Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Took the kids for a walk in a local state park yesterday. The general area is well known for coastal plains but on this particular day every log or tree in the park that could be stripped, rolled or ripped apart had been. I hate seeing that level of habitat destruction anywhere but it really frosts me when it's done in a park area! Some people have no regard for anything other than satisfying their endless wants and needs.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

sea shore???

No, North West.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

Geesh!,....that must have been a horrible sight!,..that kind of mentality disgusts me too!

Must be some real hardcore "treasure" hunter's in that area.

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

It only takes one.When I was young I tore up all the rocks on a mountain that a friend took me too.I went that time with out him.I never even find snakes in the desert like that.It took 20 years for the habitat to look normal again ,And years for him to forgive me.Bad mistake on my part never to happen ever again.
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Archie Bottoms

Yeah, I certainly agree that it only takes one distructive individual to wreak all that havoc too. People can be very diligent and methodical about tearing stuff up to persue snakes.

It's good to know you learned a valuable lesson about that a long time ago. I know exactly what you mean.

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Its gettin cold in Mass, in the 60s and windy. Hunting yesterday I released a clutch of babies and found another 10-12 Eastern milks. Same spot same day last year I found 18. Spots like these dont grown on trees and must be managed by those of us who know them. You have to be VERY careful if you ever take anyone to such a spot, there is a reason for secrecy.
I think the most obvious hunting technique is SUSTAINABLE YIELD. There is nothing wrong with taking a WC once in a while, shoot I would encourage everyone to have at least a couple WC in their collections for new blood. But if you change the habitat you will lose that spot. If there is a pile of shingles DONT hunt til you get to the bottom of it! Peel off a couple layers and set those pieces up nicely FOR NEXT TIME. Come back again and hunt that periphery, but just know that disturbing that whole pile will screw up the whole artificial ecosystem.
So new guys, DONT ASK where we find our stuff, go find your own. Hunt respectfully. If you find someone else's spot treat it as if it were your own. Dont RAPE it. Working SMART not HARD is my credo. Wait for the right conditions when you can find 10 snakes on 1 trip, not 1 snake on 10 trips. Set up spots for the future, knowing that it might be too dry one trip and too wet the next. Learning what conditions to FIND snakes in is a key to keeping them in good shape in captivity too!
I dont take pics in the field, sorry guys. I'd break the camera every time if I took it with me,lol.

>>... "Dont RAPE it. Working SMART not HARD is my credo. Wait for the right conditions when you can find 10 snakes on 1 trip, not 1 snake on 10 trips."

*** Every bit of that was very well said, especially the "Don't Rape" part..LOL!

So EXACTLY where did you find all those snakes you mentioned??.................HOLD UP!, put down the baseball bat, just kiddin'!..HAHAHAHHA!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

I'm respectful of AC too but lets face it, there is a huge difference between leaving a few pieces of tin flipped over and stripping bark off of trees and ripping rotted logs and stumps. One is inconsiderate the other destroys habitat. For me snake hunting is increasingly about spending time in and enjoying quality habitat that I know supports my target species and less and less about actually finding them. Perhaps I'm just getting old and lazy and satisfied with the chance encounter.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

>> "One is inconsiderate the other destroys habitat"

*** Yes, I agree Tony, there is a delicate balance that has to be struck for the animals to be left to thrive in their habitat, and also for the herper to have a few successful finds once in a while.

I RARELY get out and hunt anymore, but when I do now and then, I try my best to tread lightly, and not disrupt the hell out of things in the process.

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

I could not have said that better myself. I am very careful with my spots and who I take to them. There are three people on this forum whom I have taken to several spots and they have in turn taken me to some of theirs. We all treat each others spots with respect and only go to the other persons spot with them or with their permission to go and herp it without them. That is the way it should be. I never share spots that were shown to me with others unless I am told it is okay to do so. I only herp with people I trust anyway but you still have to be careful.

I usually herp in state parks--so there's no habitat messing with my field stuff. It's all just careful observation and timing. When I see someone tearing out logs and not replacing them, or worse, splitting logs, I want to hit them upside the head.

I've seen that same scenario some years ago in Hyde Co. Every log and tree was peeled and ripped to shreds and funny thing was you know what the person was looking for and its an area "temporalis"don't inhabit. I've never seen such useless and fruitless destruction.
Funny thing is that field hunters get soooooo hung up on what they read here about how and where to find animals they don't explore other methods that don't involve habitat alteration. I have found several "temporalis" in se VA and ne NC using another method that doesn't include peeling trees,rolling logs,flipping trash or road crusing. Its amusing that people still think those are the only ways to find them. Think outside the box!

-stretchx.

a few years ago a friend and myself hunted(with permission)some private land several miles from that park. We found several temporalis at this spot and it is right behind (well sort of in) someones back yard.Word got out(like it always seems to!)That we were near that area. I have an idea of a few individuals that I heard had been to that park looking for temporalis and other snakes.
I won't drop any names but the main one starts with the letter F and rhymes with RED! He hunts that area EXTENSIVELY and I've seen his handy work throughout that area.I only hope(and pray)that I have the privilage of "meeting"him in the field one day!

-stretchx