I took a sheet and lost it somewhere between Sanderson and Milwaukee. Could you please outline what info you need again so that I can send as close to accurate as I can?





The following is basically a cut-and-paste from the instruction sheet; it lists the various columns and info requested on the actual data sheets. Don't worry if you don't have the info for every block; I'll take what I can get!



2012 Sanderson Snake Days Herp Survey



Welcome to Snake Days! Your participation is requested in helping us gather data on herp and herping activity in the Trans-Pecos by completing this data collection project as part of what is hoped will become a multi-year survey.



We are interested in ALL herps (not just snakes!) found, primarily June 15-17 (the “official” event), but feel free to include additional info if you showed up earlier or are staying later. Lots of information can be gained, not just through observation of live herps, but data on road mortality, persistence of dead specimens on roads, and species collection rates, which may prove useful in helping shape Texas herp management strategies.



Chris McMartin is the point of contact for this survey. He will gather the completed data sheets at the end of Snake Days on Sunday, June 17th, and compiled results will be published in the SWCHR Bulletin. Though your contact information is requested, published results will be anonymous, unless you consent to having your name associated with the data. Personally-identifiable information will not be provided to any law enforcement entity.



Important note: you must have landowner permission to hunt on private land, or the data can’t be used! Snake Days organizers will have a list of land where permission has been granted. If you have additional information, photos, etc. you would like to submit, or have any questions or feedback for improving the survey for next year, Chris can be reached at chris.mcmartin (at) yahoo.com or via cell phone/text at XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Participation is voluntary; however, it is highly encouraged. Please take only one survey form per family/team. If additional forms are needed, see Chris, and congratulations on finding so many animals.



How to Complete the Data Sheets

This survey is in a “one size fits most” format. Data sheets are double-sided. If you need to annotate additional information that doesn’t fit neatly into one of the blocks, you can write in the margins, on the back of this page, etc. Please write legibly! If you don’t have the info for a given block, leave it blank.



Surveyor’s Name(s), Phone(s), Email(s): Self explanatory, but please annotate each page in case they get separated!

Date: Self explanatory

General Area Surveyed: Highway/Road, Ranch/Property, County, etc. If you don’t see any herps on a given road/area, note this too

Start/Stop Time: Times herping activities started/stopped, NOT when the first specimen was seen (important!)

Time: Local, 24-hr preferred (i.e. 2230 for 10:30 pm); otherwise annotate AM or PM

Location: GPS preferred; highway and mile marker, or distance from geographic reference acceptable

Air Temperature: Degrees Fahrenheit

Surface Temp: Degrees Fahrenheit, if you have an infrared temperature gun

Species: Common or scientific name, or recognizable abbreviation of either (e.g. suboc, alterna)

Status: AOR: alive on road, DOR: dead on road, On Cut, Flipped (under cover), etc.

Gender: M/F (if determined)

Length: In inches; annotate an estimate with a ~ (e.g. ~18”)

Disposition: OBS: observed (no pics), PICS: photographed and released, COLL: collected (or DOR salvaged)

Remarks: Anything notable. If DOR, note additional times same DOR spotted (e.g. “also seen 2245, 2253”) and time it’s noticed absent on a subsequent pass. Trust me, it’s important!



For your convenience, a list of Federal or Texas Threatened/Endangered herps is printed on the back of this page. TPWD tracks sightings of these species; please report them and Chris will coordinate submission of this data.



PLEASE RETURN YOUR COMPLETED SURVEY TO CHRIS BY NOON SUNDAY!

If you are unable to do so, please email scanned or typed results to Chris. Thank you for your contribution to citizen science!


-----
Chris McMartin

www.mcmartinville.com

I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

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