LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-11 AT 11:59AM (MST)[p]
LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-11 AT 11:52?AM (MST)
http://usscouts.org/mb/mb096.asp
Then see requirement 8:
8.Do ONE of the following:
a.Maintain one or more reptiles or amphibians for at least a month. Record food accepted, eating methods, changes in coloration, shedding of skins, and general habits; or keep the eggs of a reptile from the time of laying until hatching; or keep the eggs of an amphibian from the time of laying until their transformation into tadpoles (frogs) or larvae (salamanders).
b.Choose a reptile or amphibian that you can observe at a local zoo, aquarium, nature center, or other such exhibit (such as your classroom or school). Study the specimen weekly for a period of three months. At each visit, sketch the specimen in its captive habitat and note any changes in its coloration, shedding of skins, and general habits and behavior. Find out, either from information you locate on your own or by talking to the caretaker, what this species eats and what are its native habitat and home range, preferred climate, average life expectancy, and natural predators. Also identify any human caused threats to its population and any laws that protect the species and its habitat. After the observation period, share what you have learned with your counselor.
Because of my love of turtles and my turtle hunting prowess, my son chose requirement A and wants to raise a turtle. At first I objected to this, given the dangers, but when he said he only wanted to keep it a month, well then I thought we could minimize the risks if it is just a baby. I know it is dangerous but this kid wants to be an eagle scout so I figure this will be a worthy accomplishment.
One of the reasons he chose the turtle was the recent conservational efforts in which I have been engaged.
Here are just a few of my many conservation endeavors.
http://www.turtleconservationproject.org/
http://www.texasturtles.org/
http://www.turtleconservationfund.org/
http://savetheseaturtle.org/
http://www.seaturtlefoundation.org/
I figure for every turtle I hunt, I preserve the life of at least one million more. You can say what you want - but my record is clear. I don't use decoy's (like Eel's converted Beetle) or hunt high-fence turtle areas (like Feleno and Eel's recent hunt in Louisianna to Turtle World - didn't think I would find out about that now did you??? - Word travels fast my friends) and I don't buy any "Conservation" or "Expo" tags (I hope that cashing in your wife's 401K was worth that tag you bought last week Eel - it only took her 45 years to build that little nest egg and you will probably waste it on the first legal turtle you see and then search e-bay and garage sales all over California for "real" shells and then pass them off as your own).
I have drawn all my tags fair and square. All my turtles are certified by the RASS(Reptile and Amphibian Sportsmen's Society) whose fair chase standards are even more strict than Boone and Crockett. On the other hand, Eelgrass has only ever scored his turtles with the TCI (Turtle Club International) which is notorious for its dubious standards set by the highest paying "hunters".
So yep - it appears we are going to raise a turtle, then when our observation period has ended, we will do what is best for that individual turtle and all turtles the whole world over.
As far as the poaching allegations are concerned - well my little sister has always been just a little bit jealous because our father never took her turtle hunting - which is a lie because he offered mamy times be she refuesd - so the jealousy is only obvious.
I have never poached anything EVER.
I am haunted by turtles.
UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)