Beach closures on Outer Banks vandalized

with I agree. The only birds in question to be harmed the last several years have been harmed by biologist's trying to tag them. They tag them with plastic bands and then use HEAT GUNS TO SHRINK THE BANDS AROUND THEIR TINY LEGS. Birds love when people do that to them. The place in question is designated by Congress as a recreation area, not a wildlife refuge (they have those their as well.) The enviromental groups are writing laws with no scientific data, or public imput. The consent Decree was written into law by a controversial Federal Judge who has his own agenda as well. Judges do not write laws they interpret the ones that our elected law makers enact. Therefore the Consent Decree is a worthless peice of paper. There are no facts to support the enviromentalist's claims. It should also be noted that NONE of the birds being protected are endangered.

Marial, there is no need to close off "small areas" some of the year for the birds because they already have large areas all to themselves year-round. The dredge islands are total sanctuaries where they thrive without any human intervention. We simply don't see the need to close off large areas of the seashore that has been designated as human recreation area for these birds.

I'm in agreement. The cost of these cameras is minimal. They could be housed in somewhat tamper proof containers disguised as nesting boxes. No matter who they discover perpetrating these encroachments they should be brought up on federal charges. Confiscate the vehicle, lock them up and fine the heck out of them. The park authorities were asking for volunteers to assist in beach monitoring. Why not get some of these folks to watch these ramps from a discrete point. Just maybe the perps could be busted. As noted prior, I would be no less surprised to find the culprits either enviro crazies or some fool kids thinking their making a statement. It is not a shock that no nests were damaged. These birds don't nest at the shores edge. They choose the grasses and dunes. This is as much instinct as it is years of CO-habitating with humans....imagine that. I'd love to put an end to the violations. I'd love to see these silly closures come to an end. We miss the joy of being on the beaches with friends and family!

Say what you want about tree huggers, mankind has taken over almost every habitat and we continue to push animals further out or get mad when they appear where we decide to build. Makes me pretty angry that we can't put aside a natural habitat for a SHORT period of the year so that the birds can breed without those idiots interfering. I have a great idea here....once we find out who is vandalizing these areas (which is beyond me that these people have nothing better to do) we should open up their residence(s) for the public to come through WHENEVER they want for a few weeks and see how they like it. Seems to be the only way to open up peoples eyes these days is for them to experience it themselves. The people who live near these areas should be livid at the lack of respect. Believe me when I say, if I ever saw them out there, they'd never come back to that area again.....

All those people who know and believe that rules of any sort don't ever apply to them cause they're special. Or some of those that have been running up and down the beaches terrorizing anyone and everyone cause they can, cause they've been doing it that way for years and that's what they've always done. Either way, whatever way, regardless of who it is, the authorities just need to catch the thugs and maybe run some tires over their faces.

I personally do not care about the beach access, but reading these stories I often wonder if the tree huggers are not doing this damage themselves to increase the protected areas and shut down beach access roads for fun...It is very interesting that no nests or animals are ever hurt or bothered even. I believe Joe Redneck needs to set up a Deer camera to catch the culprits in the act...We might be very suprised who gets caught on film.

Well as usual with the outer banks crowd, if they don't get their way we will just make it worse for everyone else by violating the protected areas. They should close the whole thing to vehicles and be over with it.