Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So, last year I went herping with a guy I WAS seeing. And I loved it! He knew where to go to find everything! Knew all the back roads, dirt roads. We found sooo many reps! It ws awsome. I live in Idaho, and we went into Nevada and Arizona. Well i am married now...to someone else.. But I am dying to go gerping again this year solo this time. Though I have been trying to find some kind of map stating where different species of reps have been sighted, and possibly where all theese back roads are. Like the dirt road we took starting somewhere in Nevada, that went all the way into Arizona. I cant find that on a map! But mostly I am trying to find something just telling me where to find different species of herps, on a map. Showing as close to exact location as possible. I saw a book online, but wasnt sure if it was what I was looking for or not since they dont really let you look through the pages to find out! And I also didnt know how to buy this book since it was just areference page without any way of buying or links to websites whre I could buy them. If anyone can help me out here I would reallllly appreciate it! I want only for Nevada and Arizona...and possibly California since my folks live there, I might as well do some herping there too.
Idaho has a great site . The "Digital Atlas of Idaho" It shows me as close to what I want as I can find. But why dont they have sites like theese for theese other sates?! Argh! Anyone? If I cant get any help here I will just have to give up and go blindly hunting.
Link

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http://photos.yahoo.com/gwas79
"The Critters"

Check out the alterna forum, its a forum devoted to the grey banded kingsnake and on it there is a link to the alterna page and it has a map of the alterna's range with photo's of collected speciemens grouped by the roads they were collected on and photos of the habitat in which they were collected.
hope this helps,
eliot stone
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1.0 Hypo Corn Het. for Amber
0.1 Spotted Python
and always looking for more!

is the learning process. Many of us here have been herping long before there was an internet and a way to communicate with other herpers. What did we do? We spent the winter months researching, reading books, studying maps, learning as much as we could so that we could find a particular target species.
There were a few books, such as those by Karl Kauffeld that did give you general localities (sometimes even specific localities) and we would chase those down localities, but in general, you had to find the localities yourself by researching then searching.

When you found your target species this way, it was extraordinarily rewarding. I have been herping with other people to their hot spots and had them show me a line of boards and tell me "turn that board and you will find one". Frankly, that was no fun at all.

One of the reasons many of us are glad there aren't resources such as you the one you seek is that it would lead to large scale pillaging of these sites. This has happened repeatedly over the last 40 years or so. Someone publishes/reports a specific locality where they found a coveted animal, and the next week/season, there are 50 people herping that spot. That's why many reports on forums such as these are deliberately vague.

You live in a state that is very challenging to herp. It has some really interesting herps (particularly salamanders up north) but you have to learn a lot before you can find them. Take on that challenge, and you will be a better herper for it.

For example, I have wanted to catch a Rosyboa for over 30 years. I know a dozen people on these forums who would gladly take me out if I was in their region and show me exactly where to look. I have no interest in that. I have been reading books, these forums, and everything else I could to learn what a good area and the best time of year is. When I make the trip into Rosyboa range, I will do it by myself, and find one alone. Just thinking about how thrilling that is going to be gets me excited about it.
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Chris Harrison

This is true. I would love to be able to find my own spots and everything on my own. But I at least would like to find some sort of map somewhere that can show me where all the back and dirt roads are in theese states. I have a 7 week old baby girl now and she will have to stay with my husband while I am out herping. I dont want to spend more time trying to find dirt roads than nessecary. At least if I could find a good map with theese than I could put all my time into the herping. It is a long trip just to get into Nevada to any good spots, and into Arizona in General. Of course I will do some herping here in Idaho, but down south, so I dont know of theese salamanders you are talking about. I will just be herping here locally and most of that I'll bring my daughter along with me for it. And when I do leave her here it will will only be for a few hours while I look for the rattlesnakes or am going somewhere too dangerous to take her. I am eager to get down to Nevada and Arizona though. We may have a few interesting herps here, but I found the ones there to be much more fasinating nad exciting. I would love to find a Rosy Boa too. But I doubt I will make it down that far any time soon! Good luck to you!
I understand all you have said. I guess i dont nessecarilly want anything that shows EAXCTLY where they are, but something that tells me what part of teh state I should be looking in!
I dont know, and dont want to waste my time in a part of the state that doesnt have anything. Like I had mentioned, I like the Digital Atlas of Idaho at http://imnh.isu/digitalatlas/index.htm
It doesnt say where to go or how to get there or anything. It just shows a map of Idaho with red dots in the area that they have been sited. I still have to try to figure out where that is in Idaho, how to get there, than search arounda s best I can to find a spot that has something. The only thing I found here last year by myself was a few Giant Desert Hairy Scorpions, and some Yellow Bellied Racers. I found those spots myself. And that was alot of fun. this year I will do more searching. I am trying my best to find a good map so I can figure out how to get to some of theese places.
If anything....WISH ME LUCK!
Happy Herping.
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http://photos.yahoo.com/gwas79
"The Critters"

Try TopoZone.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

I think what you are looking for is a book of topomaps.
Delorme publishes topographic atlases for each of the 50 states. You can usually pick these up at any book store.
Here's one link to the Nevada edition.
www.4x4books.com/agnv.htm

You also might think of getting a good reptile and amphibian field guide. For your area I highly recomend "Reptiles of the Northwest" by Alan St. John. It provides great detail and field notes for all the species covered. If you want a book which covers all of the reptiles and amphibians of the Western US I recommend you purchase the field guide by Stebins of the western U.S.
Here is a good place to get both books.
www.herplit.com

I have to agree that the digital atlas of Idaho is a great guide, and its too bad other states don't have similar resources. Also, don't discount the herps in Utah and Oregon. Both of them contain herps which aren't in Nevada, Arizona or Idaho and they are likely closer to you if you are in Idaho.

Thanks I found a few books, Field guides of western reptiles and amphibians. I ordered two with the same tittle but apparently they are two different books. So I didnt know which was better so I just ordered them both! And I also bought 2 atlasas for Nevada and Arizona. Supposedly they show all the back roads and dirt roads, hidden lakes and what not. So I am hoping theese will be helpful! I will check out the links you both gave me. Thanks for your help.
Sarah
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http://photos.yahoo.com/gwas79
"The Critters"

Chris,
I agree with you exactly. The thrill is doing my studying first
on the species that intreges me, Habitat, Nocturnal, Diurnal, temps ect.and then finding an area I think this animal would be.
Then when I find it it is very satisfying and thrilling...
I can go to spots I know there will be herps but finding a new "spot" and then proving to yourself there are herps is the rewarding part of herping.

Example:
I have said to myself of a particular location that there must be Rosy Boas here every thing is perfect... other species,Temps,ample food sources ect.
I have been searching this location for 4 years hopeing to find a Boa.
Well last year there she was a ruby red looking Rosy.
I was more exited than the kids.

That's what does it for me!

Tony

Can anyone tell me then, in Arizona, how far up have they been found? All I could find on them is that they are found in SW AZ. As well as Mexico and Cali. But I would be going to AZ. I thought I read someone reported seeing one as far up as southern NV, but i dont know if this was true or just someone making things up? I am hoping that theese books I bought will give me good info on everything. I cant believe people are already out in CA herping! I am soooo jealous! Ooohh! Another QUESTION!!
Like I said, I am in Idaho. The earliest I have read about is like two snakes possibly coming out in March here, but most snakes dont emerge until April. I am Southern Idaho. MountainHome if anyone knows where that is. Right by the Oyhee Mountains, a great place to herp. But also right by Nevada which is why I choose NV and AZ instead of OR and UT. But does anyone know when the reps start coming out in Nevada and Northern Arizona?
BTW, I have hunted a bit in OR on the coast, and found a whole load of Salamanders. They were black with a brownish red strip down their back, and a few were black with a more speckled reeddish brown on thier back. They were all together though so I am assuming they were the same species. But does anyone know what they might have been and if that is a good find or just something common? I dont really do much with amphibians. I like dealing with the reptiles and Scorpions, and the awsome blue centipedes we have here. But if those salamanders are worth anything, than it might be worth getting into.
Ok, I'm done with all my questions for now.

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http://photos.yahoo.com/gwas79
"The Critters"

But the Catlow valley hwy in S.E. Oregon is definately worth a late spring-early summer road cruise.