Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Like several others, I just got back from West Texas. Over 70 snakes seen in 10 nights. Included in the total were 6 subocs from Boy Scout, RR, and Black Gap. But the high point was a gorgeous alterna from way south of Alpine, on one of the last cuts before you hit Elephant Mountain. A small female about 24 inches, which had just swallowed a large crevice spiny. It was 28 may, 2:30 am, temperature 72, light rain recently.

My stubby II finally paid for itself, and my alterna curse is broken! I'll post pics later once things here are a little less hectic....

Also saw Troy and his celeanops down there, and Shaky and the two awesome Black Gaps-what luck, huh?

Brad Chambers

Hey Brad,Congrats on the Alterna,I hope you get some use out of the snakehook. Its nice to finally get to meet some of the folks who post on here. I'll be heading back out tonight. Cya next time, Jay Holcombe AKA>SnakeHookMan

Jay-

Great meeting you too-as well as CrisNM the same night! You'll be happy to know the hook you gave us got a tryout later that same evening on a small Mojave on 17. Worked great and thanks again-real Texas hospitality!

I must say I can now see why so many are hooked on finding wild alterna-the rush you get when you first recognize those gray and orange bands in the beam of your light is something else! I do have to confess that that 118 alterna is the first snake of ANY kind I've actually seen on a cut! lol...

Brad Chambers

It was good meeting you Brad (I forget your friend's name...horrible with names).

Congrats on the alterna. I think I might have seen one 90 just east of Sanderson Canyon Tuesday night, but by the time I turned (had a truck behind me) and looked, nothing. I got out and hiked the cut 3 times after finally calling it quits. I said it on another forum and I'll say it here.

"slow is an understatement. More like 2000 miles added to my truck for snakes I could have found in dehydrated NM. TX has NEVER panned out for me. Lame-o! At least my first alterna was from NM. Suckers!"

hehehehe

If you ever decide to visit NM for some herping let me know.

Chris

Brad,
how about posting a pic of the one you caught?
-----
...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."