Morti
07-27-2007, 11:23 AM
On Saturday, a fellow herper from Oregon came down to visit. He was passing through the area and wanted to stop in and see my collection. In preparation he asked me if I knew any good herpin' spots close by. I told him basically it's the wrong time of year being the dead of summer, but I have a spot that regularly produces Crotalus horridus.
We made the plans and got there as the sun was rising. We had not been there 5 minutes when Nate, the fellow from Way out West, spots a little copper colored nose poking out from under a rock.
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/copperhead1.sized.jpg
Needless to say, this was a VERY good start. As the day progressed, we herped all over the property. I spotted another copper under a little rock outcropping, and my constant herping partner, jeosbo01, grabs a ringneck.
Other finds were made including a Box Turtle that we have nicknamed "The Mountaineer" because he was found at MUCH higher elevation than we felt he should have been:
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/DSC00773.sized.jpg
As usual, there were more skinks and fence swifts than I care to count or mention. Other finds include a long tailed salamander and a couple of Fowler's Toads.
We were all happy with the success that we had, but slightly dejected as we were headed back to the truck around 10:30 AM. While I was cautious in my predictions for what we might find, I was cautiously optimistic about finding Timbers. Now jeosbo01 has some of the best field eyes out there. He once spotted a timber that was fully covered by a rock except for about an inch of pattern from 30 paces. As we were almost back to the truck, he very nearly stepped on the following:
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Three_kids.sized.jpg
Of course they tried to bolt it immediately upon seeing him, so the above pic is a re-creation. ;)
We were all feeling good, congratulating ourselves, and having a good old time with our two timbers and two coppers, when the next thing you know, jeosbo01 shouts that he hears a rattle...
I come a running and find that yes, in fact, there is a pretty good sized, very angry timber coming from under a rock that was bigger than I am. After much hemming and hawing over what to do about this, I stick my stump ripper under the rock on one side, Nate sticks his under the other, and with a Mighty Heave, this is what we found:
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/good_flippin_rock.sized.jpg
That is an Honest to God "in situ" shot. This was snapped immediately by Nate upon flipping that stone. I was so stunned that I was shaking.
So the final tally of Venomous snakes: 4 Agkistrodon contortix, 3 Crotalus horridus. It was the best day in the field ever for me.
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Tub_o_fun.sized.jpg
BUT Wait There's More!
You see that blue tub in the above picture? That is not mine. I didn't bring anything big enough to house that many large venomous reptiles. I did, however, want a "Tub Full of Death" shot, so I sent jeosbo01 down to the house to ask the land owner if he had anything I could use. Of course he invites the land owner back up the hill to see the snakes. He was so impressed by the sight that he wanted to call up his nephews and have them bring their kids up to the house to see the snakes.
These families live right in the middle of a HUGE concentration of timber rattlesnakes. I felt that it was highly important that they know what these animals look like and what to do if they see one, hear one, or, in the worst case, are bitten by one. So I proceed to give an educational presentation on the spot. ;) I even got the adults to respect the snakes a bit more. There may very well be FAR less in the way of shooting rattlesnakes on sight in the future.
Hooray for saving snakey lives!
I leave you with some random pics. Enjoy!
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/copperhead2.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/DSC00772.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/DSC00764.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Mr_Gnoms_secret_weapon.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Big_girl_Head_shot.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Grumpy.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Head_shots.sized.jpg
We made the plans and got there as the sun was rising. We had not been there 5 minutes when Nate, the fellow from Way out West, spots a little copper colored nose poking out from under a rock.
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/copperhead1.sized.jpg
Needless to say, this was a VERY good start. As the day progressed, we herped all over the property. I spotted another copper under a little rock outcropping, and my constant herping partner, jeosbo01, grabs a ringneck.
Other finds were made including a Box Turtle that we have nicknamed "The Mountaineer" because he was found at MUCH higher elevation than we felt he should have been:
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/DSC00773.sized.jpg
As usual, there were more skinks and fence swifts than I care to count or mention. Other finds include a long tailed salamander and a couple of Fowler's Toads.
We were all happy with the success that we had, but slightly dejected as we were headed back to the truck around 10:30 AM. While I was cautious in my predictions for what we might find, I was cautiously optimistic about finding Timbers. Now jeosbo01 has some of the best field eyes out there. He once spotted a timber that was fully covered by a rock except for about an inch of pattern from 30 paces. As we were almost back to the truck, he very nearly stepped on the following:
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Three_kids.sized.jpg
Of course they tried to bolt it immediately upon seeing him, so the above pic is a re-creation. ;)
We were all feeling good, congratulating ourselves, and having a good old time with our two timbers and two coppers, when the next thing you know, jeosbo01 shouts that he hears a rattle...
I come a running and find that yes, in fact, there is a pretty good sized, very angry timber coming from under a rock that was bigger than I am. After much hemming and hawing over what to do about this, I stick my stump ripper under the rock on one side, Nate sticks his under the other, and with a Mighty Heave, this is what we found:
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/good_flippin_rock.sized.jpg
That is an Honest to God "in situ" shot. This was snapped immediately by Nate upon flipping that stone. I was so stunned that I was shaking.
So the final tally of Venomous snakes: 4 Agkistrodon contortix, 3 Crotalus horridus. It was the best day in the field ever for me.
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Tub_o_fun.sized.jpg
BUT Wait There's More!
You see that blue tub in the above picture? That is not mine. I didn't bring anything big enough to house that many large venomous reptiles. I did, however, want a "Tub Full of Death" shot, so I sent jeosbo01 down to the house to ask the land owner if he had anything I could use. Of course he invites the land owner back up the hill to see the snakes. He was so impressed by the sight that he wanted to call up his nephews and have them bring their kids up to the house to see the snakes.
These families live right in the middle of a HUGE concentration of timber rattlesnakes. I felt that it was highly important that they know what these animals look like and what to do if they see one, hear one, or, in the worst case, are bitten by one. So I proceed to give an educational presentation on the spot. ;) I even got the adults to respect the snakes a bit more. There may very well be FAR less in the way of shooting rattlesnakes on sight in the future.
Hooray for saving snakey lives!
I leave you with some random pics. Enjoy!
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/copperhead2.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/DSC00772.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/DSC00764.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Mr_Gnoms_secret_weapon.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Big_girl_Head_shot.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Grumpy.sized.jpg
http://www.primareptilia.com/gallery/albums/Nate/Head_shots.sized.jpg