And you think Kali is wacky

[JPIVEY]

RUTLAND, Vt. - A man picked up a dead rattlesnake he found on the side of a road and stuck it in his freezer to keep as a souvenir. Now, he finds himself in court.



Timothy Duprey pleaded innocent Monday in Vermont District Court to possession of a species protected under the state's Endangered Species Act.


"Most people aren't even aware we have them in Vermont," said Game Warden Robert Sterling. "They're not on the federal Endangered Species Act, but they are protected under the Vermont Endangered Species Act."


If convicted, Duprey faces a fine of nearly $600 and could lose his right to hunt and fish for three years in Vermont.


Sterling said an anonymous caller reported that Duprey had the snake. The rattler was found in the freezer of Duprey's home in August, according to court records.


He was issued a criminal citation and appeared in court Monday.


"He said he basically picked up the snake and took it home and kept it in the freezer — it was kind of a curiosity kind of thing," Sterling said.


The game warden said it did not matter the snake was dead.


"We're trying to protect the species because they are an endangered species," he said. "Handling them and even having them is a violation. He had it for three weeks so he certainly had enough time to contact authorities."


The snake is now being stored in an evidence freezer in Pittsford, Sterling said.

 

[XRpredator]

Watch out for them endangered dead species! :|

 

[LaRider20]

Idiots!

 

[mx547]

what a crock of ....

 

[dirty~d~]

ROTFLMFAO!!!! That's priceless. :) :) :)

 

[Jon K.]

There is some small measure of method behind the madness. How is law enforcement to determine that the animal was indeed roadkill? Of course Mr. Duprey will maintain that the snake is roadkill.

That he was charged leads me to believe that the officer (unless he really is a complete idiot) must smell something fishy. Without further information, though, the casual observer cannot know.

Musta been a Timber Rattler. In Louisiana we don't have any endangered snakes. Pick them up all you want. We do have some woodpeckers, and they do interfere with our off-road activities. All birds of prey are off limits.

It's the law. Don't pick up an eagle feather either.

 

[BSWIFT]

Let's see,

From an illegal freezer to a criminal evidence freezer.   The snake is dead, frozen and if Vermont wants some rattlesnakes, send this game warden to Mangum, OK in June.  They have the National Rattlesnake Festival.  More snakes than anyone ever really needs to see. :ugg:

 

[Moteaux]

Or following up Swifts advice, they can detour through West Texas on the way down. There are more than enough there to re-populate the endangered areas in Vermont.

Sheesh.... my opinion, the only good snake is a dead snake and especially rattlesnakes.

 

[dirty~d~]

They can raid Eastern Washington while they're at it.

 

[biglou]

Granted, this is an extreme case, but the law's the law. My dad, if you can imagine, walks a straighter line than I do. A couple years ago after a hunting trip in Kansas, he and his buddy were stopped by a warden to see how many pheasants they had in their possession. Unfortunately, they had already field cleaned the birds and cut off their heads and feet, etc. Apparently the feet are the way to differentiate between the male and female (don't quote me on all this, but you get the point-the birds' sex was unidentifiable), and they both wound up with a nice little fine for themselves.

 

[Jaybird]

For the game warden to be in the mans freezer, something was up to begin with.

The game warden can check freezer for limits any time in our state, but never unless there is good reason to do so. I understand they don't need a warrent (or perhaps a "court order") for this so they are extra cautious about doing so.

 

[Mikeb]

He shoulda told them he got it in Tenessee. We actually have a law where you can keep and eat roadkill. I swear its true. UMMM Possum burgers.

 

[bclapham]

if anyone wants to come to my home i will show you my snake!:)

 

[Jon K.]

Snakes; gotta love 'em!

 

[gospeedracer]

awwwwww, that's a cute snake! I used to catch snakes all the time when I was a little girl. (not dangerous ones).

 

[dirty~d~]

Originally posted by bclapham
if anyone wants to come to my home i will show you my snake!:)

:eek: :laugh:

 

[bclapham]

or my badgers

 

[JPIVEY]

^^^^^^^^ LMAO ^^^^^^^^^^

 

[ktmboy]

Originally posted by bclapham
if anyone wants to come to my home i will show you my snake!:) .....badger.....badger.....badger.......

:laugh:

 

[super rat]

I lived up there near Rutland in a town call Plymouth for a few years. I was a snow maker in the winter and a nail bender in the summer. Anyway... there are alot of wife beating, dear jacking good ol boys up there. So I'm sure, like some said befor, there is more to the story than some guy picking up a dead snake off the side of the road.

 

[BSWIFT]

Originally posted by motohead00
Or following up Swifts advice, they can detour through West Texas on the way down. There are more than enough there to re-populate the endangered areas in Vermont.

Sheesh.... my opinion, the only good snake is a dead snake and especially rattlesnakes.

I'll send them all of the Copperhead's they can handle, even the ones my cats kill. :p