Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I will be leaving for West Texas on the 28th of this month and will be there until June 2nd. Is this a bad time of year to see snakes crawling across the road? I'm hoping to see of course as much different species as possible, I do not really care about seeing many crotalids. I will be busy during the day but early morning/afternoons and evenings are free. I will be mainly in Hudspeth County, but might head over towards Langtry? Hoping to find gophers/bulls, ratsnakes, etc

I will be busy during the day but early morning/afternoons and evenings are free. I will be mainly in Hudspeth County, but might head over towards Langtry? Hoping to find gophers/bulls, ratsnakes, etc

I would stay in Hudspeth county. You will find more snakes in Hudspeth county than you will in Langtry, the only difference is that in Langtry you have a better chance to find a Gray-banded Kingsnake.
But, in Langtry, where gray-bands are "more common", you can road hunt for 2-3 nights and see absolutely nothing! In Hudspeth county, you will see snakes.

Furthermore Langtry is about 5 hours drive from Sierra Blanca. That would be a long drive just to roadhunt.

I would hunt some of the quieter roads (they are all quiet) in and around Hudspeth county. It depends where you are going to be, but roads I like are -

- FM 192 along the river - very snakey, good for desert kings, gophersnakes, etc, but there has been some drug cartel trouble here in the last decade and the police/border patrol/DEA presence is really high. You could try hunting the stretch of 192 between 34 and TX 20 with less risk, but it is supposedly a dangerous area to be out at night. That is the best kingsnake stretch anyway.

- FM 1111 north of Sierra Blanca is good for gophersnakes and hognosed snakes particularly at dusk and in the morning. I have seen some really nice desert kings from up on that plateau.

TX 54 north out of Van Horn - this is a very nice roadhunting road. It is a good road for Trans-pecos ratsnakes if you hunt the stretches that go through the Beach and Baylor mountains (between about 6 and 17 miles north of Van Horn).

The road that goes across the quitman mountains could be good, but it can also be very rough and slow going. I have also heard problems about narcotrafficking on this road.
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Chris Harrison

Thank you. I was actually planning on visiting a couple of the mentioned roads. I am not really looking to find grey bands, would be a nice find but i'd rather save those for the die-hard grey band crowd. I'm happier with the pituophis, desert kings, hognose etc. I'd love to find trans pecos rats, as well as emori and bairds, but from what i have heard they are more east. I would love to collect a pair of bullsnakes, but from what I understand they are on the east side of the Pecos river. Thank you for your help.

I'm happier with the pituophis, desert kings, hognose etc.

Then you are in the right part of the Trans-pecos.

I'd love to find trans pecos rats, as well as emori and bairds, but from what i have heard they are more east.

You will be there at a really good time for Trans-pecos Rats. Go hunt 54 north of Van Horn and you should find one.

There are emoryi in Hudspeth county, but they are primarily along the river. I only saw 2 on roads in dozens of nights in the appropriate habitat.

Bairdi don't make it west of the Davis Mountains.

I would love to collect a pair of bullsnakes, but from what I understand they are on the east side of the Pecos river.

Sonoran Gophersnakes are more colorful and more docile. I really can't think why you would prefer a bullsnake? Gophersnakes are very common. You can find them on roads in the morning, just at dusk, or even late at night. If you want to find gophers, make sure you get out roadcruising about 30 minutes before sunset.

I can't believe I forgot to recommend Jason's Snakes of Hudspeth County Website. Whoops, sorry JP.

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Chris Harrison

Yea, I've heard Hudspeth County is pretty good for snake hunting too..
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Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas