Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It looks like I FINALLY may be able to get away Columbus Day weekend for an overnight trip to the Trans-Pecos region. I know it's really late in the season to do so, but finding herps during "nontraditional" times of year piques my interest, so anything to be found would be fine (and I have a soft spot for banded geckos as many of you know).

I can't convince the family to go with me, so that actually frees me to make it a "nostalgic" trip (i.e. sleeping in my car!).

If anyone has any ideas for spots you'd like to know if they produce this late in the year (not just for graybands but whatever else) and are too sane to spend your own funds making the trip this late in the game, I'm more than happy to do herping-by-proxy for you. I'm open to any suggestions for locales to try.

I'd like to keep the travels not any further south than, say, Sanderson, and not any further west than Alpine-ish. I can be talked into modifying those plans, but that's just a starting point from which to plan.

I'm not in the market for collecting anything other than brevis of opportunity. Pictures of snakes only.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Please hunt the Hueco's for an Alterna Male and the Musquiz canyon area for an Alterna Female. Last try Sheffield for an Alterna Female.

If you find one, two or all of these animals, please don't just take a picture.

Good Luck on your trip,

Steven

I would most likely head up to the Alpine / Davis area.. Maybe you could hit Musquiz for a night or two?

>>I would most likely head up to the Alpine / Davis area.. Maybe you could hit Musquiz for a night or two?

It's looking like I'll focus on the Alpine/Davis/Marfa triangle. Is Musquiz publicly accessible? I'm going to be limited on time so I don't know if I'll go to the Sanderson area.

I'm assuming any road cruising/cut walking etc will be more productive (if at all) sunset-to-midnight rather than all night long with the temps being cooler this time of year.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

sometimes there can be a lot of traffic on that portion of 118 and that makes it stink if that's the case. If you want to find an alterna you'd have better luck walking the west Alpine cuts, or walking / shining 118 south of Alpine.

As far as your geckos go, watch where you're walking and turn a few rocks and you should find them.

Out towards Marfa is grassland, and I forgot what you said you wanted to find besides brevis but there is a different species set out that way.

Forky

Just need to pair up some animals...

Good Luck and remember the 3 areas.
Huecos
Musquiz
Sheffield

Steven

>>sometimes there can be a lot of traffic on that portion of 118 and that makes it stink if that's the case. If you want to find an alterna you'd have better luck walking the west Alpine cuts, or walking / shining 118 south of Alpine.

I'll only be making it an overnight trip Sun-Mon of next week; maybe it's late enough in the year to cut down some of the traffic?

>>As far as your geckos go, watch where you're walking and turn a few rocks and you should find them.

That would be nice--I always keep my eyes peeled but would you believe, I have yet to find a brevis in the field! Of course, I haven't been going out in quite the right times of year. Hopefully I can find some YOY.

>>Out towards Marfa is grassland, and I forgot what you said you wanted to find besides brevis but there is a different species set out that way.

I was thinking Marfa just to see if I saw any funny lights out that way.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

How does Hwy 166 look?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

you say brevis is at the top of your list, and you only have one night, so why mess around, just shoot on down to the Gap where brevis are extremely common and the temps will hold all night. they are everywhere down there, just get out of the car and walk around - I've seen upwards to 10 or 12 an hour at times down there.

you say brevis is at the top of your list, and you only have one night, so why mess around, just shoot on down to the Gap

They're on my "opportune" list--I don't have quite the time to "just shoot on down" to the Gap! I won't even be getting to Alpine till around 7pm.

Also, the full moon rises about the same time--wonderful!
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

If it were me this time of year I would most likely run the Davis Alpine stuff. Musquiz is a tough patch in the Davis area, that is why it will be such a pain to come up with a needed female on our end..... I was hoping you would have a very good trip!!!

Limpia along 17 has actually produced a fair number of animals, and since the Alpine cuts have been hunted regular the last few years they seem productive too. If you want the geckos, head south from there.. Black Gap, Peppers Hill, River Road will keep you happy there.

LOL, good try Steve! Pick it up, pack it in and call me haha! As stated, we will be around Marathon that weekend, look for us Sunday.You will be on your way up we will be packin it in.
Todd Hughes

We are about to find out if we are having a boy or girl for our first child. My wife wont EVEN begin to let me out for snake hunting. She is already PEAVED about me having as many as I do...

I wish you the best.. and again if you find one of the listed animals PLEASE DONT JUST TAKE A PICTURE!

Best Wishes,

Steven

Here's to a happy, healthy baby! Cheers!
Todd Hughes

we just got back from 9 days down there. there were alot of snakes still out. i found an extremely black alterna on black gap but not much more. we found several trans pecos rats on river road and the cuts east of sanderson, 1 bairds and many others.the temps were weird 1 night 80's the next 50's.just watch the weather and head south.

just watch the weather and head south.

Well, I'd definitely not heading as far west as the Huecos (sorry), but howcome everyone's telling me to stay in the Davis Mtns area if further south is where the action is?

I'm pretty much time-constrained so I don't think I'll be able to make it as far as Black Gap, but Sanderson might be an option.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

i'm very new to the collecting down there so no expert. this was only my 2nd trip. but it was way to cold in the mntns. when we were there.i had hunted them my 1st trip down in june and we found nothing that trip but the entire trip was bad.

Chris, Joe is gassing up in Sanderson as I speak and I will give his report if anything comes up. I believe he is hunting Sanderson area tonight, might be a good bet, temps at sundown were in the low 80's and last year at exactly this time they held at 70 till 10:00. We saw many, many crotes, gophers, 2 hognose and 2 splendidas.
Todd Hughes