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I saw some people doing something today... what do now? Photo relevant (thelemmy.club)
submitted 6 days ago by microfiche@hexbear.net to c/chat@hexbear.net
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First, nothing identifiable in photo so no doxing their faces are covered, just their bodies and the turtle visible.

Was out at the beach taking photos of sea turtles today, and happened to walk by a man throwing a cast net, up very close to some jettys, in the breakers. It's not a very good spot to catch bait, which is what you use a cast net for. I kept walking and didnt pay much attention at first.

I happened to turn around in time to see him holding a fucking green sea turtle under his arm like a soccer ball sorta, and walking up to his companion, sorta waving for her attention. They both started taking photos with their cellphones. Im assuming to post on the internet or share or some shit. They sorta heaved it back into the surf after they were done snaring it and taking photos of it.

I got personally identifying photos and want to turn them over to the state game wardens. I really should do so right? Im fairly sure i should be, because they arent cops, even though they can do things police can do like arrest/detain/ticket etc. because they can only do it when it pertains to fish/wildlife/game/etc. Do I turn them in? If the game wardens act on this, these two people are going to have a really bad time. Texas has hotlines for this shit. NOAA even has hotlines for this. Im morally opposed to turning someone over to cops, but im also morally opposed to molesting wildlife. I dont hunt, I dont fish. Im 80% vegetarian and working towards vegan. While there are no signs specifically saying DONT TOUCH THE TURTLES there are signs everywhere with phone numbers to call if you see some dumbass touching the turtles. im fairly sure Im going to go to the TPWD office a few miles away tomorrow and take my SD card to them. Im just wondering if theres a reason not to I guess. Let it never be said I am a smart man.

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[-] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 20 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I got personally identifying photos and want to turn them over to the state game wardens. I really should do so right?

100% yes.

Do I turn them in?

100% yes.

---

Many people treat nature and animals like shit. I think such people need to be snitched on. I will die on this hill. I'd greatly prefer not to but I will.

[-] IranOuttaOil@hexbear.net 6 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Hexbear advocating for snitching to the cops smh...

JK, yea I see no reason not to snitch.

'Don't touch the turtles"

Fucking yanks the turtle and walks around with it.

That being said, who doesn't want to hold a turtle? Kindof jealous tbh.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 4 points 6 days ago

I lean the same way I think. I get photos of them up close. I can get within 2-3' with zero issues while still not being in the water with them. These people could have done the same, to same effect but I think they decided the rules don't apply to them. I have to assume this because there are signs everywhere telling you to call this number if you see the turtles, caught, handled, or coming ashore during nesting season. There are signs a few feet away from the exact spot the man netted the turtle.

I forget the exact term used but the 'don't fuck with the turtles' law is one of those ones you don't have to be aware of to be in deep trouble by it.

[-] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 1 points 6 days ago

I think they decided the rules don't apply to them.

That's how I see it. If I was there and I saw what you saw - even if I could control my temper - I wouldn't try talk to them. They'd never listen to me because I think nobody can get them to listen. They are toxic and can't be reasoned with.

[-] hotcouchguy@hexbear.net 14 points 6 days ago

im fairly sure Im going to go to the TPWD office a few miles away tomorrow and take my SD card to them.

If you can do it anonymously online or something, that's one thing, but going in person, voluntarily, to talk to police (or anyone police adjacent) is a combination of risk and hassle that isn't worth it if it's at all avoidable.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 8 points 6 days ago

I ended up finding a website to do it at, and did so while using a VPN. I stripped all metadata except GPS location since that was specifically requested (if no identifying location info- signage etc, gps please).

[-] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 11 points 6 days ago

I would've confronted them and killed them on the spot

^okay I wouldn't but that's what I'd imagine I would do if I could do whatever I want like these shitheads seem to think they're allowed to do^

[-] jack@hexbear.net 12 points 6 days ago

Did they seem rich? If so, without hesitation.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 8 points 6 days ago

No idea. Two brand new trucks but not fancy trucks. Maybe. Maybe not.

[-] Johnny_Arson@hexbear.net 11 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I can't even afford a car. Fuck these people. (also I do not even want to own a car)

While there are no signs specifically saying DONT TOUCH THE TURTLES there are signs everywhere with phone numbers to call if you see some dumbass touching the turtles.

100% call this number and report them. Some of the coolest people I ever met work jobs like this including my old bio professor who was based af.

This is not at all the same as calling the regular cops on someone.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 2 points 6 days ago

I went looking around and found a spot for anonymous reporting. No personally identifying info was left and i used a vpn.

I spend a lot of time watching sea turtles, pelicans and the like. I've uploaded several photos. And I really dislike when people do that crap. There are TONS of instagram photo opportunities without having to molest the wildlife.

[-] mickey@hexbear.net 10 points 6 days ago

...taking photos of sea turtles today, and happened to walk by a man throwing a cast net, up very close to some jettys, in the breakers. It's not a very good spot to catch bait, which is what you use a cast net for.

If you give the benefit of the doubt does it sound reasonable to assume that snaring a turtle is what they came out to do?

I guess I'll play advocate for the couple and say, the guy didn't know that was a bad place to cast his net, he got excited when he saw turtle, flagged his partner down for some lucky pics, and set it free.

But if you asked me for an honest gut check I'd wager they went out to get some quirky pics for the 'gram and either ought to have known better or did know better and thought the rules didn't apply to them. I do not think you are betraying any ACAB principles to report this to wildlife department in your state.

[-] Blakey@hexbear.net 6 points 6 days ago

Using a cast net in these conditions is a form of sight fishing. If microfiche says there are no baitfish visible here... He wasn't actually after baitfish. Plus of course turtles are easy to see in clear water, so he knew he was casting at turtles, which is a problem all of its own.

Repugnant behaviour.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 6 points 6 days ago

Given his actions, I really do think so. He went straight to a spot I have photographed multiple times, teeming with sea turtles. It's one of a couple spots where folks like up in the water, and get tons of cellphone photos up close. Most folks are content to be close, get a couple gram photos and go on with their life.

He went straight to the spot, even though he had to make multiple casts, as soon as he caught a turtle, he quit, turned around and began waving for attention from his companion there. She may have been oblivious but he was not. Nobody casts a net here for baitfish because there are no baitfish to be had here and a fisherman would know that. It's literally the breakers, the whitewash zone. Baitfish can't counteract the wave action here so they don't school up here. I'm not a fisherman and I know that.

At this point I've already reported this person via the Operation Game Thief website. There is a spot for anonymous reporting and I did so while using a vpn.

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 8 points 6 days ago

have you asked them?

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

The folks who were catching a turtle with a cast net? What would I have asked them? do I call the fish cops on you?

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 6 points 6 days ago

what are you doing, do you hate turtles and things of that nature. i feel some kind of guilt if i don't try to resolve something (or at least get an idea of mental state) first myself shrug-outta-hecks kind of getting myself into "there is no other way" (tm), instead of if you see something, report something vibe.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 4 points 6 days ago

I see. I wasn't sure what you meant. It was snap judgement, but it's two boomer aged people, drinking alcohol on the beach, the man in the blue shirt was throwing his cast net in an area that ONLY the turtles swim in. People go wade in the water constantly in that exact area and take cellphone photos of the turtles. Granted, I did not ask and have them spell it out to me, but it seemed rather blatant. He walked directly to the spot, casted his net a few times, and the second he caught the turtle he exited the water went to go get his companion.

Anyway, I've already reported the person so it's mostly a moot point by now I suppose. The website I made a report at has a spot for anonymous reporting and I used a VPN to do the reporting.

[-] Johnny_Arson@hexbear.net 2 points 5 days ago

You did the right thing fuck em

[-] raspberry_confetti@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Super illegal where I'm from, so yeah, you should definitely turn them in.

Edit: and it goes without saying, it's super fucked up what they did, too.

this post was submitted on 04 Aug 2026
25 points (96.3% liked)

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