Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello I'm usually on the boa forums but I heard there are milk snakes some parts of Colorado. I am a Colorado native and have went on herp trips and found the basic garter, bulls, racers, rattlers, and water snakes but never a corn or milk. Anyone know if this is true? If so could someone help me with a good spot to go for a fun herp trip with my son and friends? Also when would be the best time to look. Thanks in advance for any info.

Jake

Jake those are some very classic no, no, questions you're asking, and assuming you are not trolling, my honest advice would be to do your own research, read field guides, build relationships w/ knowledgable people and things will start to fall into place. But people can be very protective of their spots after all the work they put in to finding them.
Here's a hint.

Garfield Co., milk snake, Lampropletis triangulum taylori.

thanks for your insight!! I understand your opinion about my post. information much respected. Thanks

Jake

....vague info.....

near any water
near where field meets woods, any edge
walls
rock piles or slides especially in openings of wooded area
trash piles, old dumps....
.....
time.....when you aren't at work is a good time....and sometimes while at work....

......just get out....it's a start.....

....here in PA the garters have to be up ,black rats and maybe milks have to be coming to the top....flooding will screw up alot of critters here right now....turtles especially....the wood frogs just started and peepers are screaming all over the swampland and wet fields last weekend I was told....spotted salamanders should start this weekend or next?....I might get out....

good luck.....
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........JY

JYohe that was really nice,Good to see people on here that are in fact willing to help others out then you have the others on here that are just plain rude (like Heres A clue????)lol LOL I like the pics. of the snakes on here that are natural, no artificial ingredients used lol, solely based on personal judgment.

being blunt is the only way to really get one's point across. This particular post was not the proper way to go about obtaining information, and I think it was handled appropriately. I've seen much harsher treatment for similar questions. In one recent example, the requester found his target, was caught trying to smuggle 30 or so specimens of an endangered species across an international border (back to Canada), and is now looking at upwards of 15 years in a federal detention facility. I can garauntee that those individuals who gave him information about the location of the dens he raided are kicking themselves... True, it's an extreme case, but it shows what can happen and why people are closed-lipped about things.

-Cole

snakeboohoo77 wrote:
JYohe that was really nice,Good to see people on here that are in fact willing to help others out then you have the others on here that are just plain rude (like Heres A clue????)lol

Plain rude? Really? Okay, Was I rude to Jake (a.k.a VolcomHerp). I apologize, sorry.

You have miss quoted me, I didn't say "like here's a clue???", I said "here's a hint." And it is a good hint too. Jake lives in Colorado, and the hint is a county in Colorado where Lampropeltis triangulum taylori have been found by other herpers.

-Dell

my thoughts...and I am not going back to see who wrote what

the OP was generally asking when and or where...I didn't take it as exactly...

the Hint was actually a state and county ? I think...which is a GREAT hint.....

and no...noone will tell you exactly where to find anything...well...here in PA they might show you some spots...but there is nothing here we all want?...LOL....cough...anyways....

aaaaaaand...I know where to find stuff....and still cannot...

aaaaaaand...I saw a guy pull a three foot male eastern from under a rock the size of half a brick and some leaves , on the road burm, at a stop sign...so....they can be anywheres...

....you have to get out....

I went out....last Sat...heard peepers....saw nothing....weird day...and was told the spotted sally's were out (hundreds) last Wednesday night in the rain...so....miss by a minute and it's over?/...???? gone....

...
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........JY

Jeebus, Jeff! You guys back east are luck! Though we've been in the 50-60 degree range for the past few days (and will be all week), we're still a ways away from Spring. I was actually able to smoke a cigar outside while working in the yard yesterday, though! What a treat for March in Montana!

-Cole

well.the guy I saw out in the woods said they were gone already....I just talked to a friend who is out there all the time.....he said...wood frogs are breeding now....peepers are everywhere..>I did hear them all over.....and the spotted sallies are not over...they were out last Thursday in the rain and wlaking all over the place , and didn't lay yet....so ...we are scheduled for rain this Saturday, AND it's full moon...guess what happens this weekend.....you'll spot it...>LOL......

I'll try and go out.....(no camera in hand.)...

friend's pit did manage to catch a ex large skunk and kill it in a coule seconds then drop when yelled at..wow...he left go...and didn't stink....how lucky is that...and the spotted owls been out, eagles are setting on nest....and the barn owl chicks are screaming and yelling and growing ...(in a barn)...wish I would have been out with them...turns out they run around while it's still light out more than darkness....

......good luck.....
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........JY

snaketaboo hoo wrote
like heres a clue?
heres a hint?
heres a tip?
heres a discovery?
pretty much summmmss it up.
snaketaboo77@uwinkudos.com terryd. much better pic.this time. best of luck to you.

I DO believe I recognize that aberrant hypo there Dell..LOL!

I will be breeding my male to his sister sibling this year to "hopefully" prove that particular aberrant gene to be a 100% inheritable recessive trait. I will also breed him to another few females here as well to get his genes in amongst some other morphs just in case it definitely is recessive, or at the very least a co-dominant trait.

BTW, those were some excellent posts you made on the Cherry County animals bud!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Thanks Doug,
I'll be interested to see what pans out w/ your pairings on those aberrants.

Glad you liked the Pale milk post, I'll be doing another one in the near future as I bring breeders out of burmation.

Here's a full body shot of the aberrant Honduran.

-Dell

Great photo Dell!. It sure is a looker man.

Yes, it sure will be interesting to see what pans-out with the breedings. I'll let you know what happens later on.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

As rude as it may sound to some, Dell hit the nail on the head - these types of blatant "give me info" requests are typically dismissed by the field herping community as attempts to aid in commercial collection or the destruction of dens by those who dislike snakes. There are other forums dedicated strictly to field herping, and moderators on those forums would have either just removed this post, or removed the post and banned your IP address from ever posting there again. Please don't take offense - it's done out of respect and reverence for the animals.

That said, I'll assume a benign intent to your post. Milks are found throughout Colorado, except in the higher montane zones. There are now only a handful of counties without vouchered records of Lampropeltis triangulum. I'd suggest that your first step be to join the Colorado Herp Society and the North American Field Herping Association. Begin attending meetings and making contacts. These contacts probably won't take you directly to their spots or give you directions to the best hillsides for the reasons listed above, but they will probably give you hints and suggestions that you should pay close attention to. I'd also strongly recommend getting and reading as many field guides as possible. Although it isn't specifically about milks, Brian Hubbs' book Mountain Kings provides a ton of information regarding the ecological requirements of the Tricolor Kings in general (milks, included). Most importantly, get out and observe animals in their natural habitat. The more time you spend in the field, the better you'll understand when, where, and how to look for a particular target.

As a final note, please be sure to comply with your state regulations regarding these animals. It is currently illegal to collect wild milksnakes in Colorado without a permit, according to Chapter 10 the Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations (and has been since circa 1998). While in my experience milks are not threatened or even at risk, complying with regulations helps us all maintain a good image. Field herping is an excellent way to increase your appreciation of nature and, if you so choose, improve on your photography skills! There are some excellent field herpers in the Denver area (and scattered througout the state), who regularly hold meetings and host outings.

I hope this helps,
-Cole

Solely Based on Personal Judgment Like I said ,clearly I can & will have my own Opinion,just as you are to yours don't take it personal I'm not. S.B.