hey everyone-
Well if you have guessed hy i have not been posting latley, weel because I haven't been catching anything!!!!! Well, my luck changed on thursday. I was picked up from work at 4pm on thursday by shatty and another friend and we were off. we hiked a canyon in north county (not coastal per say). I had not been out since the day before easter so I was determined to find something. While we were hiking/ hunting I was talking about how the only things I have personally ever flipped had been crotes (tons of southerns and red diamonds) and i had never "flipped" a non venomous snake, I had been standing there many times when someone did but i myself had personally never done it. We were really bummed out about "our" canyon as it looked like some damn paintballing kids were going through and tagging lizards basking on rocks, it all looked fresh so we deicided to just go somewhere else, despiite our numerous amounts of finds at this particular spot. We were driving back and checked out another little field where shatty remebered there being some boards, well there was a paper plate! that was it. I got done yelling at shatty about what a bunk place it was and we pulled up to yet another field. He said he remebered there bein some boards at this one as well. After I gave him some greif, we exited the car. here were many large man made cement piles in the middle of this small lot on the side of the road. Shatty and lyle (the other fellow who accompanied us) started flipping rocks. I walked strait up to these two little bricks (no intention of finding anything under them but wanted to move them to get at another rock that looked good) I had touched no rocks before the bricks and decided to start w/ the bricks. First brick I turned over and instantly turned the second brick and BAMMMMMMMM, there it was what i had been waiting for, a BABY striper cal king coiled up about 9-11 inches long. The second i lifted that brick i knew it right away and flew my hands up with the snake in my right hand. I just yelled king! They both came over and after it finished musking all over, we took a good look at it. I t had a beautiful stripe going down its back perfectly and on the tail te stripe broke to several blotches of the originall line. I would guess the snae was born in october or so and overwintered quick as this little guy was small. I was really stoked because... First, this was the first non venomous snake I had ever flipped. Second, this was the first cal king i have found this year ( hard to beleive for me too) and this ws the first bay cal king i have ever found and only the second striper! I have always found 2-4.5 ft adult banded kings, tat is just how it goes for me. I know most of you could care less about some cal king but I am sure those L.E.C.H. would envy it!!!! Ha Ha
It was still exciting for me, I just love caching snakes, it doesn't matter what it is. If only I could find my first rosy of the year. Peace and love. Jon ROOTSROK rastafari
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1.1 Oregon rubber boas (02')
1.2 Hypo Borrego rosy boas (99')
1.2 Whitewater rosy boas (00')
1.2 Bay of L.A. rosy boas (98')
1.1 Ensanada Unicolor rosy boas (99')
1.1 Joshua Tree rosy boas (01')
1.1 Yorba linda rosy boas (03')
1.1 Desert Banded geckos
1.0 Holland lop "Pete" (rabbit)
1.1 African dwarf frogs
