Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just got back from a trip to Val verde County. Out of three nights only 1 was even close to suitable for herping. This was my first real attempt to find alterna and struck out. Is anybody else finding any? While out there I walked many road cuts from Comstock to Langtry. It seemed to me most of the cuts were very flat with not many crevices, do you really find alterna along those cuts? And if so where? ( at the foot, top along the sides?) I did see an atleast 6 ft Indigo Snake at Seminole canyon and a Baird's Rat Snake on Juno Rd. One more question and I'm done. Where are some good roads to find lepidus and molossus (not to collect just to photo).

Just keep doing what you were doing. Patience, and Persistence are required. There is no instant gratification (usually) which is what makes success so sweet.

By the third week of May (if not sooner) I think we'll see some good reports coming in.

Forky

Welcome to the wonderful world of snake hunting.
Everyone says you've gor to put the time in before you get lucky, or else they say the conditions have to be perfect.
Yeah, that stuff helps, but truly, its bunk. They're either there or not. They have been caught in every type of condition, but they are very fossorial. A grayband caught is rare, especially for someone who spends a night or three out there every year.
Those who get out a lot find stuff more often. Its pretty simple.
Luck has a lot to do with it, too, and a sharp eye is crucial.
As for places to find stuff, those 3 species are in Val Verde, in the rocks. Keep looking.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I'm fairly new to herping West Texas so I'm still getting the hang of things. Anyway I'll be out there as well May 21 - 26 (27th if I can swing it). If you see somebody in a white jeep feel free to stop and say hello and let me know what you're seeing. I'll probably spend a lot of time on Juno Rd.

Thanks for the Feedback,
Nathan

Does not seem to produce as many animals as Langtry or 277. But on the plus side is a lot quieter... Bet wherever you end up best of luck and remeber that in may places you may hunt all week and only see one animal, and that one animal could be what makes the trip. So do not give up out there.

I plan to head down end of May, early June for a week. I am thinking of making a path from Sanderson to River Road and back again. But I am not making reservations either, I could be anywere.

Lance

Everyone here gives great advise. It's often the time you spend out looking and some luck. Some people hunt until a certain hour and call it quits and some stay out until sunrise. It's all up to you. Good luck.

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Steve W.

LOL ! I know more than one fellow herper going down and setting him/them up for being in the depressed mode by not finding the target snake of alterna. Even first trimers of this scenario. Of course us seasoned and veteran lookers know better. Have I been depressed by not finding an alterna in the west Big Bend region of the past 5-to 7 years? NO ! I know that if I go to the more eastern part my chances are greater of percentile of finding alterna. But..........when I don't find alterna it seems I find more of the other sought out snakes of leps, milks, copperheads, splendida, etc. and of course the common color to not common color of bogeys. I even see more lyres on given nights of years voided me of alterna. I may be setting myself up though for a depressive run to the eastern part of the Trans-Pecos with the news of gas prices and lodging problems of the west. I can see it now as to the very heavy parade of hunters back on 277 and Juno and walking cuts on 90 as it was several years ago where every cut on 277 had a spot light on it. LOL!
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

I remember back in 88' when just about every cut from Casablanca Motel to west Langtry had a car on it. Not to mention the Juno traffic. I think every state and a few countries were represented that year. LOL
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Steve W.

wasn;t that due to found suboc morph or something ? Then there was a event of herpers just going down to the Bend area of what to be a accidental timing event of thought in the middle/late 80ties before we all used this monster of communication. I think Forky and some of us has regaled of this trip. But it was anything less than a non-producing trip as with no less than 13 to 15 vehicles out on River Road there was a count of around 22 or so alterna found in a 4 night period. Did I say all of that right ?
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

I remember a whole lot of people on the road in 88'. If I'm not mistaken that was only a couple of years after it was legal to collect again. There were people from all over. Some guys in a purple van from Oregon, the Wagstaff's from Louisiana, Gunther from Germany,Buzz, Williams, Dave Doherty, The Alternatives crew (Joe and company), Sloan, and of course Hollister. This is when I met most of you and it's been a pleasure knowing all of you all these years. I think everyone here is a fine group of people. Glad to know you all and hope to meet those who I haven't yet met. That time of year is about here.
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Steve W.

Boy do I remember that year,.......and that night,.at least one of those nights! Everyone that ever had anything to do with snakes was there!

Wayne

Been herping for 15 years, I've made3 trips to langtry...juno rd, etc....for a total of 2 weeks of herping. Only emorys thus far. No I'm not blind. Just hadn't happened yet. I'll Be around 20-21 lancasterish, BIG RED f250. Don't feel bad about not catching alterna. I haven't for a decade and a half. You've got to make the trip to enjoy everything down there. Believe me....I know. Good luck to us all. Jrandall

Lol-Last June we were down for a week during the new moon and saw over 70 snakes-but no greybands. Was it a successful trip? You bet! Found a gorgeous lepidus juvie on the Boy Scout Road, a couple of nice subocs, a beautiful sockhead splendida on RR, plus lots of other really cool flora and fauna of the trans-Pecos.

We too will be back in a couple of weeks-Staying in Alpine from 23 may to 2 june.... look for a 2005 Gold F150 Heritage w/ a black cap. Hope to meet as many of you folks as possible!

Brad chambers

maybe we can do a family tree history while down and see if we are related. There's another Chambers haunting these forums occasionally but not this one.
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

Good idea! My branch of the tree hails originally from Indiana. Maybe one of us will find something to assure the family name's place in herpetological posterity!

Brad C.

since I have now found 3 other Chambers on these forums. While we are not Smiths and Jones, the name Chambers listings of all my past living areas were very slim in the phone books. LOL !
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

Which one of youse guys gave me the juvie suboc while watching my partner wrangle a small female alterna off the 40' tall cut south of Langtry last June 1st or 2nd? Stand and be thoroughly praised and know she is a fuzzy slammin' beast! Just wanted to say thanks again and let some of the newer folks know that these are a great bunch of herpers.
Todd Hughes

First and foremost congrats on your first trip to West Texas!
Many folks may offer valuable advice and perceptions. The main thing is that the more time you spend in the area and dedicate this to hunting the more chance you have to find an Alterna. I person who posts on this board lives in Del Rio and found 3 alterna last summer. Another person went for a little less than 2 weeks and found 9 animals. Yes luck comes into play, weather conditions, area, hunting style, etc... The bottom line is to have fun, enjoy yourself, be respectful, etc...
If you want some good advice... Get a hunting partner with Good Eyesight and who is lucky. If they win lots of money at casinos then they might be lucky at finding alterna.

Here are some other arguements...
Road Hunting: Faster, Covers More Ground, Security of Vehicle
Walking Cuts: Better Visability of Cuts and Shoulder Area, allows concentration on one area, cheaper.

Best Wishes,

Steven Owens

Don't feel bad, I planned last years trip very carefully and had all the great advice from these guys and didn't get one. BUT, as someone else said, choose your hunting partner wisely...I talked to several people and chose a guy with a solid east coast savvy and he had been here before and he went home with 4 alterna last year, he even let me snatch two of his snakes off the cuts for him. Zee is a great field herper with eagle eyes and luck beyond the norm. But we did our homework with the moon pattern and rain patterns and we nailed it. Did you see any other animals? Lots of centipedes was a calling card for alterna for us, and we saw lepidus, atrox, emoryi, hypsiglina,and subocs. We also saw collard lizards, tons of deer, ringtails and skunks, raccoons and coyotes, even a bobcat. It was a great experience if you take it all for what it really was...an adventure. With what we learned, we put together this years' trip. Oh yeah, I did walk out on my next trip with this guy, and what an awesome animal he is, perhaps the biggest recorded suboc to date. Have fun, and it will happen with persistance!
Todd Hughes

eagle eyes, a little luck, but most of all: When going there ENJOY yourself! I have gone to West Texas before and not found an alterna, but whenever that happened I always found something else that was really special: A record sized, 69" Bairdi, A very red racer, A spectacular trans pecos copperhead, mottled rock rattlers, a Lyre snake, a nearly 7 foot gopher snake, gorgeous blackneck garters, beautiful lizards, and a few other herps.
To me, just being out there is an awesome, relaxing, and at times exciting experience!!! (A pic of one of last year's finds - 31" male)

Zee

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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

Hah, I knew I could get you to post that good sized male! Man, I tell ya' I am on fire just getting ready for this trip! I hope to add a few more lifers to the list and just have a great time stuffing myself and turning the ol' clock backwards to become a nightowl for a week. Lord knows there'll be hell to pay reverting but I'm up for it. I am heading out tonight for a run around 624 down here and to get one more annulata if all goes well. It has been a fairly dry and normal year down by the coast with a few meahlmorrim and some T rats dor as well as a few live atrox out at night, but my speck board line is paying off and I am still on the prowl for that southernmost calligaster! Hope everyone has a great time and may the alterna come out to play for the truely deserving!
Todd Hughes