Posted by:
Sunherp
at Mon Mar 14 10:20:53 2011 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Sunherp ]
As rude as it may sound to some, Dell hit the nail on the head - these types of blatant "give me info" requests are typically dismissed by the field herping community as attempts to aid in commercial collection or the destruction of dens by those who dislike snakes. There are other forums dedicated strictly to field herping, and moderators on those forums would have either just removed this post, or removed the post and banned your IP address from ever posting there again. Please don't take offense - it's done out of respect and reverence for the animals.
That said, I'll assume a benign intent to your post. Milks are found throughout Colorado, except in the higher montane zones. There are now only a handful of counties without vouchered records of Lampropeltis triangulum. I'd suggest that your first step be to join the Colorado Herp Society and the North American Field Herping Association. Begin attending meetings and making contacts. These contacts probably won't take you directly to their spots or give you directions to the best hillsides for the reasons listed above, but they will probably give you hints and suggestions that you should pay close attention to. I'd also strongly recommend getting and reading as many field guides as possible. Although it isn't specifically about milks, Brian Hubbs' book Mountain Kings provides a ton of information regarding the ecological requirements of the Tricolor Kings in general (milks, included). Most importantly, get out and observe animals in their natural habitat. The more time you spend in the field, the better you'll understand when, where, and how to look for a particular target.
As a final note, please be sure to comply with your state regulations regarding these animals. It is currently illegal to collect wild milksnakes in Colorado without a permit, according to Chapter 10 the Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations (and has been since circa 1998). While in my experience milks are not threatened or even at risk, complying with regulations helps us all maintain a good image. Field herping is an excellent way to increase your appreciation of nature and, if you so choose, improve on your photography skills! There are some excellent field herpers in the Denver area (and scattered througout the state), who regularly hold meetings and host outings.
I hope this helps,
-Cole
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RE: When is the best time to................ - Sunherp, Mon Mar 14 10:20:53 2011