Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was, for many years, the prototypical alterna nut. I've been out in March, April and through November, I've learned to maximize my chances. As far as April, I've found 1 DOR male, 1 live male. April is when you go if you just want to get out of the house for a night. ]
May is iffy. Some years are good in May, some are terrible. Basiclly don't get too excited until around May 10th.
Study the weather, study the sky, sniff the air, look at the clouds. Barometer of 29.83-29.95 seems best for alterna, with winds SE 10-20. If you are considering 277 and the wind is north of SE, don't bother. If there is a storm coming in from the north, 277 can be good for alterna. if there is a storm coming from the east or south, forget it, go elsewhere.
Hwy 90 from the Pecos River to Palma Draw, basically same conditions. However, I've had interesting nights on 90 when there were storms all around but dry on 90.
Cumulus are the cluds you want - the nice little powder puffs scattered around. If it is the whispy clouds, they show unstable conditions aloft. Bright blue sky with powerderpuff is when you get excited.
If the barometer is high, say 30.0 or more, you can change that by climbing in elevation. Remember - Del Rio is around 970 ft, Loma Alta is around 1100, Langtry is a bit over 1200, Palma Draw about the same, Sanderson is over 3,000 ft. So, if the barometer is high in Val Verde, head to Sanderson where the pressure is less - the pressure is given as adjusted to sea level.
If it is dead calm, look for annulata around 10:30-12, also around 1-2:30.
Many people start out saying "I'm going to hunt such and such an area tonight" then after 3-4 hours of being skunked decide to move to another area. THis is wasted time. If you are on 277, you really have noplace else to to and may as well tough it out where you are. If you are on Juno, you can swing onto 90 and only lose 30-40 min. of herping time. If you are in Langtry and it seems deas you can always head to Terrell County.
If you are staying in Sanderson or Del Rio, you have until 8PM to make a decision, no need to commit until conditions are known.
Sorry if this is a bit lengthy, tried to keep it as short as possible. I hope it helps.
Good herping.
Herping The Trans-Pecos

Thanks, that was actually very helpful, a nice little summary...I just moved to Abilene so I'm a little new to the West Texas herping but plan on hittin it hard while I'm here...

Blacktail from Juno 5/5/07...

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Snakes to the Max

1.2 Variable Kingsnakes
1.1 Grayband x Ruthveni
0.1 Western Massasauga (WC)
1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.0 Jaguar Coastal Carpet Python
1.1 Pastel Red-tail Boas
1.0 Lavender Motley Cornsnake
3.1 Yearling Variable Kingsnakes
0.0.2 Yearling Western Massasaugas
1.1 Black Milksnakes
3.6 Honduran Milksnakes
1.3 Cornsnakes
1.1 Mandarin Ratsnakes
0.0.1 Baird's Ratsnake

In what is known as signal animals? Meaning if you see a long nose then you definitely wont see an Alterna? Type of thing?

Like if the Jack Rabbits are high then the alterna will be low...

etc...

What are your thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Steven

It has been my experience that when the pictigasters are crawling, an alterna is not not far behind. I have caught alterna many times after seeing copperheads out and about, so when I hear of or see copperheads crawling, this is a clue to hit it hard!!! That is my indicator animal. Call me if you see any this weekend Steve.

Wayne

My indicator animal is wayne...if he's on the River Road, the alterna are hiding.

LOL, my indicator animal is Zee, when he is with me, he gets all the cool stuff, and I get a Hypsiglena!
Todd Hughes

I believe things will be different this time!
Somehow I have that feeling.......(The odds ARE in your favor)

See you in June!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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-

Haha, I am a happy camper, put in enough time and invariably it will happen! I have a looooong time left and seeing all things out there is great, hope to see a bairds rat soon too!
Todd Hughes

Just to be out there is a HUGE treat for me even if all I find is a single hypsyglina - which of course has NEVER happened before (and hopefully never will, lol!!!)

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-

Lance and I saw a pic last year. I can't remember if it was the same night or the next night when we got the sheffield.

Good point...

Now... Here is the next question.. When you see PIC's...Are the alterna on the road or cut?

Good luck this weekend and remember what I said about the dream...

Steven

Most of them have been on the cuts!!! A few have been crawling on the dirt, but none on the road as I remember.

Wayne

Hey Wayne, don't feel bad, I just caught my first Texas trimorph ever this last weekend.

Bryan Box

Hey Wayne. Agree whole heartedly on the pics/alterna correlation, especially in Val Verde County. Some people have suggested that "blairs" are a mimic for copperheads and since more blairs morphs are found in the east it kind of makes sense. Further west they "mimic" leps where more alterna morphs are found although my "indicator" snake seems to be trimorphs instead of leps out west. I've found 7 trimorphs in my life out west and I saw alterna the same night as 4 of the trimorphs and other folks caught alterna the same night as I found the other 3.
Of course now I find neither!!! Might check with Dan J. and Norman N. about this also. Just my 2 cents. BA

I could only get so lucky to find a trimorph. I love em! Of course, everyone sees them but me!

Wayne

Definitely different animals move under different conditions. I've found emoryi to be a very good indicator for alterna. When I see an emoryi, I don't take time off. And yes, seeing several longnose usually means a dearth of alterna. However, I remember a few nights which were miserable yet productive. I found the sweetest alterna morphe ever found about 100 yards from the Exxon in Langtry. I'd been holed up playing cards because it was cold and raining. Around 10PM I figured "what the heck, I'm here, may as well herp" turned west from Chamberlain's and was still in second gear when I found her (1976)
Another night Ben Dial and I were on Black Gap and seeing nothing. We flew up to Val Verde county and got there following a cooling rain. I saw 1 alterna, 1 suboc, 1 pictigaster and 1 something else, can't remember what it was.

You mean that when you see emoryi that you hunt harder or put up for the night? I always hear everyone complain about longnose. I remember someone saying something about the rabbits but I don't remember.

Thanks so much for your knowledge and perception. I can remember the first time I met you on 277 in 1993. You were in your wagon brewing coffee and smoking and you offered me a cup. I thought, man that is freaking cool that I am in the middle of nowhere and this guy is talking to me like an adult and offering me coffee. (I was 20 at the time).

Best Wishes,

Steven Owens
Got Tha Feeva Fo Tha Flava Of Alterna

Yes, when I see emoryi I hunt harder. several times I've given up, was heading in for the night, saw an emoryi, u turned and found an alterna.

Most of the feedback you are getting is anecdotal with no real data behind it. It would be tough attach any real data behind that anyway because of the bias involved with the animals you see vs the ones you don't see.

In certain areas of Val Verde county it means squat if you see anything else or not and many nights alterna will be the only snake you see (depending how and where you are hunting).

In general, if you are hunting further west, as Brewster and Presidio you'd want to see some movement, of any kind. Rarely have I had any alterna only nights in the west.

That alterna I got on 118 last May was a rarity, then. We'd been hunting RR but it was very hot (low 90s), and no movement at all. We decided to head north in the wee hours, and stopped on a whim at the first cuts above Elephant at about 2:30. There we walked up the alterna, the only snake that night (by the way-it was at least 10 degrees cooler there as well).

Brad Chambers

Say a prayer. Put all your money in your gas tank. Charge up all your spotlights. Get your flashlights ready. Clean your windshield and headlights. Dont even watch the weather, waste of your time.. Find out where most hunters are go to be,. so you wont be in a line of 10 cars spotlighting every cut in front or behind you. Make sure you can spotlight the same area for 10 hours, thats 9 pm to 7 am. Never leave where you are hunting, someone else will get a nice one 30 to 45 minutes after you leave, I swear if you can follow these rules you might get one. There are more rules. You can find more rules at HowcanIgetthis snake.com GOOD LUCK... DARK MOON OF JUNE