Re: Top 5 of all time...

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Field Collecting Forum ]

Posted by ChrisNM on June 21, 2002 at 10:30:42:

In Reply to: Top 5 of all time... posted by Rodgers M. on June 19, 2002 at 17:14:14:

Compared to the AZ and CA herpers, those herpers who have had the pleasure of traveling outside the US, and those who have found alterna, my list isn't anything special. However, to me it is and after all that's what counts. I'd also like to point out that approximately 50% on my life has been spent at Myrtle Beach, SC where my family was stationed there for 10 years with the Air Force (1982-1992, I was born Nov '81 and we moved to SC when I was 10 months old).

In order from SC to my current location, NM

1) Summer 1991 - found two snapping turtles (not sure if commons or gators) in the drainage ditches on the AFB. Largest one was the size of a silver dollar.

2) Summer 1991 - Roughly 3 days after finding the snappers I find my first snakes, 2 banded water snakes.

3) July 1992 - Myrtle Beach AFB closes, dad gets orders to Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX...1st week in TX, my first snake was a great plain rat snake.

4) Summer 1994 - Abilene, TX - my first desert kingsnake.

5) June/July 1995 - Dad gets orders for Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM...Fall 1996 I meet Ian. Him and his brother take me on a hike into the mountains near his house were I find my first great plains skink and "gopher snake." Long story short, skin runs under a rock outcropping. I dig after it to see it run farther back into the mini-cave. I see a snake and shout, "GOHPER SNAKE!" While I wait for Ian (infamously 'scouting ahead') to get there I decide I'm going to try and get the snake out. Sounded like the snake was 'hissing', so I back off and wait for Ian. He looks in to see what kind of snake, looks at me and says, "that's not a gopher snake, that's a BLACKTAIL RATTLER!" I'm pretty sure I turned white. For the record, 3 years in TX, never saw a rattler. I had no idea what to expect sound wise. The rattle was muffled so to me it sounded like a rasping bullsnake, caught plenty of those in TX.

Now for my recent top 5 (within the last 3 years)

1) June 20, 2000 Waverly, AL (outside of Auburn-Opelika) my first cotton mouth.

2) June 21, 2000 Brooklet, GA (roughtly 45-50 minutes southwest of Jasper Co., SC) - Visiting my grandparents 250+ acre farm and my favorite find to this day.... 23:40, temp of 76.5�F my first corn snake. 10 years in SC, countless hours in the woods on the base, etc and not a single frickin corn snake. I'm not even at my grandparents house for 2 hours and I find a corn snake.

3) March 2001 - Spending the night at and herping on Bob Applegate's property. 1 Pacific slender sally, 2 San Diego Gophers, 1 San Diego ringneck, 1 western longnose, 1 Baja Cal. coachwhip, and 1 California whipsnake

4) April 2001 - Deming, NM - my first banded rock rattler.

5) May 27, 2002 - Western river cooter, NM state listed threatened.

There are so many others I could list, just like everyone else. The above listings are finds that stick out a tad above the rest.

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: Compared to the AZ and CA herpers, those herpers who have had the pleasure of traveling outside the US, and those who have found alterna, my list isn't anything special. However, to me it is and after all that's what counts. I'd also like to point out that approximately 50% on my life has been spent at Myrtle Beach, SC where my family was stationed there for 10 years with the Air Force (1982-1992, I was born Nov '81 and we moved to SC when I was 10 months old). : In order from SC to my current location, NM : 1) Summer 1991 - found two snapping turtles (not sure if commons or gators) in the drainage ditches on the AFB. Largest one was the size of a silver dollar. : 2) Summer 1991 - Roughly 3 days after finding the snappers I find my first snakes, 2 banded water snakes. : 3) July 1992 - Myrtle Beach AFB closes, dad gets orders to Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX...1st week in TX, my first snake was a great plain rat snake. : 4) Summer 1994 - Abilene, TX - my first desert kingsnake. : 5) June/July 1995 - Dad gets orders for Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM...Fall 1996 I meet Ian. Him and his brother take me on a hike into the mountains near his house were I find my first great plains skink and "gopher snake." Long story short, skin runs under a rock outcropping. I dig after it to see it run farther back into the mini-cave. I see a snake and shout, "GOHPER SNAKE!" While I wait for Ian (infamously 'scouting ahead') to get there I decide I'm going to try and get the snake out. Sounded like the snake was 'hissing', so I back off and wait for Ian. He looks in to see what kind of snake, looks at me and says, "that's not a gopher snake, that's a BLACKTAIL RATTLER!" I'm pretty sure I turned white. For the record, 3 years in TX, never saw a rattler. I had no idea what to expect sound wise. The rattle was muffled so to me it sounded like a rasping bullsnake, caught plenty of those in TX. : Now for my recent top 5 (within the last 3 years) : 1) June 20, 2000 Waverly, AL (outside of Auburn-Opelika) my first cotton mouth. : 2) June 21, 2000 Brooklet, GA (roughtly 45-50 minutes southwest of Jasper Co., SC) - Visiting my grandparents 250+ acre farm and my favorite find to this day.... 23:40, temp of 76.5�F my first corn snake. 10 years in SC, countless hours in the woods on the base, etc and not a single frickin corn snake. I'm not even at my grandparents house for 2 hours and I find a corn snake. : <center><img src="http://webpages.charter.net/geckos/breeder-snakes/WC-corn.jpg"></center> : 3) March 2001 - Spending the night at and herping on Bob Applegate's property. 1 Pacific slender sally, 2 San Diego Gophers, 1 San Diego ringneck, 1 western longnose, 1 Baja Cal. coachwhip, and 1 California whipsnake : 4) April 2001 - Deming, NM - my first banded rock rattler. : 5) May 27, 2002 - Western river cooter, NM state listed threatened. : There are so many others I could list, just like everyone else. The above listings are finds that stick out a tad above the rest.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Field Collecting Forum ]

KINGSNAKE.COM

Enjoy all our content free of charge with a user account that gives you full access to every feature. For added visibility, paid options are available - post in our Classifieds, showcase your business with Banner Ads or a Directory listing, promote reptile events, and more.

Re: Top 5 of all time...

KINGSNAKE.COM

Quick Links

Community

Legal & Safety

Support