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That guy

Posted: March 9th, 2015, 9:06 pm
by Whidbey
Frequent lurker and very rare poster here. I live in the northwest but I'm in Miami for three weeks going through 737 school for my navy reserve squadron. I'm busy during the day but mostly free in the evenings and could range within an hour of Miami.

I did not want to be "that guy" who doesn't post good photos posting for help, but I took a shot at getting out myself with no local knowledge and struck out (can't count the carnage along 41). I thought I'd surrender and see if anyone would like to go herping with me, and if not could maybe provide some guidance. Gas and burgers on me.

Would kill to see a scarlet king or scarlet snake. A coral would be a special lifer for me. Also love kings wherever they can be found.

Extremely grateful for any help or guidance.

Thanks for all the excellent pictures and stories.

Drew

Re: That guy

Posted: March 9th, 2015, 9:57 pm
by PrimitiveTim
Go hit the everglades man! Saw a DOR scarlet last week. Bring a big light and shine some too. Shine homestead too. Shine the mangroves for some snakes too. Just don't quit and you'll find some stuff.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 9th, 2015, 10:50 pm
by Mike VanValen
Note : If you hit Everglades National Park, do NOT bring a big light and do NOT shine!

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 5:06 am
by Carl D. May
Mike VanValen wrote:Note : If you hit Everglades National Park, do NOT bring a big light and do NOT shine!
Ditto...oh man, do not be a shinin' in the ENP!

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 6:14 am
by ZantiMissKnit
We were in the area last week. 41 is FULL of carnage. Check out Big Cypress or the ENP. If you go to the ENP and are driving around at night, expect to be pulled over. Do not handle anything within the ENP. Do not cruise the ENP with a hook in your car.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 6:38 am
by JakeScott
Just be very careful in ENP, like other have said. Drive and have a camera ready. They have been watching ENP pretty close as of late. Some herpers go there and are completely obvious what their intentions are (not that it's bad, but handling in the middle of the road and taking selfies is not smart). Drive around and have fun. If I lived down there, I'd take you out.

Best of luck.

-Jake

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 7:40 am
by Whidbey
Is the ENP really that much more productive for herping than the Everglades immediately west of Miami? Right now the limiting factor just west seems to be actually getting access off of 41.

Thanks for the heads up regarding not handling in the ENP.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 7:54 am
by BillMcGighan
I might add that the native american lands frown on herping.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 8:24 am
by ZantiMissKnit
JakeScott wrote:Just be very careful in ENP, like other have said. Drive and have a camera ready. They have been watching ENP pretty close as of late. Some herpers go there and are completely obvious what their intentions are (not that it's bad, but handling in the middle of the road and taking selfies is not smart). Drive around and have fun. If I lived down there, I'd take you out.

Best of luck.

-Jake
Exactly. We had a conversation with the ranger who pulled us over last week. He was fine with us taking photos but stressed that we not handle anything. He said there had been some recently issues of people coming in to "play with the pythons" (his exact words!). He also reminded us that driving slow and stopping frequently wasn't safe on the 55 mph road, but he did see there was no problem with just taking photos. He also told us that cars get broken into while people are off exploring the trails at night, so to not leave anything of value in the car.

After all these "don't, don't, don't" posts, I feel that I should offer some "do" posts: DO have fun. We saw many more snakes, frogs and toads at night than in the daytime. We even roadcruised a young alligator at night, and a pleco in Big Cypress!

ImageRoad cruised Placo

Re: That guy

Posted: March 10th, 2015, 9:08 am
by Noah M
I was just down that way last week too. Warm weather seems to bring us herpers out of the woodwork! 8-)

Yes, 41 is carnage, and dangerous to herp - small shoulder, fast drivers. But there are other smaller roads near 41 you could explore. Check out some of the Great Florida Birding Trail locations - the name may suggest birds and hiking, but several of them are scenic driving routes that have plenty of herps along with birds.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 6:58 am
by Whidbey
Cruised the park from top to bottom last night, except for a water snake and a couple DORs, not a great night!

May head back out tonight.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 7:22 am
by Noah M
I'm not sure when you are getting out there, but from my experience up here the best times are right around sunset and the few hours just after.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 9:02 pm
by Whidbey
captainjack0000 wrote:I'm not sure when you are getting out there, but from my experience up here the best times are right around sunset and the few hours just after.
Got out west of town, found a beautiful little Corn Snake and a very grumpy Scorpion.

Tried to post pictures but looks like I don't have permissions for it.

Thanks again!

Re: That guy

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 10:02 pm
by Lloyd Heilbrunn
ENP has been slow roadcruising lately. IMO, the temps are still a bit low....

Re: That guy

Posted: March 12th, 2015, 2:16 pm
by narrowfellow
deleted

Re: That guy

Posted: March 12th, 2015, 2:21 pm
by Noah M
Tried to post pictures but looks like I don't have permissions for it.
I don't believe there to be a permission or not setting. You need to have your pictures hosted elsewhere to have them posted here.

http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=13987

Re: That guy

Posted: March 12th, 2015, 2:39 pm
by Lloyd Heilbrunn
narrowfellow wrote:If you're road-cruising Main Park Road in ENP this year, it would be great if you left DOR's in place instead of chucking them off the road. Biologists associated with the park are road-cruising every night in 2015, and one of the goals is to understand relationships between traffic activity and number of DOR's.
I'm sure there is a fixed ratio between DORs and the number of wheels on those ^&%*ing boat trailers......




:crazyeyes:

Re: That guy

Posted: March 12th, 2015, 6:40 pm
by Whidbey
In the park right now and a rain just rolled through. If it was ten degrees warmer I think I'd be in business but right now nothing seems to be moving.

Re: That guy

Posted: March 13th, 2015, 5:52 am
by ZantiMissKnit
narrowfellow wrote:If you're road-cruising Main Park Road in ENP this year, it would be great if you left DOR's in place instead of chucking them off the road. Biologists associated with the park are road-cruising every night in 2015, and one of the goals is to understand relationships between traffic activity and number of DOR's.
That's a really good point that I had never thought of. I'm often concerned with something eating the DORs and becoming a DOR itself, but the work the biologists are doing is much more important!

Re: That guy

Posted: March 15th, 2015, 10:36 pm
by Whidbey
Found a great location west of town. Even on a cool evening, lots of Cottonmouths and I was very fortunate to see a juvenile Alligator hanging out in the middle of the road!

Thanks for all the help.