South Texas Report 5/14/04-5/16/04



5/14/04

Well, again my good friend Rob Klockman and I made a quick “rocket run” to South Texas. Our original plan was to hunt in West Texas but, with the rain and cooler temperatures out that way, we figured that South Texas would be our best bet. We left Houston around 8:30 and drove towards Hebbronville. The first interesting sighting of the trip was what we believed to be a small juvenile mountain lion we spotted dead on the road just south of Columbus, (Colorado Co.) while heading west on Interstate 10. We were unable to turn around for a definite verification but, after careful consideration we soon determined that we had indeed seen a young mountain lion.



1 adult Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi (DOR), Duval Co.

1 adult Lampropeltis g. splendida (DOR), Duval Co.



Once in Hebbronville, we checked into a hotel, relaxed a bit and set out west of town a little after 6:30. Our plan for the evening was to first hunt west of Hebbronville and then head south, avoiding the cooler temperatures. A few minutes before 7:00, while traveling north of Aguilares, we came across our first live animal of the trip that certainly proved to be one of the most memorable. Crossing the road ahead of us was a stunning adult mountain lion. It was truly an amazing sight as he casually walked into the high grass before darting over a barbed wire fence. Gathering ourselves in what we just saw, we continued on.



1 sub-adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (AOR), Webb Co.

1 adult Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi (DOR), Webb Co.

1 sub-adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 adult Thamnophis p. diabolicus (DOR), Jim Hogg Co. (gravid-12 to 15 babies on road)

1 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 juvenile Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 sub-adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis p. diabolicus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 juvenile Arizona e. arenicola (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Arizona e. arenicola (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Arizona e. arenicola (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 juvenile Rhinocheilus l. tessellatus (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 sub-adult Elaphe g. meahllmorum (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Zapata Co.

2 adult Crotalus atrox (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis p. diabolicus (DOR), Webb Co. (gravid-10 to 15 babies on road)

1 adult unid (DOR), Webb Co.

1 adult unid (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 juvenile Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis p. diabolicus (DOR), Zapata Co. (gravid-5 to 10 babies on road)

1 adult Arizona e. arenicola (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 juvenile Crotalus atrox (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 sub-adult Crotalus atrox (AOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 sub-adult Lampropeltis t. annulata (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.



Sometime around 4:00 a.m. we made our way back to the hotel. It was less than 2 hours before we found ourselves up again and heading west of town in search of a few early morning, day active reptiles. We hunted until noon before retiring back to the hotel for an afternoon nap.



2 sub-adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Webb Co.

1 adult Drymarchon c. erebennus (DOR), Webb Co. (absolute massive snake at 84”)

1 adult unid (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis p. diabolicus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Webb Co.

1 adult Drymarchon c. erebennus (AOR), Webb Co.

1 sub-adult Gopherus berlandieri (AOR), Duval Co.

1 juvenile Masticophis f. testaceus (AOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 sub-adult Masticophis f. testaceus (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

3 adult Masticophis f. testaceus (AOR), Jim Hogg Co.

2 very young Gopherus berlandieri (AOR), Jim Hogg Co.



Early in the evening we set out again west of Hebbronville before making our way south towards Zapata. Temperatures were warm with light cloud cover. We drove several hours through Zapata and Jim Hogg counties, heading back into town a little before 2:30 a.m.



1 adult Drymarchon c. erebennus (DOR), Webb Co.

2 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Thamnophis p. diabolicus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Rhinocheilus l tessellates (DOR), Zapata Co. (gravid-full of eggs)

1 juvenile Elaphe g. meahllmorum (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Nerodia r. rhombifer (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 unid (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 sub-adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Zapata Co.

3 adult Crotalus atrox, (DOR), Zapata Co.

2 adult Crotalus atrox (AOR), Zapata Co.

3 adult Arizona e. arenicola (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

2 adult Arizona e. arenicola (AOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 juvenile Elaphe g. meahllmorum (AOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 sub-adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

2 adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Jim Hogg Co.

1 juvenile Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 adult Rhinocheilus l tessellates (DOR), Zapata Co.

1 unid (AOR), Zapata Co.

1 sub-adult Elaphe g. meahllmorun (DOR), Zapata Co.



The next morning we packed and made our way through Freer before heading back home. Overall we had a great trip, seeing not only a great array of snakes but a nice and diverse amount of wildlife as well.



1 juvenile Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Duval Co.

1 juvenile Crotalus atrox (DOR), Live Oak Co.

1 sub-adult Crotalus atrox (DOR), Live Oak Co.

1 adult Thamnophis m. marcianus (DOR), Live Oak Co.

1 sub-adult Masticophis f. testaceus (DOR), Bee Co.

3 adult Elaphe o. lindheimeri (DOR), Goliad Co.

2 unid (DOR), Jackson Co.

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