Earlier this week my brother and I scouted the Choctawhatchee River Basin for boat launching ramps. We're thinking about doing some fishing there this Spring. The Choctawhatchee River flows from Alabama across Northwest Florida and into the Choctawhatchee Bay (What a coincidence!). Its basin encompasses a large swamp and many tributaries. It is home to vast numbers and species of wildlife. Most of it falls under the auspices of the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

We found several boat launch ramps in locations that show promise. At one of these we encountered two men in canoes. They looked like hunters in that they were decked out in camouflage clothing. We learned though that they are bird watchers looking for the Ivory Billed Woodpecker. I was not aware that the Ivory Bills are thought to inhabit the Choctawhatchee. I have heard that a sighting has been claimed in Arkansas. In searching the internet I found that the Choctawhatchee team has a web site that describes their activities. They maintain a camp in the swamp.

I don't have a problem with people trying to ascertain if particular animal or plant species still exist. But I do have a problem with what some of them want to do when they find a specimen that was thought to be extinct. One of the birders that we encountered said "if we find an Ivory Bill in here they will lock this whole area down." By 'they' he meant the state and federal government. I mentioned to him that the Water Management District already has it pretty much locked down. He said that their restrictions on public use of the area aren't sufficient to protect endangered species. But he added that the public would still be allowed to hunt and fish in the area as long as the pressure was not excessive. Well, who defines excessive pressure? Most likely not the hunter or fisherman.

If the restrictions they want only apply to existing public lands the impact probably won't be that great. But if they want them extended to private property, and they probably will, then I have a big problem with that.  Restricting the use of private property devalues the land and, therefore, constitutes theft of that value.  The use of private property should not be restricted just to save a bird that most of us have never seen. If it can't survive on its own we should just bid it adieu.