Reptile & Amphibian Forums

With about a week before the Forest Service closes the Shawnee Snake Road for the fall migration, I thought it'd be timely to update the herp community on the regs that will be in force beginning September 1st.

In the past the Forest Service has graciously "tolerated" the use of snake hooks and tongs on the closed road and vicinity with the understanding that they were to be used ONLY to manipulate an animal in order to photograph or better observe it.

Unfortunately in the past year, the incidences of illegal collecting by unscrupulous individuals (some involving state and forest listed species) has increased, making it more difficult for Forest Service law enforcement & IDNR Conservation Police to distinguish between those illegally using hooks & tongs and those who are not.

Therefore, anyone walking the Snake Road or being anywhere within the LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area should not have any collecting apparatus on their person. This includes snake hooks, tongs, and of course, any bags or containers. Additionally, if you turn a rock, log, or talus to search, replace it as you found it. Too many times I have walked this road to see overturned items and the once moist microhabitat underneath is bone dry because someone irresponsibly didn't return the cover item to its original location.

To the local herp societies I have worked with (Chicago, Central Illinois, Champaign Area, and St. Louis), I want to thank you guys for your support of the Forest Service's stand to continue to close this road twice annually under much local opposition and for the responsible way you conduct yourselves in observing and not collecting when being in that area.

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up on the regulations that will be more strictly enforced. Thanks for your understanding.

Scott Ballard
IDNR- Natural Heritage
Marion, Illinois

Wow, very informative, thanks for the post, Scott. I will hopefully be visiting the area this Fall and I am quite pleased to see that the conservation law enforcement is working with herpers and allowing us to pursure herps for photographs and the experience of doing so. Everyone in our party will abide by all posted signs and non-posted regs including the one that forbids the use of handling equipment. I really hope to see that other herpers act in the same respect...
Chad Whitney
Olathe, Ks.

Thanks for your support on this, Chad.

Scott Ballard

Just wanted to say Hi Chad. I'm originally from Olathe Ks. myself. I've been living in Dallas TEXAS for about the last 10 years or so. So is the "FE" alive and well? (A cruising spot for teenagers, at least in the old days). How's the herpin in your area? Would love to know/see pics of what you're catching these days in the field... I'm actually considering either moving back to Olathe or Overland Park or moving farther westward into Phoenix or some other spot in Arizona.

Thanks in Advance for the reply,

Kerry in Dallas

Lol..the Fe. I used to "cruise the fe" on my bike but when I became old enough to really wander on my two-wheels I spent most of my time camping and herping in the hills north of town. I used to spend days out there during the summers having a blast and camping. I used to jump the train that runs through the north end of town here and ride them to Lenexa to an old man's house who used to play the banjo. He would tell me tales of rattlesnakes everywhere around Olathe. I still live here and the herps I find around the town are red milksnakes, timber rattlesnakes, copperheads, speckled kingsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, racers and some others. Anyways, great to hear from an Olathean..chad