Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone ever caught any snakes from a boat on Lake Amistad? I have been wanting to try this for some time. I was planning on taking my canoe w/ trolling motor and using a spotlight back in the side canyons. I saw lots of spiny lizards around these areas during the day a couple months ago. I also found what looked to me like excellent habitat on foot back in some little slot canyons and ravines. I found a banded gecko under a rock there. Do alternas like to hang out around water? Seems logical. Any suggestions?

If you do this be sure that you are not getting onto any private property. And remember that TP&W will view using a canoe the same as they view using a car for all thier regs.

If you do it though, be sure to videotape whoever falls out the canoe first trying to get to shore for an alterna on the move.

Sounds like fun...

to the best of my knowledge, hunting from a boat isn't illegal in the state of Texas. hunting on a public road is. do be carefull to not trespass on private property - which very well may include corp of engineer property.

§ 62.003. Hunting From Vehicles

(a) Except as provided in Subsection (b) of this section, no person may hunt from any type of aircraft or airborne device, motor vehicle, powerboat, or sailboat, or from any other floating device any wild bird or wild animal.

(b) Animals and birds not classified as migratory may be hunted from a motor vehicle, powerboat, or sailboat, or from any other floating device within the boundaries of private property or upon private water by a person who is legally on the property or water for the purpose of hunting if no attempt is made to hunt any wild bird or wild animal on any part of the road system of this state.

i've "float" hunted squirrel from a jon-boat (on private land) and was told it was legal. my understanding at the time, and again from reading your post, is that - much like using a truck - private land yes, public no.
my biggest concern with him doing this would be that they would treat corp of eng. property (the lake) much like a national park.
don't know if that would hold up or not. plus, any foray onto lan would run the risk of tresspassing - a big no no.

and they just swam out to the boat?

But then again I know that no individual can own any piece of the lake, but if it is owned by the Fed as Corp of Engineers, etc.. that could just get ugly. But if you can fish in the lake then it should not be an issue when the Alterna swims out to you, right???

What about a submarine? How deep is that lake again?

(a) Except as provided in Subsection (b) of this section, no person may hunt from any type of aircraft or airborne device, motor vehicle, powerboat, or sailboat, or from any other floating device any wild bird or wild animal.

better be real careful with the sub. cross the border accidental like and you've created a act of war.... :-0

That's true, don't want to start any wars with Mexico....better put a white flag on the periscope.
It would be too easy catching alterna using sonar though.

Around 1990 a well known herper tried hunting with a motor boat
in Lake Amistad and was arrested. I don't remember the exact
violation, but it was something along the lines of hunting on
federal property. The violation was similar to that of hunting
in Big Bend National Park from what I recall. He had to fight it
in federal court. I would check up on the regulations pretty
closely before trying something like this.

--Dan

Thanks for all the food for thought. I'll do my homework first.

There is the old cliché that there are no dumb questions…

This is a good place to ponder what you have on your mind. Even if some of the answers are a little off the wall.

Be careful alot of that area is federal land, check with the nps on a mape & hunt the areas outside of that, you must find the snake in an area that is so many feet above sea level to be legal, then you have to worry about poaching laws of private property. It may be easier to drag a copper rod hooked to a battary for fishing. HAHAHAHA just kidding tp&w i would use dinamite