Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I dont normally post here, but usually check this forum at least once a day. I am planing a trip to Del Rio from Sunday May 12th till thursday May 16th. I plan on sleeping in my truck in a park somewhere (possibly Amistaid). I would appreciate any helpful info, as this is going to be my first time for a trip like this. Info on where to stay, where to herp, what to bring, and where not to eat would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Michael Leidner

I have not been there in years, but they have showers etc. No lake access though. It is near HWY 90 and the Pecos River and is worth knowing about if the Amistad area is crowded.

I plan on heading out this weekend myself, but will likely stay more to the west.

Good luck, and remember not seeing a bunch of animals in Val Verde / Terrell county is not a bad thing. Many times the only animal you see is an Alterna after several days of diligent looking.

i was meaning to ask about showers, but forgot. thanks for the info.

You must mean June.

Your best bet is to stay at a motel.

Sleeping in a car in west texas is rough since once you are tired enough to fall asleep usually around sun-up (after hunting all night) a tiny nat (bug) will decide it must enter your ear every 3 minutes or so.

Plus you should have some batteries to charge at the hotel, and if you want to camp - go to the mountains somewhere else.

I recommend making a post seeing if someone wants to split the cost of a room at motel 6, if you can afford the gas you should be able to afford fifteen bucks for half a room.

I used to sleep in the car etc in my earlier days, but I always woke up because I was too hot, not because I was well rested.

It is just hard to sleep during the heat of the day for me.

sorry, that was suposed to say june, not may. I plan on camping a few days atleast, just to say i did it. by the end of the week i imagine ill end up in a hotel somewhere.

the best bet is to plan your stays, try to check in to the hotel early one morning, sleep, then hunt the next night and come back to sleep and whatever. I suggest having a plan, you'll be better rested and you will be fresher for hunting all night.

Pick a herp buddy that doesn't snore. Man lance sounds like a grizzly bear. That tends to hinder sleep as well.

My opinion is to get hotel. Camping is miserable in the heat of the summer. Please you get to have the creature comforts like the "weather" channel.

I hope you have good luck.. My first real year out I caught an alterna. 1993 S curve, Juno Rd. Ron Markel put it in one of his books. It was awesome. The nuchal had 2 parallel black lines. Almost a blue color. The picture didn't do the snake justice. The grey look blue because of the orange infused with it.

Man I can't wait to get out. 2 days and counting...

Steven Owens

thanks for all the great info. i do plan to camp at least one night/mourning, just so i can say i did it. I will be prepared to get a hotel if i need to, but would at least like to try camping. I plan on parking on the roadside at rock cuts, and looking for snakes on the cuts, this is the prefered method for find snakes, is it not? Is there a better method than hunting cuts?

thanks again everyone
mike leidner

Some more pointers for you:

You need to plan to walk the cuts at night fron 9 pm to 5 am. you will drive from area to area an ofcourse you may find a snake while "road cuising" so to speak, but there are some issues associated with hunting from a car so be careful and know the rules. You need to get a licence to hunt, and look over the old forum posts for an idea of the rules.

You should have a good lighting system, I recommend going to radioshack and getting a rechargable 5 amp 12 volt battery (sold for alarm systems I think) and get a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug that you can modify to attach to the battery terminals. I recommend the stubby 2 florescent, you need to order it though, and if you look on the old forum posts you can find info on it. they may even offer a package deal with batteries and chargers available, but the system i described above should run you like $120 gie or take - light$60, battery$30, charger$15, wires$10

get a 1 amp charger at walmart, and while you are there it is a very - very - very good idea to keep a million candle power spot light in the car so you can "check out the area you are giong to walk just to be safe" you never know what will be out there in the bushes.

You can use a good maglite and walk as well if you are on a budget, save up for next year for the light expense. Just be sure you have a lot of batteries, and keep em out of the heat.

oh, and biing a bag and some tongs.

Jim

On a stubby that would run as long as you wanted to walk, 7 hours. It is the same size / weight as my older 7amp batteries.

Walking with a mag light really stinks, tried it a long time ago and never plan to do that again. The stubby puts out 900 Lumens, and my personal brightest flashlight (a Browning Black Ice) puts out 140 Lumens. Plus the run time on the stubby is much, much better.

A couple years ago I could not wait to order a stubby. I noticed that Homedepot/Oreilley's auto parts both carried a 110v version of a similiar light made by bayco. Well a little searching found the model that runs off 12v. The only difference is that it does not have a pigtail cord, and it only cost $17. So that put me at 17(light) 6(12v extension plug) 10 (charger). With all the same specs as a stubby. Plus Oreilley's ordered it and I hade it the next day.

http://www.budgetlighting.com/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=9949757.6624*2y32r2&keywords=pfwl&xm=on&ppinc

PLUS Bayco also makes a twin bulb version for a full 26w.

hey RAK

i am at the web site you gave me, but am unsure of the model you are talking about. the lights look good, but which one do you have? and which one did you say was possibly better?

thanks
mike

I have the bayco SL-512

ttp://www.budgetlighting.com/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=9949757.6624*_w8sw4&p_id=2121&xm=on&ppinc=search2

I am very interested in trying out the Sl-912t
BUT I nave I have no idea of runtime, output etc..

guess i should hit post after i finish typing, and not wait 15 minutes before i hit post.
thanks again

I went ahead and ordered one of each, just to see. To be honest, I'm not sure why, but admitting you are a flashlight addict is the first step. LOL or maybe COL (crying out loud).

If you see someone hunting cuts next weekend and it looks like they have the sun in their hands, that's me with my 912!

The two 13 watt bulbs should drain a 12volt 7amp battery in about 3 hours. (26w/12V = 2.16 amps so a 7amp/hr battery would be good for about 3.25 hours). Lance's 8amp battery would give you an extra 0.3 hours or about 3 hours and 40 minutes.
-----
Chris Harrison

Model SL-512
found here
http://www.budgetlighting.com/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=6884506.12476*1i3qV7&p_id=2121&xm=on&ppinc=search2

and
Model SL-912T
found here
http://www.budgetlighting.com/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=6884506.12476*vR6iJ3&p_id=2179&xm=on&ppinc=search2

Princeton tec dive lights are what I use. They have a bright spot beam and come in different configurations. 4-C cell, 8 C-cell, models that have a backup fillament that can be switched from 7.5 to 15 watts of power. They also make the nicest headlamps in halogen, l.e.d. or a hybrid of both.
-----
Steve W.

Lance send your phone number again.
Thanks, Cliff

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