Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Had a job in the valley today and that means road cruising the longest road around here...2.5 hrs. of road crossing through prime habitat of several species only found here. saw:
1 DOR Drymarchon e. errebenus 6.25' with
1 DOR Arizona elegans arenicola 3.5' shooting out of his(indigo's) guts
1 DOR Masticophis flagellum testaceus 2.75'
1 DOR Thamnophis proximus orarius 2.5'
1 DOR Coluber constrictor oaxaca 2.25'
1 DOR Pantherophis guttata meahlmorrum 1.75'
12 AOR T.p. orarius, 1 adult 3.0', 11 neonates approx. 9-11"
Got two more on "the LIST" but no camera and no live goodies. I'm such a dufus sometimes. The big indies will start fighting for mates in a few months and that is total carnage on U.S. 77 south, and it's a damn shame but they shouldn't try to take on Mack trucks. 95 degrees with 110 heat index but cloud cover rolled in on the way home. It's a GREAT road to work in the spring, as I've seen many Leptodeira septentrionales both AOR and DOR as well as Pit. sayi, atrox, checkered garters, corals, and Storeria d. texana. Well, not bad for July 27!
Todd Hughes

Bummer about the indigos on 77. Is there still lots of habitat with no roads there for them? At least then lots of DORs would indicate a healthy population. Sounds like a neat area.

Only the biggest ranches in the world, the King ranch and Chapman ranch! (I don't really know if the Chapman is THAT big, but the King is the biggest ranch. There is plenty of inaccessable ranchland for errebennus. No worries, it's just frustrating to see and not be able to have them for yourself in Texas.
Todd Hughes

are from the Chapmans and King areas of Texas that some of us have ever seen. There has been some posted pics on here as well as a buddy that got permission to hunt at the Kings ( I thought is was the Kingmans ranch though ) and he found some absolute monster diamondbacks. They were westerns.
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

I dont doubt they gotts-em down there.... tho Id think blacktail prairie dog towns w/lotsa rabbits & prairie chickens otta grow the biggest...
...funny thing tho is ...I dont see them anymore [only ever saw 2-3 > 5']....& rarely see any others posted. Same for easterns 4 that matter....
A big [Beeg} ruber.... 4' .... was the last really big snattlerake ive seen l8tly [2002!]...so lets bring on the jpgs.. otherwise big crotalids are a thing of the past & its a good thing most can breed @ a meter - ....

That snake MEANS business! Let's see what I can dig up.
Todd Hughes

If you ever get to the Snake Farm above San Antonio, check out my personal biggest atrox! Caught around Mathis, Texas before Christmas "03! That's one bad mamajama! Traded it for a coral and a smaller (4') atrox that got my finger. Never forget that trade! LOL! (and [bleep]es at the same time!) Didn't measure it but it's way over 6'.
Todd Hughes

....major bummer Antelope...

What sort of moron misses seeing a 6' snake on a freeking hwy...? Thats really a senseless waste, you Tejans otta have salvage permission bundled w/ your license & @ least be getting these sensitive spps DoR's to university collections?
I do wish to travel to the country S by SE of Santone....as an AZ hunter tho...im not sure I can deal w/ all the private land issues...photography in a public park or reserve would do tho...

Condolences...John Gunn

Seen many an indigo in state parks here. They have some in Choke Canyon Reservoir by George West. Seen 'em swimming/hunting in the ditches alongside the road in. Also some monsters reside in Welder wildlife management area. Good opportunities for people with no access to private land. Actually have had some good luck with farmers letting me check out the rundown portions of their properties, looking for Mex.milks around Orange Grove.