Florida Keys

[Eric or Pat Metzler]

Ron Gatrelle's point about contact with local law enforcement is excellent.
In Ohio and Louisiana, when I was doing a lot of roadside blacklighting, I
regularly visited (or phoned) the local sheriff's office to let them know
where I was and what I was doing.  It prevented a lot of unnecessary
explaining to wary deputies who were called by neighbors to check out the
crazy blue lights.  Now with cell phones, those calls are even easier to
make.

Liz Day indicated she never heard of getting permission for roadside
collecting.  Although roadside collecting is nearly always legal, the
politics of the Florida Keys can be uncomfortable.  When in the Keys, stick
to private property.

BTW, the two places I remember being turned down for collecting was south
Florida and southwest Texas.  I fully understood both denials, and I was
glad I asked.

Eric Metzler

"Ron Gatrelle" <gatrelle at tils-ttr.org> wrote in message
news:000c01c0b0b3$bba28a00$9b0f1218 at gscrk1.sc.home.com...
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Gochfeld" <gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU>
> To: <spruance at infinet.com>; <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
> Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 7:35 AM
> Subject: Florida Keys
>
>
>  .... It is best to collect only on private property. It is also good,
>  although not required, to try and get permission from the
>  private property owner.....
>
>  Does this mean that in your experience, most private property owners in
>  the keys don't mind trespassers and collectors and won't call the
>  police?
> Mike Gochfeld
>  _____________________
> Reply from Ron Gatrelle
> For me, I always ask permission to collect on personal private property
> (that which is owned by an individual). This is easy in an urban situation
> as in the keys as the owner's residence is usually "right there". It is
not
> so easy in rural areas like in South Carolina. However, in rural areas my
> collecting is 80% limited to roadsides. Occasionally a "farmer" will stop
> if they see this odd guy with a net near their property to find out what
> I'm doing. I have never been run off by a farmer and have always been
given
> permission to go on back into their woods or field edges. One does need to
> be very gracious and absolutely stick by any limitations requested by the
> property owner. I have been run off by deer hunters from areas (including
> public road right of ways) that were not even their property - Proverb: it
> is not good for one armed only with a net to argue with a band of men
armed
> with rifles.
>
> In the Keys, as elsewhere, I never ask permission to collect on that
> private property with public access - gas station lights and walls, store
> fronts, golf courses, motel grounds, etc. I often let someone in the
> station or store know what this crazy person is doing snooping around
their
> windows and lights. They will call the police on weird people. At the golf
> courses and motels I have "paid" for access to that property. In county,
> municipal, and state parks I first find what their policy is about
> collecting. And proceed according to their policy. I have even went to
> local police stations or stopped a local policeman to let them know I am
in
> the area and that I intend to be collecting along the roads in there
> jurisdiction.
>
> The bottom line I have found is that people deal real well with collectors
> if they know what is going on. They may still think you are an idiot, or
> nut, but they will leave you alone. People don't deal well with people
who,
> to them, seem to be acting odd or "sneaking around". The people in the
keys
> are the same. They are however a wary bunch as there are so many tourists
> that come there who bring all kinds of trouble and rudeness with them. Be
> friendly and they will be friendly. I remember one lady who was so excited
> when she found out I wanted to collect butterflies that she showed me
> around her whole neighborhood on Key Largo - 25 years ago. In   some ways
> she was a bother. But she was right about one weedy lot where I caught my

> first C. maesites hairstreak - which she thought was the most beautiful
> "little thing" she had ever seen. I agreed.
> Ron
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