Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well im going to robbers cave(in wilbur county) and im woundering if anyone has herped there ive been once and found some pretty cool stuff but im wondering if western diamondback rattlesnakes make it down there?

I'm not what you would call an Oklahoma herper but back in the sixties when I was still just a kid of sorts, I did some herping in south and southeast Oklahoma. I am not familiar with a "Wilbur County" in Oklahoma, but I think you are probably making reference to Latimer County. There is a town in Latimer Co. called Wilburton and it is the location of a cave that back then we knew as "Belle Starr's Hideout". I think that is today's "Robber's Cave". Anyway, I recall way back then finding a couple of atrox (one live and another DOR) several miles north of Wilburton on whatever the highway is that goes past the cave. I think we were probably 8 or 10 miles north of Wilburton. So, and I am assuming we are talking about the same place, there were at that time C. atrox in the area, but that was 40 years ago. I have no clue as to what the chances of finding them there in that area would be today.
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Gerald Keown
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
www.southwesternherp.com

Robbers Cave is in atrox range, though you are more likely to encounter them in the SW couties across the state. I am told they have been thick on the ground in the Wi[bleep]a Mountains area in recent years. Back to Robbers Cave: Lots of copperheads in SE Oklahoma, also timber rattler range, plus the usual expected non-venomous; rats, bulls, prairie kings, racers and coachwhips, many many water snakes and that area is also in cottonmouth range, though I doubt you'll find them around the state park area. Be aware that you need a current state hunting license to collect snakes from the wild, and I think there is a daily bag of 6 for all rattlesnake species. How rigidly this is enforced is really the luck of the draw. I doubt that a casual road cruiser or hiker would attract much attention from the game folks, although anytime you are in a state park, the odds of that go up.

thanks for the help i realy dont plan on keeping any reptiles unless i find a realy nice coachwhip outside the park. and ive been there once before and ya its thick with copperheads! i also found some worm snakes and some skinks

o and did you ever go to robbers cave? if so what herps did you find?

Only been there in fall, cool weather, so no herps out and about. However, I spent a couple of Boy Scout summer camps at a Scout ranch not that far away (as a adult leader) and it was herp heaven. Most mornings I would pick up my dome tent and flip two or three small copperheads out from under it. Saw lots or coachwhips as well, scurrying across trails and such. You should do fine at Robbers Cave.

thanks! heres a copperhead found rather close to there also
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u251/mdmolone/IMG_0906_1024.jpg

and are there pigmy rattlesnakes there?
i love pigmys!

oops! pygmys lol srry for all the posts

I have never encountered them in that area, but the range might overlap. I would add a caution as Rob and some others have to your other posts -- take it slow and observe proper handling techniques if you go looking for any of those species. Remember, enthusiasm and bravado don't trump bad luck . . . even a copperhead bite can be a painful mess.

ok ill take and yous ur advise btw im usualy pretty causious