Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, We are new to the houston area moved from PA and my boys are looking or a place on the west side (Sealy area) to field herp. We have not found much other than state parks as far as places to look. Any local groups that know the area?
Thanks
Frank

I'm located in The Woodlands which is about 40 miles from Houston. I know some areas but the ones I go to might be a bit of a drive for you.

If you can make it you might try going to Lake Houston Park which is located in New Caney. It's a 40 minute drive from where I live but it's a nice place to go especially if you're into camping. It's one of the largest parks in the area and there are parts of it where people never actually go. The plus sides of this is that there are herps and animals there that can't survive in smaller parks. The bad side is that many animals are not used to people as much (they don't get fed by people) so you may at first think your spottings are a little sparse.

I intern there and was there a lot over the summer. I'm often there working at the nature center on weekends. They've got a huge collection of native animals and so there's tons of live snakes, turtles, fish etc on display. It's a huge nature center that's very well furnished and stuff. Only a couple years old too. There are presentations on most saturdays so if you ask you can find out when there'll be one on snakes/reptiles.

As far as species you'll find there... I see a lot of ribbons, ratsnakes, racers, and copperheads. You can also find cottonmouths, water snakes, crayfish snakes, milk snakes, hognose snakes, green snakes, and others but those are irregular sightings. If you go spotting at night you'll probably find some cool stuff.

If you're going there then any day is fine except monday, tuesday, and wednesday (the naturalist who does the nature center isn't there on monday and tuesday and it's often closed part of wednesday). Just ask to talk to Crystal and she can give you any pointers you might want. If you refer to Emily(me) she'll know who you're talking about. Fee is $3 per person.

I'm at a lot of local areas but if you can drive to Humble there's Jesse Jones Park (Mike Howlett's the reptile guy there) and if you drive to Huntsville there's Huntsville state park. Haven't really been around there but that's located in Sam Houston National Forest so it's got to have some good herps. Sheldon Lake State Park is located in Houston but I haven't been there. I'm pretty sure they've got alligators there though.

Please remember if you're at parks the wildlife is protected so taking anything is prohibited. But they're still good for herping sightseeing.

If you have any other questions you can message me. I'm pretty good about checking my email.
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1.0 sumatran short tailed python
0.1 ball python
0.1 rosy boa
0.1 corn snake
1.0 mexican king snake
1.1 buttermilk racers
0.0.2 texas rat snakes
0.0.1 broadbanded watersnakes
0.0.2 yellow bellied watersnake
0.0.1 diamond back watersnake
0.0.1 blotched watersnake
0.0.1 ribbon snake
0.1 Texas brown snake
0.0.1 western cottonmouth
0.0.1 southern copperhead
0.0.1 rattlesnake
1.0 bearded dragon
1.0 leopard gecko

Thanks. I dont mind a drive. We dont keep stuff so I dont care about he state park rules. We would only keep anything if we find on the road and that is just because it would be dead the next time a car passes by. But most often we just move it off the road. Thanks for the ideas.
Frank

Keep in mind it is illegal to road herp in Texas, someone correct me if I am wrong.

>>Thanks. I dont mind a drive. We dont keep stuff so I dont care about he state park rules. We would only keep anything if we find on the road and that is just because it would be dead the next time a car passes by. But most often we just move it off the road. Thanks for the ideas.
>>Frank
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1.1 Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.1 Black Milksnake
1.1 Black Pine
1.0 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.2 Still Water Hypos
0.0.1 Possibly stillwater x Red Bull
2.2 N. Pinesnake
1.0 Pituophis mutt
0.0.2 Plains Garter
1.0 Chow Chow(2003 Papi)
0.1 Cat(Shug

Sheldon lake is good. My folks live out in Humble (I'm way up in the panhandle), and mom and I always go there when I visit.
I've seen lots of gulf coast ribbon snakes, tons of gators, banded water snakes, buttermilk racers (woot!!) and a texas rat snake there. Never done serious herping in it, since I don't wanna go flipping stuff in a park, but that's what I've seen more or less just on the trails.

Jesse Jones I've never found jack in. Brazos Ben is a ways out but man oh man it's awesome for birds and herps...alligators out the wazoo!

Frank,

I've spent quite a bit of time herping over the years around the Sealy area. There are lots of herps around there. Of course, it is all private land so herping is tough.

Most of the roadside ditches in your area that have water for any extended period (this year may not be good) are great for walking at night. Road cruising can be very productive around the marshes and rice fields between Sealy and Eagle Lake.

Flipping trashpiles in that area is pretty good in the spring (Feb-April). It is all private land, but if you ask many landowners, they used to let me flip old tin piles around barns and stuff. Never hurts to ask if you find a good collapsed tin building to ask the landowners.

If you want to go to a park (hands off herping), Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR is just down the road from you. It isn't any sort of herp paradise, but there are a lot of herps on there. Check the ditches that go under the roads on the refuge. They usually have a few Nerodia basking as well as turtles.

Another neat place a little farther from you is Brazos Bend State Park on the SW side of Houston. It is a great place to get "up close and personal" with Alligators. There are lots of other herps in the park and because it gets a lot of traffic, many of the herps are pretty acclimated to people.

All in all, the prairies and rice fields in your area are actually one of my favorite former herping areas. I don't know how much has changed, but it used to be a very herpy area!

Watch out for Cottonmouths - they used to be quite common out there.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Also, join the East Texas Herpetological Society. They are a great group and you will find some kindred spirits there.

Chris
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Thanks. I need to learn the area a bit better yet. My wife found a copper last night at work. The hots dont bother me as I breed elapids for many years. I work at the local Kawasaki shop I need to start askin the local guys to herp their land.
Frank