Mitch, I figured to follow again here because your response was thorough and well put. I also have more than 2 decades of field and lab experience specifically with Eastern Milks, most people here know and aknowledge that. Thanks. I have had similar "contests" with "Doc" before, everyone that reads this followup knows. I was really trying to defend the OP to the best of my ability. You know from your experience with Mt Kings....one look and you can tell me where its from etc. THAT my friends cant be put in a book or fit into a 1-liner online, it takes many years and hundreds or thousands of specimens. And believe it or not I ENJOY being wrong, I enjoy the variation that milks continue to astound me with. Not often are there animals that dont "fit" a stereotype in our heads, that BIG Scarlet king from last month was one of them! Outlying populations, intergrations, not much new anymore. But being a NA milk ID expert(not self proclaimed), I say that not to brag but to let others use my knowledge to expand theirs. Subtle differences between ST Marys and Calvert county temps is lost in most CB circles. Not many have seen enough WC specimens to know the difference. I take offense, much as FR originally did to me, when people are self-proclaimed experts. Schooling simply cant substitute for field knowledge. As far as being a good teacher, I have more patience in dealing with someone who admits they dont know something and wants to learn as opposed to someone who questions just to make themselves look knowledgeable. Its a noticable difference most here would agree.

I will end in saying an arguement on a forum is NOT an arguement in real life. Its great to take a stand, choose a side and make an arguement. Alot can be learned doing this. IDing snakes is not one of them. I make light of alot of things here and in life, and I know it sometimes doesnt translate well. The older I get the less tolerance I have for idiocy, sorry. So to the lurkers that read but dont followup my posts, CHEERS. Know when there is big pest on the forum I will be the one picking up the fly swatter! Happy 4th!!

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