Collecting in the Huachucas

[Paul Cherubini]

D Marven wrote:

> Secondly butterfly collectors and watchers should know 
> the law no matter where they are and no matter what there doing.

Doug's main point is that in the USA the law presumes one is guilty
unless one can prove they are innocent (in civil cases like this).

Many of us have had similar experiences. In mid-Sept. 1990 I legally collected
300 monarchs along the Calif coast overhanging a city street in Bolinas, 
Calif. It was sunny there and I needed to find a cool, shady spot to
tag (where they would be less active and less apt to beat themselves
up) and later FedEx to Wayne Wehling in Pullman, Washington to release.
I saw a strip of coastal fog hugging the terrain around Muir Woods National
Monument (which I did not know was considered a National Park).
I drove there and found a shady road turnout and 
proceeded to tag the butterflies there. A Ranger pulled up
and saw what I was doing and accused me of illegally collecting monarchs
on National Park property. I had no idea that a road pull out well outside
of what I thought were the park boundaries was
considered "national park property". He was not about to believe
my story of where I actually got the butterflies.  The only thing that saved
me from a 3 figure fine was another park ranger I insisted he call who
vaguely knew me personally.  

Again, unlike what is portrayed in the movies, law 
enforcement officers presume
one is guilty unless one can prove they are innocent.

Paul Cherubini