San Antonio area herping

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Posted by Tom Lott on February 07, 2001 at 20:07:42:

In Reply to: Hello All....Maybe you can help... posted by Shawn Mc on January 29, 2001 at 16:05:39:

Shawn,

Chris H. has it about right: one has to get away from the metropolitan area of San Antonio to get to some really good areas. June, however, can be a great month if the spring rains continue. If not, it's like July, which is NOT good.

Regardless, June is already getting kind of warm in the daytime (90+), so most herpers, being basically lazy and having no access to public lands, tend to resort to road cruising (er, "walking," since cruising IS illegal).

If you're really interested in hots, have the time to drive west to the Del Rio area (about 150 miles), and don't mind herping in the dark, you will have about the best chance to see the greatest diversity of Texas' venomous creatures. The same areas that produce all the Graybanded Kingsnakes also provide Western Diamondbacks, Blacktails, Rock Rattlers, Broadbanded/Trans-Pecos Copperheads, and even the occasional Coral Snake in the riparian zones. It's hard to match that anywhere else. Just go to the "Alterna Page" here on kingsnake.com, click on Val Verde County, and it will provide you with excellent descriptions of the best places to look.

Most of the "serious" Graybanders seem to look upon Val Verde County with disdain nowadays, forsaking it for "greener pastures," so it's not generally as crowded during June (= Grayband "season")as it once was. That's fine, because some of the best-looking nominate C. lepidus come from that county. Expect to encounter game wardens; I don't know if they buy into the "only photographing" explanation or not (I would suspect not), so invest in a license should you go.

Feel free to E-mail me if you want some closer alternatives.

Tom Lott

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: Shawn, : Chris H. has it about right: one has to get away from the metropolitan area of San Antonio to get to some really good areas. June, however, can be a great month if the spring rains continue. If not, it's like July, which is NOT good. : Regardless, June is already getting kind of warm in the daytime (90+), so most herpers, being basically lazy and having no access to public lands, tend to resort to road cruising (er, "walking," since cruising IS illegal). : If you're really interested in hots, have the time to drive west to the Del Rio area (about 150 miles), and don't mind herping in the dark, you will have about the best chance to see the greatest diversity of Texas' venomous creatures. The same areas that produce all the Graybanded Kingsnakes also provide Western Diamondbacks, Blacktails, Rock Rattlers, Broadbanded/Trans-Pecos Copperheads, and even the occasional Coral Snake in the riparian zones. It's hard to match that anywhere else. Just go to the "Alterna Page" here on kingsnake.com, click on Val Verde County, and it will provide you with excellent descriptions of the best places to look. : Most of the "serious" Graybanders seem to look upon Val Verde County with disdain nowadays, forsaking it for "greener pastures," so it's not generally as crowded during June (= Grayband "season")as it once was. That's fine, because some of the best-looking nominate <I>C. lepidus</I> come from that county. Expect to encounter game wardens; I don't know if they buy into the "only photographing" explanation or not (I would suspect not), so invest in a license should you go. : Feel free to E-mail me if you want some closer alternatives. : Tom Lott

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