Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife and I are heading to Napa Valley in late March to do the usual wine/cheese/B & B thing (not a big wine person but it is a very relaxing place to visit; this will be our second year). My wife, knowing the kind of herp nut that I am, is willing to sacrifice a day to go herping with me. Last year, we went to a nearby nature preserve where all I could find were lots of scleroperus and a whipsnake. Has anyone done any herping in this area? We'll have a car so driving is no problem (w/in reason....my wife may take the wheel if I go too far). I'd love, of course, to see some helleri (if they are found in that particular area) but at this point, any herp would be great. Some of the workers in the vineyards claim that there are rattlesnakes everywhere but I haven't personally seen any in my short time there. Thanks in advance. Rob

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

My herp society is planning a trip in mid-late March out in that direction. Our plan was actually to travel our way down the Sea of Cortez coast of Baja California. But a few folks really wanted to look for a ruber and that would be the Pacific side.

Only a day Rob? I got my girlfriend to go out three times while we were in Mexico. Are you saying this has a half-life?

Actually we planned on going out a fourth time out but we got took by a time share salesman we paid to take us out in a truck.

First, THANKS TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR THE GREAT IDEAS. Gavin, sounds like you've got a great trip in the making. Having one full herping day is great for me and I'm thankful my wife is letting me sacrifice one of our six days in Napa to just do hard core herping. Since I do this for a living, my wife east and sleeps reptiles just like me whether she likes it or not and she's been great so I am happy just having some of my own time in the field; then it'll be back to drinking wine....not too bad.

>>My herp society is planning a trip in mid-late March out in that direction. Our plan was actually to travel our way down the Sea of Cortez coast of Baja California. But a few folks really wanted to look for a ruber and that would be the Pacific side.
>>
>>Only a day Rob? I got my girlfriend to go out three times while we were in Mexico. Are you saying this has a half-life?
>>
>>Actually we planned on going out a fourth time out but we got took by a time share salesman we paid to take us out in a truck.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Rob email me, I can help you see an oreganus or three.
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Cheers
Lateralis
"I would rather be precisely wrong than approximately right"
Marion "Doc" Ford

There are plenty in the hills near there. There is a guy Jerry that posts on here and finds them near Hercules and Pinole which isn't too far and he also finds his fair share of Boas. The Oreganus are extremely nice having alot of green in them.

Here is one of mine. Livermore locale.....