Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been thinking about the varying quality of different road cuts. Recently I took a close look at the two cuts south of Baker's Crossing and it seems to me that they are not really "cuts" at all. Rather, it looks like they are natural rock outcrops that just happen to lie next to a road (or vice versa). As such they are better habitat than the run-of-the-mill cut, with deep fissures that provide superior living quarters for alterna. So I'm wondering if that, in part, is the reason that those two spots have been successful hunting areas for so many people.

Thoughts?

I have very little actual alterna hunting experience and, though I'll be living in Austin for the next year, very little chance to search. I just don't have time or funds for gas while at UT. I am a fairly experienced hunter for Arizona species with the following on my life list:

Banded Rock Rattler
AZ Black Rattler
Blacktail Rattler
Atrox
Scute
Sidewinder
Twin-Spotted Rattler
Ridge-nosed Rattler
Massassauga
Speckled Rattler
Tiger Rattler
Desert King
California King
Hognose
Desert/Painted Desert Glossy
Green Rat
Mountain/Big Bend/Desert Patch-nosed
Desert Rosy Boa
Black-Headed
AZ Coral
Pima/Clouded/Desert Leaf-nosed
Tucson Shovel-nosed
Gopher
Mexican/Checkered Garter
Chihuahuan Hook-Nosed
Night
Lyre
Ground
Banded Sand
Long-nosed
Coachwhip
Sonoran Whip
Blind

And so my goal while in TX is to find at least one Blair's phase alterna. But I don't really have 40 nights available like some folks have had to spend (yikes!) more like 7 at the most. So I'm trying to glean as much info as possible to make my time worthwhile. I'm hoping to make one last trip this month or early next.

Charles

Nice list. The 40 nights mentioned by others is more than likely a cumulative total over many trips, not 40 consecutive nights. DB

Yeah, I did fall short on the AZ Mountain Kingsnake but got most everything else in the Tucson area (where I lived for the past 5 years). My problem is that I was too lazy to hike, which is pretty much the only way to find pyros. But I realize that walking cuts is probably the best bet for finding alterna so I'll have to get myself in better shape!

I'm sure you're right about 40 nights not being consectutive. Heck, I'm usually beat after one night of searching... Either way, I only have about a week's worth of searching since I can probably only take off a night here and there. That's OK since I'm basically after the alterna to be able to add it to my list. I don't think I'll become a serious fanatic (famous last words, eh?).

5 years in tucson without a pyro? yikes. we (being me and my dad) see at least 2 or 3 a year. you are right though. you gotta get out and hike!

sorry that last post was a little off topic.

but your theory sounds pretty good! thats in about the same area I found my first about a month ago.

I think I'm just a pyro jinx. I know a guy that found five in one month. I tried the exact same thing, same time of year, same time of day, same locations, and I got skunked every time.

Question for you: About how many days a year do you go hiking in pyro country? I've logged around 20-30 myself (total) so I'm certain I must be on the short end of the stick when it comes to pyro luck. Let's hope my luck is better for alterna...