Trespasser / Poacher

[Steve Bledsoe]

It's been quite some time since I posted here on the FHF although I do like seeing the photos and reading the posts and comments from my fellow field herpers.

I'd like to ask if anyone can identify this trespasser onto one of our study sites on gated and patrolled private property in Orange County. Unfortunately the patrol didn't get a frontal photo of this guy and only took a photo of him after asking him to leave the property. Not only did this guy cross over posted fences to gain access to the property, but he also claimed that he was a member of our Southwestern Field Herping Association, which of course was a lie. He wouldn't give his name when asked.

The project we're conducting on this property is an ongoing herp survey, sanctioned by the USGS and done under the permission of the Toll Roads Agency of Orange County. I'd really like to know who this guy is if someone recognizes him.
Hope everyone is enjoying this spring's herping, and I thank you in advance for any help with an ID on this person.
Steve

[Steve Bledsoe]

Thanks to help from a couple of fellow FHF members, we have a positive ID on the poacher who crashed our USGS survey project. He's been positively identified by the person who confronted him and sent him packing. The perp is lucky the armed security guards didn't find him or he would have been arrested and handed over to the Orange County Sheriffs. The property owner now has the option to prosecute. That decision is pending.

Since our herp survey is a USGS project, the information on the perp will also be submitted to the USGS. Messing around with state and federal projects is not a good idea!

Over the years I have met many very good people who share my interest in field herping. Some of those people have become very close and trusted friends. I know that the great majority of people on this forum are respectful of the environment and private property which is essential if we are to be allowed to pursue our interests in the future. It's too bad that there always seems to be a small number of lowlifes who choose to violate the law and disrespect their fellow herpers.

I would like to publicly thank the FHF members who helped us ID this person. Rest assured that your identity is safe, as promised.
Thank you all again.
Steve

[Ernie]

While you're up on your high horse, Talking about lowlifes that disrespect their fellow "herpers." Don't forget to mention your benefactors at the USGS. Lowlifes e.g., Bob Reed, The USGS is nothing short of a criminal organization.

Ernie

[zeevng]

I think many Southern Californian herpers would recognize that individual from that picture easily. He's a real stain on the community at large; there aren't many socal herpers without their own story involving this guy.
Hopefully the property owners, and perhaps USGS, can take up charges against him, or at least add to the growing list of active cases and investigations ongoing against him.

His reckless, aggressive, disrespectful behavior both in the field and online continues to give most of us a bad name, and sets a terrible example for the new, younger herpers he seems to attract through his sensationalistic approach.

No idea who "Ernie" is, either, with 2 posts to his name, but interesting to pop up in support of this guy. Not a good look, if you ask me.

Steve, please let us know if there are any updates. Currently dealing with him in some FB Groups too.

[mark buck]

Based off the pessimistic tone I'm going to assume that Ernie is Ernie Eison or "WSTREPS", a classic FHF character....
Not sure why a new username was in order?? Although I don't necessarily agree with any of his opinions nor am I fully aware of what they are (A lot of the time I just don't care enough to read the long winded arguments hahaha) I always respect somebody willing to play devil's advocate and "rock the boat" per say.

Should add that I do share his skepticism of many government agencies...

[stlouisdude]

If I were looking to maximize costs and minimize results, I would involve the government everytime

[Steve Bledsoe]

Thanks for the comments, Gents.
As for "Ernie", I tend to give little or no credit to online critics who are afraid to use their real names or to even divulge their location. I learned a long time ago that when it comes to the "online forum environment", people who feel they have to hide behind a computer monitor are general not credible.

Regarding our "poacher friend", we had a good idea who he was and needed only to get a positive ID on him, which we did. It appears now that this is a case for the CADFW to prosecute.
I will keep you posted.
Thank you again.
Enjoy your long weekend, and be safe in the field.
Steve

[stlouisdude]

Now that you have a possible id, any idea what his motives were? Seems like he must have known it was a research site that is off limits to the public.

[Steve Bledsoe]

The culprit knows very well that it's a study site, which is why, when he was discovered on the property, he tried to talk his way out of his predicament by claiming he was part of our group. I can only guess his motive may have been a desire to poach from a prime piece of property where the "pickins" would be easy because of the work of others. Or the motive could have been a simple matter of curiosity. It's no mystery to anyone where our study site is located, because I mention it by name on our Association website as one of our ongoing projects in Orange County, California. www.swfieldherp.com

The property is 1300 acres of natural coastal sage scrub and grassland that is fenced, posted and patrolled by a security company. The landowners set this property aside for projects like ours, and they spend a lot of money to protect it from being disturbed, abused or destroyed. It not only serves as a great study site for local geological, botanical and biological research projects, but it's also maintained as a corridor for local mountain lions to navigate around human developed neighborhoods and industrial areas. It's an important piece of open space.

Because of the fact that it's fenced, posted and patrolled, we didn't think it necessary to camouflage our coverboards to hide them from the "Google Earthers", so many of our coverboards are in plain sight. We overlooked the fact that rules, laws and privacy are respected only by law abiding citizens and not by people who have zero respect for anything other than their own desires. Another lesson learned!

If you're curious about what we've found on the property, we record all of our herp finds on the H.E.R.P. database under the name of SWFHA-UCC. I'll apologize upfront for the lack of photos for the many Western Skink records, but you have to realize how fast those critters are, and how difficult it is to get a photo of one! We have several other project accounts on the database under a similar name.

[stlouisdude]

Sorry to hear about the intrusion. Wouldnt the fences also be kind of a negative for the loins though?

[Steve Bledsoe]

There are provisions for the wildlife to traverse through the property. Even so, the fences are simple 3 and 4 strand barbed wire which isn't much of an obstacle for big cats, deer, coyotes and other native wildlife. The main deterrent for human intrusion is no trespassing signage and daily patrols. Again, the property owners are faced with the challenge of making the property wildlife friendly while discouraging human disturbances. One of the most common problems with humans is kids cutting through the fence to build mountain bike and motorcycle trails, which can do a lot of damage.

[Steve Bledsoe]

Okay - Here's where we stand on this issue.
First of all I will let our poacher friend know that this piece of property is managed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies in partnership with the California Fish & Wildlife Department. So he's not fooling around with just me and my guys.
The property manager, and person who caught our poacher friend trespassing, told me today that they prefer to pursue the citation route. They usually give a first-timer a warning and then have the Sheriff's Department issue a citation on the second count. I don't know what the fine is, but I do know that another trespasser was caught on the property a couple of months ago by the security service and he was handed over to the Orange County Sheriff's Department in handcuffs. These people are serious about protecting their property and the integrity of the ongoing projects on it. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to have access to the land, and our SWFHA members are serious about protecting that privilege.

Thank you all for your support.
Steve

[Ernie]

No idea who "Ernie" is, either, with 2 posts to his name, but interesting to pop up in support of this guy. Not a good look, if you ask me.

Where did I show any support for "this guy?" My post referenced hypocrisy. And because you have no idea who I am, this is stated as if your recognition is in some way meaningful. Feeling a little self-important there sport. Putting your foot in your mouth is not a good look.

Thanks for the comments, Gents.
As for "Ernie", I tend to give little or no credit to online critics who are afraid to use their real names or to even divulge their location. I learned a long time ago that when it comes to the "online forum environment", people who feel they have to hide behind a computer monitor are general not credible.
Steve

I tend to give little credit to people involved with the USGS. Their dubious track record supports this view. By the by. Ernie is my real name. Divulge my their location? Really? Get a clue. As for hiding behind a computer in an"online forum environment," How else do you post on an online forum? It's online, it's done on a computer hence online. That is not hiding. It's participating.