Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Living in west Texas makes even mundane chores interesting. Yesterday, I had three "errands" that had to be tended to: property inspection, security drive-by, and checking the mail.

Property Inspection: I had to inspect and photograph a hunt camp that I will be purchasing for resale. The 80 mile round trip (24 on dirt roads) provided incredible scenery, a WDB, and a roundtailed horned lizard. Hiking and photographing the 20 acre tract revealed some very promising habitat, a few lizards (most too fast for me), lots of cool plant photos, some marine fossils, and some much needed exercise.

Security Drive-By: Trespassing and poaching is common place out this way. As a responsible property owner and land broker, I must periodically visit my properties and check for signs of unwelcome visitors. It’s funny how the security checks on my Luna Vista property always occur after sunset. I spent about two hours checking in and around various rock outcrops, boulder piles, and talus slides. No sign of trespassers. Unfortunately, not much critter activity either. All I found was one crevice spiny and a bunch of inverts.

Checking the Mail: Having a PO Box 25 miles from home can be a real pain, especially during the summer when we have no other reason to drive to town. Being a devoted husband and father, I volunteer for this unsavory duty 2-3 times weekly. For some reason, my mail runs always occur at night. That might explain why I often get disoriented and drive past the post office. Imagine my surprise when I realize I’ve past Study Butte and ended up on the River Road. Last night’s mail run yielded three Trans-Pecos Rats (2 DOR, 1 AOR), one Texas banded geckos (AOR), one Reticulated Gecko (AOR), and two Mediterranean geckos (both AOPOW –Alive On Post Office Window).


Not the Texas Banded from last night, but similar

The tail break was fresh, but not my doing

Thanks for helping with my errands.

Gee, when I check my mail, I get to see brown patch and fire ants. And occasionally Wayne.

Are you sure that is a retic? It looks just like my bandeds I collected in Terrel County. I wish I had a PO box near yours though.
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South Texas Herps

I'm starting to seriously question the ID myself. I have very little experience with geckos and my field guide sucks. The ID was also corrected over on FHF. Accordingly, I am admitting my error and correcting the ID.

By way of an apology, here is a REAL retic from a few miles further north.

N/T

.

Had to make a quick run to the convenience store.

Found two 2.5' subocs and two 2' atrox along the way. Not a bad little shopping trip.

Daryl, good post and nice shot of the suboc in situ.
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Bill Cope
O'Brien, FL

Thanks, but that was a release photo, not in situ. The snake was sound on the road and photographed and release on the cut he was heading toward.

np
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Bill Cope
O'Brien, FL

Yes. It's a 20 acre tract in the Solitario section of the ranch. I'm still researching the details, but I'm told that at least two sections (square miles) to the south of it are "state land" but not part of the park system. From what I'm told those sections are open for public hunting. The current owner hunts deer there and sees other deer hunters on that "state land" on occassion.

I look forward to spending a couple of night there soon. I'll be shooting photos and becoming familiar with the area (and hopefully some herps) to help in marketing it. There are also numerous indian artifacts and some pertoglyphs in the area.

According to the current owner, the large limestone bluff and Purple Rock Creek (a dry arroyo) are on the property. Purple Rock Canyon is apparently just outside the tract boundaries and on the the "state land". The exact corners and boundaries have never been marked. I'm hoping the canyon will actually turn out to be on the tract. I'll be surveying (unofficially) and marking the corners soon.