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I flipped this yearling male Eastern King under a laminated board in Calvert County, Maryland at 8:25 AM today.

I am extremely happy - this is only the 2nd Eastern I have ever found and the 1st in Maryland. This was only about 70 miles from my house so I am going to go back for sure.

Concerning this capture - the only reason I knew where to look is because of the friendship of Michael Coone (WesternNC) and Carsten Zoldy (Blueking). I have gone herping with those two guys because I never wanted to be just a "deli-cup-herper". They have taught me when and where to look. Thanks guys... you both know how much this snake means to me and I appreciate your tutledge...

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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

Congrats Peter! That is one beautiful animal, and a great find.

Thanks Matt --- I figured only people on this site appreciate the magnitude of this find!
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

congrats,nice looking specimen....give me a call if you get a chance,peter.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

Awesome man! That's gotta feel good to know that the BEAST of the East can be found only 70 miles away from your house! It is also good to know that they still exist so far north in their range. That's a RARE find! Congrats!

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-

Zee, Yes - I am going to buy a GPS system for my vehicle today - and I am going to plot all of these spots. Too bad you will not be here next Spring (or will you?) for our field herping trip because I think Michael is coming up here and we are gonna herp Southern Maryland instead of NC.

By the way, that snake ate a pinky mouse last night.
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

Sweet! Congrats Peter, I know you really wanted to see more MD animals. Hey wheres the other pics ? hmmmmmm lol

Keith
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Keith, actually that was the only snake I saw during the whole day. The only other thing I saw was a large black rat snake skin tail-first right into a debris pile - but I did not feel like ripping that apart.

Thanks for the congrats. I am already planning my next day trip back there to look for spots for next spring.
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

I was talking about those pics we discussed opn the phone.

Keith
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Keith,

I will try tonight...
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

Nice job Peter! People don't realize the amount of time one has to spend learning about ranges, seeking out habitat, and then learning specifics of each species at to time of day and time of year...not to mention the money spent on gas and all the verbal abuse we take from our wives in pursuit of animals like that...to find something like that, especially at the edge of it's range, that is really special.

Great job!!! I can't wait until next spring!

Michael

Mike,

That is the whole point - to find a snake like this is really something special. I think even in North Carolina and South Carolina it is not easy and still it seems like people find them at will - but I know this is not the case from talking with you and Zee.

Finding a snake like that in Maryland is threading the needle and being in the exact right spot at the exact right time. Evidence is the fact that he was the only snake I saw all day and I put about 280 miles on my truck to do it.

I am still replaying the scene in my head when I flipped that debris over and saw him all curled up!

Nothing better - and that is why I am already plotting my next escape down there. You know my oldest son is 3 and he will be able to go with me (and he will be my excuse to go) in the next couple of years.
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com

Excellent find Peter. I'm a big fan of the more northern locality eastern kings. I know finding that beauty made your day.

Steve

Congrad !!!!!!! on your MD catch ...keep up the great work!!

Nice looker.Congratulations.Junk piles used to be eyesores to me along the road in the past, now they are full of possibilities! You gotta feel bad for the poor D.P.W. guys though that find them unintentionaly! probably takes days off their lives. LOL
Bob.

Peter i found a male corn snake in calvert co a few years ago and would like to get a female to breed with him so if you find one let me know if you want to pair them up

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Doug
....and am I the only one here that thinks designer snakes are ugly ?

I just spoke with Brad Bauserman on the phone and we were discussing this picture (you caught it in 2005, right?).

I am surely going to look for some corns down there.

I am headed back there on Saturday and meeting my buddy Kevin at 5:15 on Saturday morning!
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Peter Jolles
East Coast Colubrids
www.eastcoastcolubrids.com