Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone!

Well it's almost time for me to head back out to Arizona for my sophmore year at ASU. I tried herping last spring out in arizona (Lost dutchman state park) and was completely un successful in finding any snakes during my hikes. I've been reading about hunting for herps driving on desert roads after the sun goes down, and am very excited to try this as soon as I return to arizona. I was wondering if anyone local to the phoenix area could recomend some good spots to search for herps. Also in arizona is it possible to hunt herps on the road all year long?

thanks alot,
Mike

Mike,

Yes, road cruising at dusk and at night works very well. You can road cruise in Arizona when the night time temps are in the ballpark of 60-90 degrees. For general purposes, the 70's up to the mid 80's is what to aim for, although certain species will prefer the cooler end or the warmer end of the spectrum. Try to find abandoned roads, paved roads are easier to hunt, but dirt roads may take you through better habitat. I would expect to find about 1 snake per hour or so on average. If it has rained heavily, you may only see toads. If you don't find anything, just keep trying. Sometimes the conditions will seem the same over a 3-4 day period, but you may only find snakes on one or two of the days. The main thing to remember is to be persistent.
-----
Jaren
Desert Canyon Reptiles

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it. I am experienced with reptiles, but absolutely not an expert by any means. What should a novice watch out for in the Arizona desert, besides the obvious rattlesnake/sidewinders? I have heard of the Arizona coral snake, but I was under the impression this snake couldn’t be found unless you go far west from phoenix. Also from which direction should I head for the best herp-hunting environment? Should I head north from phoenix up towards the forests of flagstaff? Or would I be better off heading south towards Tuscan into the desert?

Happy hunting,
Mike