Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have just recently gotten back into herps after about ten years! Man have things changed!!! Theres five million kinds of corn snake now, hard to find animals have become easier (at the same time, what was once easy is now hard), and all the places I used to herp have gone to crap (some of them literally).
I just got a new camera, so I've been itching to try it out. The road cut I always used to find at least two ring necks have been so over worked its pathetic! The limestone rocks were flipped over and obviosly not flipped back; some looked as if they were just tossed to the base of the hill. Needless to say theres nothing left to find.
Also, theres this place near Omaha (Two Rivers state lake) were I always used to find fox snakes, eastern hognose, and even a few prairie skinks. It turns out that the place where all the tin used to be is now a dumping ground for the park's out houses (I never thought that this was legal). Its really disgusting! Imagine walking through tall grass when you start to notice discolored TP and women's hygine products all over the ground and the tin you wanted to flip.
Does anyone know of any public lakes/parks in south eastern Nebraska/ northeastern Kansas that herps still inhabit? Even Iowa and Missouri, just some where close to Lincoln (my car is in kinda sorry shape right now).
Thanks in advance, as well as taking the time to listen to me complain.

Trevor Dawson

>>I have just recently gotten back into herps after about ten years! Man have things changed!!! Theres five million kinds of corn snake now, hard to find animals have become easier (at the same time, what was once easy is now hard), and all the places I used to herp have gone to crap (some of them literally).
>> I just got a new camera, so I've been itching to try it out. The road cut I always used to find at least two ring necks have been so over worked its pathetic! The limestone rocks were flipped over and obviosly not flipped back; some looked as if they were just tossed to the base of the hill. Needless to say theres nothing left to find.
>> Also, theres this place near Omaha (Two Rivers state lake) were I always used to find fox snakes, eastern hognose, and even a few prairie skinks. It turns out that the place where all the tin used to be is now a dumping ground for the park's out houses (I never thought that this was legal). Its really disgusting! Imagine walking through tall grass when you start to notice discolored TP and women's hygine products all over the ground and the tin you wanted to flip.
>> Does anyone know of any public lakes/parks in south eastern Nebraska/ northeastern Kansas that herps still inhabit? Even Iowa and Missouri, just some where close to Lincoln (my car is in kinda sorry shape right now).
>>Thanks in advance, as well as taking the time to listen to me complain.
>>
>>Trevor Dawson

Hi Trevor,

Glad to hear you're ready to hit the field once again

Shoot me an email if you're interested in doing some herping as I've got an iron or two in the fire. If nothing else I think I can come up with a spot or 2 for you to find some critters in.

Later.
-----
Ted Leonard
lepidus@cox.net

Just look a little harder. There are plenty of herps to be found all through NE. Even when road cut rocks are moved (already artificial habitat by the way) the snakes are still there.

Fieldherper