Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm headed out to Helena next month on business and would like to poke around a little. I'm really jones'n here in MN for some decent herping. Any pointers?

RUSS

Don't bring you wife and kid,
Chuck

This is an "official" trip. Just keep paying your taxes so I can keep these junkets up!

My wife's from Montana, nearby. When I've been to Helena I remember mtns. nearby, but some flat ground in and around town. Also the Missouri River is near. Near the Missouri might be productive. I wouldn't expect too much in the mtns. and this time of year it's starting to get cooler at night.

Near the river in Great Falls I found garter snakes is about all, but heard from others that there are rattle snakes in the prairie. Also there's possibility of rubber boas in the mtns. There might be a couple other snakes in the area, but I'm not sure. A field guide might show the ranges of things like bull snakes, whatever.

Good luck,

Terry

>>I'm headed out to Helena next month on business and would like to poke around a little. I'm really jones'n here in MN for some decent herping. Any pointers?
>>
>>RUSS

I'm in Billings and haven't been up around Helena for a while but can tell you that things have been hot and dry for a long time around here so many herps are pretty hard to find.

Here is what I have been seeing:
In the foothills and flatland I have found prairie rattlers, bull snakes, several types of garter snakes and some horned lizards.
Around rivers I have found woodhouse toads, spiney softshell turtles, western painted turtles and common snappers.

I'm hoping some cooler weather will bring out some western hognose snakes and pale milk snakes.

I was thinking of looking around Billings for milks, but wasn't sure they occured there. So, have you collected them there before? Thanks...

TC

>>I'm in Billings and haven't been up around Helena for a while but can tell you that things have been hot and dry for a long time around here so many herps are pretty hard to find.
>>
>>Here is what I have been seeing:
>>In the foothills and flatland I have found prairie rattlers, bull snakes, several types of garter snakes and some horned lizards.
>>Around rivers I have found woodhouse toads, spiney softshell turtles, western painted turtles and common snappers.
>>
>>I'm hoping some cooler weather will bring out some western hognose snakes and pale milk snakes.

They are pretty hard to find, but they are out there. I know a guy that found one in his yard about 2 miles from my house. It is a beautiful snake, nice big female. I have been looking pretty hard this summer but haven't found one yet.

Haven't been up there yet, but purportedly triangulum are abundant from that area, people seem to commonly find them in the rimrock. For whatever it's worth...

--M

Thanks. Going to try to get down there next time we go to MT.

Got my first mtn. king in the Santa Ritas this summer

TC

>>Haven't been up there yet, but purportedly triangulum are abundant from that area, people seem to commonly find them in the rimrock. For whatever it's worth...
>>
>>--M

guess I just missed you, was down there for a few weeks, right when some wicked weather pounded green valley.

Congrats on the pyro, you get it on the road?

Yep...way up high at 11:30 at night. Another guy got one the next night too. I have pics I haven't posted, yet.

Also, I've been working on Bois Blanc Island in L. Huron near the Straits and am planning to do an article on the herps there. E-mail me, so I can get up to date with ya and send you some notes, if you're interested. I'd like to know how your summer went.

Gotta run...later....TC

>>guess I just missed you, was down there for a few weeks, right when some wicked weather pounded green valley.
>>
>>Congrats on the pyro, you get it on the road?

I'm maimly looking for A.macrodactylum and the pales. Are pales around Helena?

RUSS

I doubt that you will see any pale milks up there. Billings is kind of on the edge of their range. If you can catch some cooler wet weather you might see some long toes. A friend and I tried to find some in June in the Kalispel area and it was already too dry. Our weather has been cooler with a little rain the past few days so I'm hoping to see some more herps out and about.

You might check out "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/FieldGuide" it has some pretty good info and range maps.

Thanks, I'll post some pics if I see anything.

RUSS

sounds like there are definately better parts of Montana to look for herps. I lived there for almost 4 years, all I ever caught were tons of painted turtles and a few garters! I have heard stories of people finding rattlers and big bullsnakes by the lakes in northwestern montana, but other than that, I have heard very little. I went back a few years ago and found a rubberboa in the road when I was driving through Lolo pass.
Good luck,
Kevin