Hey Scott,

I've been herpin' in the Barrens faithfully for the last 4 years or so, and have been there intermittently over the last 15 years. The Barrens is HUGE, as you may know, and black racers are basically all over the place. I've found hatchlings through adults from time to time (when they were visible as they are so quick and sense you first), and geography has ranged from open cranberry bogs, to general forest floor, to wide-open areas that support growth of future Christmas trees. Some people have told me that old railroad areas are good (and can be good for many things such as corns, temporalis, and eastern milks). As far as time, well, depends on the temperature. A fresh start at 9am to 10am is good on a fair-weather day (75-85 F), but too cool or too hot typically fares nothing much. That racer pic that I posted with my daughter holding it was on a fluke day that was no warmer than 65F and WINDY. I found that adult curled up in a log and she was ice-cold (hence as to why she was so docile and easy to handle). In the famous words of Karl Kauffeld, "no place offers so much yet yields so little". Maybe we can hook up one day and tour together?

Jerry Kruse

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