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I just found out about the tragic death of my best childhood friend. He has not been active in herp community for several years (more into rock climbing). However, some of you oldtimers may have met him. If so, I'm sorry to inform you of his untimely death.

Here is a link to an article on his death.
www.rockandice.com/news_detail.php?newsId=108&pno=0

Here is a link to a memorial website.
www.friendsofforester.com

Jimmy Ray Forester was an active herper from DeSoto TX back in the 80's and early 90's. He remained a herp lover all his life, but most of his passion in recent years was focused on rock climbing.

The highlight of his herp career was a major collecting trip in Mexico and the SW USA with Dave Barker and others back in the mid 80's. On that trip, they collected several of the early, legal specimens of L.t.knoblochi that made that species available to the hobby.

The low point in his (and my) herp career was the accidental release of an Egyptian cobra to the wild near Cedar Hill, TX. He had just traded for a pair of cobras and we stopped with a couple of friends in Cedar Hill to hunt for C.a.atrox, leaving the cobras in open bags in a ventilated 5 gal paint bucket. After checking some active atrox dens on a large hill, we looked back to the car and spotted some punks breaking into it. We screamed and ran like madmen to chase them off from certain death. However, they took off in a panic long before they spotted or heard us (not a good sign). As we approached the car, we spotted the bucket, on its side with the lid removed. Whereas we were in high grass, we slowed our approach dramatically. When we got to the bucket, we found one cobra missing! We searched and searched but never found it. We barely breathed for the next week while we scoured the papers for reports of cobra bites, then for the next two years for cobra sightings.

I first met Jimmy when I was handling a large Texas rat snake in a friend’s front yard. All the sudden, this crazy kid was running toward me screaming, "Elaphe obsoletta lindheimeri". Later that day, I was showing him my collection when he asked if my Central Texas Whipsnake ever bit anyone. My answer was, "not yet". Just then it struck and held onto his upper lip. He responded that I needed update my answer.

Once, my father caught us sneaking a pillowcase with two LARGE atrox into my house (we were just teens). My dad asked, what's in the pillowcase. We replied, "a couple of rattlesnakes, wanna see em?" My dad laughed it off in disbelief and we continued on to my room.

Once while night driving, he spotted a skunk and decided it would be great fun to see who could get closest w/o getting sprayed. For the next several minutes we stalked that poor skunk and dropped to our bellies or froze in place every time it stopped or started to raise his tail. Luckily, we were not quite as daring as we were stupid. We never got in spray range.

Another time night driving, we spotted a snake, jumped from the car to retrieve it, only to notice that the car was rolling past us! Jimmy dove in the front seat and slammed the brake with his hand, only to then be slammed by the door. I don't recall if we caught the snake.

Once while showing our pet Burmese Python “Trouble” to some friends, the girl that Jimmy was draping it over asked, “will it bite me”. Jimmy’s reassuring response was, “I’d never let that happen”. Just then, the snake crapped all over her. Barely suppressing a laugh, Jimmy added, “well you never asked about that.”

Jimmy was a great friend and an amazing field herper. He will be sorely missed.

He sounds like a great adventurer and an all around great guy. I am truely sorry for your loss and my prayers go out to you and especially his family.
Todd Hughes

Thanks Todd.

I have spent good money on lots of movies and not been entertained as much as reading your post and those few good herp stories. As Banta would say on the old Seinfeld show, "That's gold!". Alot of fellow herpers would feel the "been there", even if they might not have "done that". We are all a crazy lot! Sorry for your personal loss, and a great character in the hobby.

Thanks for the reply.

Jimmy loved entertaining people with stories of his crazy experiences, and he had tons!