Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After trying out a few cars for California road cruising I finally purchased a car which I will convert into the ultimate Herping car. A 1988 Jeep YJ Wrangler will be my canvas for this idea. Its 4.2 liter straight six engine, a 6 inch lift, 33 inch tires and manual four wheel drive should get me anywhere. I plan to remove the doors (I'm adding quick release latches to make this easy) and drop down the hinged wind shield making for fast catch it exits and reduce all windshield glares creating less road cruising false alarms. I am adding 8 high beam lights, 4 on top, two mirror spots, and a two bumper lights by the winch. I am adding 4 exterior hook holders so that we can jump out and grab our stuff (no scrambling around for hooks). The interior will be Rhino lined for easy cleaning. I am also adding a four bucket bagging system in the back and six more power source to charge rechargable flashlights. There will be a frame mounted to the exterior to hold a copy of our fishing licence. Any other ideas to make this the best herp car ever??? Please brain storm and let me know, I will ad pics soon.

You can use a gps to find your way around in the dark as well mark every spot you found a snake with notes added like time found etc. Download the info from your gps to your p.c when you get home to keep records on file for that local.

Already got it.
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Some people have a gun rack, you could have a snake hook rack?

There will be a frame mounted to the exterior to hold a copy of our fishing licence. Any other ideas to make this the best herp car ever???

You mean you don't visibly wear it on your person, as required by the regs?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

I will have a Zerox of the licence on the Jeep and the real copy on me. The copy will be for any rangers that spot the car unattended while I am hiking.
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I would tone down the lighting, agencies can cite you for it if they are over 32 candle power (they will say you are spotlighting). I would also carry a video camera to record any contacts (your vehicle will draw LE to you like a rat to cheese), its your right and it keeps everyone honest.
I have heard DIRECTLY from a Supervising Warden that "we profile and harass herpers all the time, its illegal but we do it anyways". Couple that attitude with a dark, lonely, canyon and no witnesses, get the picture? SOunds [paranoid huh? Im here to tell you it happens, happened, and will continue to happen until we choose to do something about it. I would hate to see you and your labor of love get wrongfully nailed because your vehicle got "profiled". And put your license in a pouch and pin it to your shirt, any other location is not acceptable and you will be cited for it. One more thing, DO NOT BRING ANY snake gear into a park, be it State, Federal or otherwise, even if you are just passing through. If you must, due to logistics, go through one of these areas than I suggest you stop at the ranger station and inform them that you are passing through and have this equipment in the car and/or put everything in the trunk, locked up and out of sight. Get stopped in a NP with this gear inside the car with you and you have yourself a Federal Offense. Sorry to be such a downer, but the word has to be spread, its amazing how many people are not aware of these things.

Post a pic of the beast when you are done with the build up!

Cheers
Lat

Understood and considered thats why I will take my Liberty Renegade to parks and leave the Wrangler herped out at home. Also anything iwll be removable.
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Good luck, sounds like a neat ride
Heres mine...
Ciao
B

Have you had any problems with the carb stalling?
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Tony Lanzi
AKA SoCalHerper

No the previous owner had recently replaced it though.
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A 1988 Jeep YJ Wrangler....a 6 inch lift, 33 inch tires..

Although it might get you places, I'm a big believer in the idea of road cruising in vehicles that are close to the ground. It makes it a lot easier to see small snakes, in my experience. The key is having your lights low - see last comment.

...and drop down the hinged wind shield making for fast catch it exits and reduce all windshield glares creating less road cruising false alarms

You may not have windshield glare, but you will have so many bugs in your eyes, nose and teeth that you will wish you just had windshield glare. It depends on where you are hunting, I guess. Road hunting in the desert (in the dry season) wouldn't be too bad, but anywhere else the bugs would be horrible without a windshield, particularly if you light it up like the sun as you seem inclined to do.
If you are in the desert, that constant 25mph dry breeze in your face will dry your eyes out and make it really hard to see well. Keep the windshield up.

I am adding 8 high beam lights, 4 on top, two mirror spots, and a two bumper lights by the winch.

Lights up high are OK, but having lights down as low as possible really helps you see animals better on the road. I like white fog lights as they not only light low, they cast a wide beam that helps light the shoulders.
In a jeep, they are better off mounted below the bumper to be as close to the road as possible. If you can figure out a way to mount 1-2 pairs of white foglights below the bumper, you might never turn on the upper lights.
The other good thing about fog lights is that you don't have to turn them off when other cars approach since the beam is directed low across the road. You don't have to be blind just because someone is passing the other way.

Technically, fog lights are supposed to turn off when you have your brights on. Hmmm, must be a short in my wiring somewhere?

Also be aware that some states have regs about how many lights you can have burning at once. I don't know about CA, but in Texas it is a max of 4 lights on the front of the vehicle. There are also height restrictions for lights when used on road (you can't use light bars on the road). Since I do most of my hunting on quiet paved roads - welcome to TX - I prefer on good set of fog lights and my headlights. PIAA make some good big foglights.

I am adding 4 exterior hook holders so that we can jump out and grab our stuff (no scrambling around for hooks). The interior will be Rhino lined for easy cleaning. I am also adding a four bucket bagging system in the back and six more power source to charge rechargable flashlights. There will be a frame mounted to the exterior to hold a copy of our fishing licence. Any other ideas to make this the best herp car ever???

What you are making is a law enforcement magnet. Better pack in a good book or something for all the time you will spend pulled over while LE checks out your buckets, licenses, etc.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

ive only been herping for about a year and half now so im not good at it yet. ive wanted to get a jeep for road herping for some time now but have realized the same thing.Right now i drive a lowered honda civic. It has a 4 1/2 inch drop and i was told it wasnt a great car for herping. after this past season i realized it the greatest car for doing this in. my head lights sit a lil lower then a foot off the ground. ive spotted snakes that other herpers have straddled in there 4 wheel drive trucks.

the thing about been busted for spotlighting is also reallllllly true. ive been pulled over for usein my 15million candel power spot light. ive also seen herpers bein pulled over for holding 4 or 5 D cell meg lights out the window while driveing.

All in all ur jeep is a great and fun idea but remember there out there and you will get stoped. so make sure everything is ok and watch ur back.

I am mounting lights on the bumper which would be even closer to the ground than a civics lights (my old herp car was a lowered Nissan 240 sx silvia) and I will have the lights on 3 different switches to ensure I can be with in regulation. I am sure I will get stopped the trick is knowing what you can and can't do. As long as you can switch them off to be with in regulation your usually ok. Its the guys with all the lights going at once on the same switch that get busted here in CA.
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