Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Spring is here in full force...

I can almost smell the desert air.

BW,

StevenX

Oh yes, I can almost smell the desert air as well! gmerker
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G. Merker

I'm counting down the days! But I've been doing that since I left last year. lol

Do you guys have some secret spots not along the public right of ways? Besides the Oasis (which I've never been to) is there anywhere else out there that you can get permission to legally hunt? I'm not lucky enough to know anyone with private land out there I haven't been to west texas since they passed the law on road cruising. I really want to go but I also don't feel like getting the shake down from wildlife agents and local sheriffs office, even if I am only taking pictures.

Nathan C.

I think Robert Peleaz mentioned that you can herp down at Chinati Hot Springs, but that is far from anything. Is that correct Robert?

I was going to write up a review for HCU members, and I still want to do that. The fee for staying there or using the property was $10 a day/night - if I remember correctly. There is an interesting wash with some trickling water that you can walk up. The managers wanted to show us around FIRST, but then we could enter the property on the honor system without checking in. I felt it important to have supporting documentation in case we were stopped with reptiles/amphibians in the vehicle, so we paid for multiple nights. The fee was so nominal, I considered it a worthwhile investment.

Robert

Have alterna ever been found there? What sort of things have people found?

Well, you're just going to have to wait for the review to come out...lol. Let me just say this: it's a small oasis and one of the managers mentioned a number of snakes that seemed to indicate rattlesnakes, ratsnakes and getulus, but I would use it as a last resort for alterna. I felt that the immediate surroundings lacked the preferred habitat, but you never know what could be flushed down that wash in the event of a big downpour...

Robert

While the immediate surroundings did not signify preferred alterna habitat, I don't know if the wash eventually met up with preferred habitat (foothills? of Chinati Mts). That I will find out this year when I go back.

Robert

>>I can almost smell the desert air.

Does it smell like sage, or creosote bush?

Last quarter to new moon in June I hope to be out there. Maybe this'll be my year for alterna, but I also hope to get more girlfriends for my geckos.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet