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Snake Catchers
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by FSB on April 8, 2008
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I don't know how I feel about this ad:
i am again offering up snake catching trips in SC....i went out w/ one of the guides sunday and got 34...4 canebrakes,5 copperheads,3 corns,1 coachwhip,11 intergrade rat snakes,9 black mambas(racer), and 1 brown ground snake....i have three guides this year w/ their own routes, so i am able to offer 1,2,or 3 day trips...the hunts are $150 per person per day....this includes breakfast and lunch, and with gas the guides don't make a bunch of money...it is more about having good times and making good memories...some of the land you hunt may be the same as was written about in Reptiles mag. "Boys in the Hoods" by Bill Love....the great Keith Taylor has past, but his legacy lives on...if you are interested in the hunt of a life time let me know at jsargent75@aol.com or call 843-455-1611 after 5pm....
....34 snakes? Can you take good care of all those, or are you a dealer? It says "snake catching," so I assume that means you're keeping all this stuff. Yes, I have a problem with that (unless, perhaps, the snakes are being taken from a place that is soon to be developed or something). At this rate, will there be anything left? Rattlesnakes are especially susceptible to overcollecting, but at the least this list of species shows a very indiscriminate collector, and possibly a dealer. I only keep select specimens from my snake removal activities that have lost their homes, or snakes that are in some sort of imminent danger of being destroyed. As I look out the window at our mountain, it makes me feel good just knowing those timber rattlers up there are in a safe place that feels like home. I'm always happy to see racers and northern brown snakes in the field, but Lord knows, I don't take them home, unless I'm getting ready to do a lecture and need one for a few days. Racers in particular make poor, nervous and unhappy captives, all the time running the edges of the cage looking for a way out. I grew up in North Carolina, and when I was a kid, spotted turtles were easily found along the coast, and in some places red pygmy rattlers were as common as copperheads. Now, thanks to the efforts of unscrupulous out-of-state collectors, you can hardly find any at all, to the point where laws have been enacted to protect them. It makes me feel violated when someone from outside comes in to plunder my home state... makes my Southern blood boil and almost makes me want to reach for great-grandaddy's old shotgun, which sent many a plundering yankee back across the Potomac with his tail between his legs. Oh well, that's just how it makes me feel. Freedom of speech, y'know. But for God's sake, if WE don't start protecting these animals, who will? Will my son ever get a chance to see an EDB in the wild in NC? I was taught to leave something for the next guy.
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RE: Snake Catchers
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by earthguy on April 8, 2008
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Frederick,
I definitely see where you're coming from. I would make just a few points, though.
1. It is not illegal to collect all the snakes you want from South Carolina, to do with what you want (although IMO it should be regulated)
2. I feel (and I may be wrong on this) that MOST people would rather just have the experience of meeting these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. MOST will just take pictures
3. There are two groups of people who really scare me. Those who think that natural resources (in this case snakes) are infinite, and those who think that natural resources are meant to be looked at and never used. The truth is in the middle. At least right now I think that nature can sustain SMART removal of a FEW specimens.
My hope is that Mr. Sargent (who is a member of this forum) and others undertand that, and that those who don't can be taught. I'll stop now, so that I don't ramble on forever.
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RE: Snake Catchers
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by Cro on April 8, 2008
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Fredrick, I have talked with Jamie about this weekend of snake hunting.
He did not keep the 34 snakes. Jamie is not the type of herper to do that.
He took photos of many of the 34 snakes, although he did keep two nicely patterned Canebrake Rattlesnakes for his breeding program, that is all.
The folks who run these hunts, are working on private land where they have put out a lot of tin and old car hoods, etc.
They are doing this to mostly offer folks a chance to see and photograpy a lot of snakes in a short time.
Many of the folks who do these hunts are Northern herpers who have never seen any of these animals in the wild. Jamie is friends with these people, and is trying to help them out some by saying what snakes were found. And the truth is, if you are not familiar with Southern herping, paying a "guide" $150.00 for a day in the field can be a very good investment in finding and photographing a lot of great animals.
While South Carolina has no restrictions on what snakes can be captured or kept, the folks who run these hunts try to discourage over collecting, and want folks to mostly take photos. They know that this resource is fragile, and will not stand up to over collecting.
The thing to do is follow my old friend Okefenokee Joe's advise: "If you don't need it, leave it."
Hope this helps.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Snake Catchers
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by JSargent on April 8, 2008
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yes Fredric, i did not want or care to take home 34 snakes to house and feed...lord knows i have enough...i kept to 2 canes as they are the pinkest i have ever seen...i also kept the coachwhip, as i had sold my last one, and enjoy having one around the shop...we took photos of as many as we could, that didn't haul butt as soon as they saw us...the guides do remove the venomous snakes from their properties, as that is the request of the land owners...most of the lands are hunting clubs that don't want their dogs bit, and kill every snake they see...chicken snakes are also removed from the bird hunting clubs, as they will eat a whole nest of quail eggs without a second thought or turkey eggs...these guides have been hunting these same lands for more than 20 years and obviously have not depleted the population...the hunts were offered more for the northern or western folks that want a chance to hunt the southeast, as i assumed us southern folks have our own routes....and i did not really think anyone would want to keep everything they caught, as many of the snakes are consider junk snakes in the pet industry...but i did want people to know if they caught a corn and wanted to keep it, it would be no problem, or any other species they're into... these trips truly are experiences of a lifetime....and many of the snakes are just relocated to land near by, just not back onto the hunting clubs....sooooo in theory we are saving every snake we remove from being blown in half by a shot gun or rifle, there are hunters in these areas 6 months out of the year, we only get 3 months of good hunting....2 in the spring, 1 maybe 2 in the fall and summers too hot...i hope this cools some of the hot heads, i'm not out to rape the country...just offering others an opportunity...
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RE: Snake Catchers
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by tigers9 on April 8, 2008
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Cro wrote<,The folks who run these hunts, are working on private land where they have put out a lot of tin and old car hoods, etc>.
Rattlesnakes and cars, how about viper and tiger?
http://www.rexano.org//CatPages/ViperTiger.htm
Z
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RE: Snake Catchers
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by Atrox788 on April 10, 2008
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FSB,
Your my new idol! LOL I agree 100 percent. Though the detrimental effect to snake populations due to collecting has been debated to death with no real conclusion I personally am in agreement that there is zero reason to collect native US snakes anymore. Thats my personal opinion of course and I know many here including many folks I respect that disagree with my stance. Still though, considering the insane over development taking place in the southeast and places like NC becoming the new FL, I really don't think native herp fauna or any fauna for that matter needs the extra pressure. Again this is my opinion.
I also think its ridiculous that anyone would bother paying for this when all you have to do is alittle research and make a few connections to get the same exact results for free. I guess if you can get people lazy and rich enough to justify paying 150.00 a day to show them around more power to you. I just don't condone any person who's mindset is to make a profit off of wildlife or encourage collecting. Again, my personal feelings.
Jamie,
No offense but trying to make this business out as being wildlife friendly and saying that you are saving snakes from hunters is laughable. Though I dont snake hunt in SC I do in NC and the area is the same as you describe. There are many hunt clubs and yes, hunters do despicable things like target practice on snakes etc. However, they generally don't come across 30 snakes in one day nor do they usually go out to tin sights looking just for snakes. They usually just see one on the roads or while out in the brush looking for deer.
You also wont be saving any snakes they would be shooting because as you said, you only have a few months out of the year to do this and its out of hunting season! Hunters will still kill snakes and you will still collect so in truth you are hurting more then helping.
If you really wanted to make a difference for the snakes you would be road cursing and moving snakes off the road that would otherwise be getting hit by idiots who swerve to hit them or people who simply dont see them. You also wouldn't allow any collecting. Any snake out of the wild isn't wildlife friendly. Snakes are a part of the ecosystem as predator and prey and should be left there. Though I dont have a problem with one or 2 snakes being collected here or there its not something that should be practiced extensively. I am not accusing you of this I am simply stating my opinion. Collecting a snake from a development is one thing. Collecting a snake from a wild area with no development is another.
My 2 cents for those who care to hear it.
J
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