. Slowly, it is working. It was worse. It is slowly getting better. Keep educating the kids. I dont think you will ever change the minds of the good ole boy roundup folks, but you just might change the minds of the kids. JohnZ
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RE: roundup
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by Rmitchell on March 23, 2005
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Hey look i've been giving the people on the sweetwater site &%$# for a couple of days now. I've been emailed by the pres of the roundup who has asked me to stop posting in the guest book. So if he is concerned about my little posts it must be doing something. Anyway i really think the reason the roundups are fewer than before is that the area in which they were held is probably running out of snakes to collect. Can't have a show without the snakes. The only kinda good thing about it is that they rely too much on the roundups for income, & once the snakes are endangered the government steps in & shuts them down they will all go bankrupt.
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RE: roundup
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by Cro on March 23, 2005
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Robert: The areas around the roundups ran out of snakes long ago. Most roundups are supplied by hunters who range far and wide for months before the roundup, collecting. They get paid for the snakes they catch, so you are right, if you take away the money, they would not collect the snakes.
Just dont' count on the Government stepping in and shutting them down. Every roundup has Game and Fish Folks there, but they never do anything. You have to remember that in GA, Venomous Snakes are not protected. I am not sure about Texas. If venomous snakes were protected in GA, along with non-venomous, then it would be different. You are going to have a hard time changing the law to protect venomous snakes.
At one time, a large number of the roundup snakes were purchased by venom labs. I am not sure if this is going on now days or not, but it would be worth checking into. JohnZ
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RE: roundup
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by bush_viper17 on March 23, 2005
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The common herper does just as much damage as the roundup people do. Look at all of the kingsnakes caught in the cane fields of south florida. The copperheads that everyone keeps when you can buy a captive bred animal for about 25 dollars. Ive heard of people taking pregnant snakes out of the wild and selling them. We need to save the animals we love. If not than it will be more than just our "hobby" that suffers.
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RE: roundup
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by Buzztail1 on March 23, 2005
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Jeremy, while I appreciate your passion, many of us have been arguing against roundups for years now.
The average herper has nowhere near the impact that a roundup does. One or two kingsnakes does not come near the thousands of pounds of rattlesnakes killed at Sweetwater this year.
Protection does little or no good. Land developers just pay their fee and bulldoze the habitat destroying the animals that are "protected" from the only people that actually care about them - the herpers. That is exactly the current situation with Gopher Tortoises right now. You aren't allowed to keep or breed them but Donny Developer can bulldoze their dens with impugnity.
Habitat destruction is the very worst threat to herps in the east. Roundups suck and need to stop but don't assume that no-one is doing anything.
R/
Karl
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by Cro on March 23, 2005
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The folks catching tons of kings in the canefields are "commercial collectors", supplying the pet trade. They dont care about the well-being of the animals, only the money. 90% of the pet shops dont' care about the snakes, they are just a product, as much as dog food, or tropical fish, or bird cages. ( There are a few pet shops that care for the wellfare of the animals, but they are very few ). You can help by telling your friends they dont' have to collect everything they see to prove what super herpers they are. The "more is better attitude" is the problem. Try to get them to do like the "bird folks", with their check lists. Carry your Conant Book, and put a check mark next to the ringneck snake when you find him. Keep a log, and record finding him. You dont' have to bring him home to proove anything. JohnZ
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RE: roundup
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by bush_viper17 on March 23, 2005
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There have been several roundup posts on this site and only me and one other person is the only one speaking on the roundup guestbook. Im not against keeping snakes and I know that every herper is important and is very helpfull to the animals. But sometimes we all get carried away. Everyday I hear about a new "canefield king" that was caught. In the last month alone just from just a few websites ive heard of approx 25 different kings caught out of the same canefields and it isnt even good snake season yet. Sometimes when Im looking in a good area that a few people know about and I find a snake, I think, well if I release it, someone is going to come right by and catch it.
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RE: roundup
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by bush_viper17 on March 23, 2005
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well put Cro. Ive found 5 foot canebrakes up here and didnt take them home and I didnt care to show any one. I knew I caught it, I got my experience up some more and that was all that mattered. One time I found a beautiful timber rattlesnake female up here. I showed my friends the spot and they went up there and destroyed her home and I havent seen her since.
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