Interesting idea for a thread...

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Tim Borski
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Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

I'd love to see a "blow by blow" account of someone ELSE'S random night. It doesn't have to be your best night...just simply pick a night IN ADVANCE and let the cards fall where they may. If it sucks, put it up anyway...'call it the way it comes as the night progresses and post it in the morning. I think this could be big fun and a neat, vicarious peek into some others' areas.

I'll begin and will record tonight as it unfolds. I'd love to begin with a night/hike/shining thing but unfortunately I'll be behind a windshield. (My wife has a meeting, leaving me with my 2 young sons in tow.) :|
No specific locales please.

TIM'S NIGHT: 7/10/2010. Dade County, FL
Moon: 5% visable
Moonset: 7:26P
Moonrise: 5:16A

Today's High 90/Low 81.
Chance of T-storms

I'll post my outing tomorrow morning. Seeya then!
Remember, the idea is an honest account of one PRE CHOSEN night...whether it turns out large, medium or small.

Thanks in advance to any and all who participate!
Tim
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Adam Cooner
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

Sounds like a good idea to me. I'll probably go out on Monday night (Jul. 12), so I'll write that one up.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Adam Cooner wrote:Sounds like a good idea to me. I'll probably go out on Monday night (Jul. 12), so I'll write that one up.
EXCELLENT, Adam! We'll look forward to hearing from you on the 13th!

If so inclined, please give a little back ground on local weather forecast, Moonrise/set etc...

Tonight, for the first time in years, I may even take a quick pic of a Ribbon...I'm almost giddy!! :thumb:

Also, as an afterthought, I think I'll make it a point to write semi-legibly in my note book and put up a pic of the page(s) to show progress as the night goes by...
Tim
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Tim Borski
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Just spent an hour and a half putting up my "random night" and lost it! :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :cry:
I quit.
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Adam Cooner
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

Ouch. Sorry about that. Hope it was a good night, though.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Ok, I'm gonna try again...
Adam, here's the condensed version.
First tho, I'd like to tip my hat to any and all with the patience to stop at EVERY SINGLE SNAKE they see. How the heck do you do it?! How do you still manage to cover enough ground to find your target? Jeez, I'm glad my "random night" is over.

Here's a peek at my note book from 7/10/2010...yes, I stopped for them all. (Or at least 95%)
Image

We (Josef and I) left the house at 4:53 P. I had an area I wanted to look at in daylight to get a feel for it and lay of the land for some after dark hiking later this week. That taken care of (remember, this is the extremely distilled version and I'll leave out a bunch of stuff that was in my original "failure post" cuz I don't feel like doing it again.) We began at 8:09 after stopping at my second choice for tonight. The first was flooded due to rain minutes earlier. We didn't see our first snake until 8:42. A Ribbon that I STOPPED for. It escaped pics. When I pulled over, my son said "It's a Ribbon." I started to get out and he said: "Dad, It's a Ribbon." I said I know and then told him about my (random night) post and what I was doing. He gave me the Hairy Eyeball.
Next up was a Moc. I started to slow but thought better...I thought "I'll get a pic of one when he's asleep." Never saw another and STILL got the HB for slowing down.

And so the night moved along...

On top of page is pertinent info re Moon. Below is our names and two numbers. they are "the bet." At the beginning of everynight we pick a number based on how many snakes we are going to see. (Everyone in the truck is expected to participate.) The person who comes closest without the actual number going over wins an imaginary stick of gum. He picked 20 and I took the under. As you can see, we both lost.

Along side the Scarlets is another number. On our first of the night it is:
0936 (65)
This is a waypoint and total to date. I began marking Scarlets on GPS on April 29th (2010) cuz I lik'em and thought it'd be fun to see if there's any pattern to the "whens and wheres" of their showing up. So far, the only pattern seems to be "they are abundant in good hab."

Here's the first one from last night...she is the 65th Scarlet encountered since 4/29.
Image

All snakes get a "tally mark" which you see also, but normally, a time, and location is reserved for the snakes of interest. Tonights snakes of interest would have been Corns, Scarlets and possibly the Pigmy. (Sometimes I note Pigs, sometimes not. Depends on my mood.) All the rest get simple tallies unless they've got some aberancy or other unusual thing going on.

The "BOS" behind "Candy cane" designates BEST OF SHOW and is awarded to the best/prettiest/favorite critter of any given night.

The Pigmy tonight was special in it taught my son a HUGE lesson. It was obviously a fresh DOR when we drove up. I touched it with my boot and it went nuts, writhing and (I assume) looking to defend itself. the lesson was "Not all DOR's are dead"...especially the ones that count. It scared Josef when it started moving and I'm sure he won't forget it. I was happy for our lesson but sad it had to come at the expense of such a pretty animal. It's a jungle out there on the pavement...

Here's a pic of the poor little guy. RIP
Image

Snake #6 for the night was a Ribbon at 9:28P. I actually took a pic of it! A Ribbon of all things...
It was preoccupied with a Narrowmouth Toad so was easy pickins' for the camera.
Image

Here come some random shots that I explained once earlier this aft but for naught.
Random pics from random night. 7/10/2010
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Back in the driveway at 2:43 A
Image

Overall, considering it's summer, the weather was typical and the moon hid all night, I'd give tonight a "B-" for this time of year. The numbers were average enough for what I chose to do....cruise one 4.6 mile stretch of road the entire night looking for one particular critter. (We didn't find it.) If there'd been a "frog event" or the Garters and Compressicauda were out in normal numbers we would've easily topped 35 total. But this is, as the post asked for, a random night of my choice.
It is what it is / was what it was.
(I did better tonight and was home by midnight.) Go figure.
Tim
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Adam Cooner
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

Thanks for sharing, even in abbreviated form. I don't know how my night will turn out, but I can be reasonably sure I won't see twenty-six snakes. I've really got to move to South Florida . . . I would be ecstatic to turn up one scarlet.

Also, the notebook's a good idea. I may have to rummage through my junk and find something to write in.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Who's this Melissa character?
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Tim Borski
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Josh Holbrook wrote:Who's this Melissa character?
Melissa was doing some research also.
I met her once before out there and reconfirmed my first impression; she is as pretty as a hatchling Scarlet.
:D

Good luck tonight Adam! I look forward to your post tomorrow.

...And to the rest of you: Pick a night, turn off your computers already and get in the field.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by monklet »

That's an awesome idea Tim - and great account as well. For me a random night this year in the Mojave wouldn't be so interesting though, like 3 hrs. 1 DOR glossy, 2 sidewinders...damn, where'd I put the cyanide?

btw, Sorry about losing all that hard work but I told you about saving your post on the clipboard or composing in notepad/word whatever...shame, shame, shame :roll:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

monklet wrote:That's an awesome idea Tim - and great account as well. For me a random night this year in the Mojave wouldn't be so interesting though, like 3 hrs. 1 DOR glossy, 2 sidewinders...damn, where'd I put the cyanide?

btw, Sorry about losing all that hard work but I told you about saving your post on the clipboard or composing in notepad/word whatever...shame, shame, shame :roll:
I know you did...I'm not even fluid at cut/pasting. Jeezus! It's a wonder I can even speak English semi-fluently.
BTW, when you write something on notepad or whatnot, do you add the images AFTER you've put the text up on forum?

Monklet, pick a night in advance and put it up, I'd love the oppurtunity to "ride" with someone else...even a lousy non-LECH! :mrgreen:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by brick911 »

"First tho, I'd like to tip my hat to any and all with the patience to stop at EVERY SINGLE SNAKE they see. How the heck do you do it?! How do you still manage to cover enough ground to find your target? Jeez, I'm glad my "random night" is over."

This is the most spoiled South Floridian statement I have ever heard! :lol: I've roadcruised about half of your total for the night, in a lifetime up here! :beer:

I love the idea though. I might try the same thing myself. :thumb:

The ribbon eating the narrowmouth was AWESOME. To echo my Northeast bitterness, that woulda been a lifer eating a lifer for me. :|
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Brick, put one up! (North Easterners are allowed to tally frogs...my post; I can make up the rules.) :mrgreen:

Heck, even Josh Holbrook is going to pick a "Random Night" at some point today...either that, or I'll be going by myself. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by monklet »

Ha, I was gonna hang up my headlamp for the season but now I might give it one more go :? , just for you Tim :)
Tim the spoiled Floridian wrote:BTW, when you write something on notepad or whatnot, do you add the images AFTER you've put the text up on forum?
I typically add the image tags by hand when I compose the post :P ...but that's just me ;) Remember the tip to do a preview to see what the system does to your post when you add an image ...then just copy that method...be the system
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by robert »

Tim:

Very impressive night (at least to someone who gets to Southern Florida for two nights per year). I see you continued to find snakes well into the night (1;00 AM). I have usually given up by about 10:30 based on a two hour after dark rule. Have I been missing out? How late is not too late--From my previous post I plan to ride the main road to Flamingo and the roads along the canal that start just outside of the park. (I don't really know any better).
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

robert wrote:Tim:

Very impressive night (at least to someone who gets to Southern Florida for two nights per year). I see you continued to find snakes well into the night (1;00 AM). I have usually given up by about 10:30 based on a two hour after dark rule. Have I been missing out? How late is not too late--From my previous post I plan to ride the main road to Flamingo and the roads along the canal that start just outside of the park. (I don't really know any better).
Robert, you will do just fine with your plan. If you look at the pic I posted of the night's notes you will see a sharp decline in encounters around 11:00P. This is typical of S FL.
Also, I think one of the roads you mentioned has had some gang activity recently...you might want to think about phocusing within the Park. Just a head's up.
Tim
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Phil Peak »

Very interesting thread idea Tim! Heres our random night from KY last night which was rather pedestrian as it turned out. As luck would have it we had one of the cooler days/ nights in weeks which probably didn't play in our favor.

Mostly cloudy with a day time high of 88°F and an over night low of 73°F.

After checking snake traps we drove roads searching for snakes beginning @2015. Scattered showers and 84°F with a new moon.

Copperhead 1 AOR @2152
Copperhead 1 AOR @2220
Copperhead 1 AOR @2328
Copperhead 1 AOR @2345
Copperhead 1 DOR
Copperhead 1 AOR @0010
Copperhead 1 AOR @0018
Copperhead 1 AOR @0023
Copperhead 1 AOR @0105
Black Kingsnake 1 DOR

Time was limited due to a busy work week so we dogged it off early. Typically in KY copperheads are by far the most commonly seen snake crossing roads. Often we will see rat snakes and kings early and occasionally milks, timbers and garters later, but not last night. Seeing coppers is predictable with the only question being how many.

Maybe we'll have better luck next time!

Phil
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

ADAM'S NIGHT: Monday, July 12, 2010
Lee/Macon County, AL
Moon: 1.4 % visible Moonset: 8:42 p.m. Moonrise: 6:40 a.m.
High: 93 Low: 76 Scattered T-storms

It’s been dry, but we finally got a light sprinkling of rain this afternoon.

“A good omen?” I silently hope.

6:45 p.m. I head out down a long stretch of highway that runs by a farm I’ve been called out to before. They’ve had snake “problems,” which don’t really seem like problems to me. The last time I was there, I caught and relocated a timber rattlesnake. It’s early yet and still light out, but I want to go check out a couple of field sites before I cruise the roads.

7:15 p.m. I arrive at my first site of the night. It’s a hardwood forest near a pond where I photographed no fewer than a dozen cottonmouths last year. At the end of an ill-kept trail, the remains of an old shed of some sort lay scattered in a clearing, and I want to do some flipping. It’s a pretty reliable spot to find ringneck snakes, but I’ve also found an eastern kingsnake and a timber rattler this summer. I head down the trail, muttering curse words under my breath at the combination of gnats, mosquitoes, and moisture hanging in the air tonight. Why do those @#$% bugs insist on flying into my ears and eyes? The bug spray is obviously not working.

7:40 p.m. I flip some old shingles and find an eastern newt. There’s a ground skink under a board, but I’m unable to catch or photograph it before it shoots off into the already darkening woods.

Image

8:30 p.m. I’ve come up mostly empty sifting through the rubble of the old shed. It’s very dark tonight, and combing the edges of the pond has also proven fruitless. It’s going to be one of those nights . . .

9:00 p.m. I arrive at my second field site, a bald cypress swamp. The forest road leading to the swamp is washed out (maybe it’s rained more than I thought), so I abandon my Rodeo on the shoulder and go by foot. Aside from the screaming treefrogs, this site also turns up nothing.

9:45 p.m. I decide against heading out to a third field site, an oxbow lake where a friend and I found a copperhead and black racer last week. It’s really too dark to see much under the forest canopy, even with my Maglite, and it’s a long, tedious hike to make by yourself. I start cruising some sparsely populated county roads, hopeful that some snakes will finally turn up.

10:45 p.m. It’s been an hour, and no snakes. I’ve found myself getting excited by a few sticks in the road and caught myself singing along to Elton John’s “The B**ch is Back” on the radio. I decide to head back toward home since there’s some pretty vicious lightning (and I’ve had to compromise the length of the trip to appease the girlfriend), but I check a few other side roads along the way.

11:30 p.m. Well, nothing has turned up on the roads. I head to my backyard, camera and flashlight in tow, determined to at least snap photos of the frogs that frequent my back porch (there’s an overgrown swamp just past the treeline of our backyard). I spot a bronze frog, but it quickly leaps into the brush, and I lose it. I keep fanning the flashlight and find a Southern leopard frog that isn’t able to escape. Nothing else, though.

Image

Image

If you’ll allow me to borrow the language of my people for a moment, this ain’t South Florida. It’s usually more lucrative than this, though. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. I’m headed to visit the parents in northwest Alabama this weekend, so I’ll have to try again. Maybe I can make up for the goose egg on snakes this trip. :D
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Tim Borski
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Phil, you didn't post your "random night" BEFORE you went! Those are the rules. You are DQ'ed.
(By the way, I believe you.) Knowbody would post a zillion Coppers and a lone King. A cheater would've been more creative and posted a variety...like some Corns, Ribbons, a few Scarlets, maybe a token dor Pigmy or some such... :thumb:

Adam! You're the man! This is exactly what I was looking for. Call'em as ya see'em whether the night turns out good, bad or indifferent. Thanks for playing...I'm thinking of picking another night soon. (If I do, I'll give notice well in advance...'hear me Phil?)

Also: NEVER appease the girlfriend...it sets precedent.

Thanks guys!
(Josh...ya out there? 'Shot clock's running...)
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Phil Peak
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Phil Peak »

Fair enough Tim. I didn't see your post until early this afternoon and after the fact. Busy with work, etc, etc, ad nauseum..seems all I'm doing these days is working lol! :( Very much a random night though and a somewhat unproductive one at that. Incidently, a western pygmy or a northern scarlet would have been a welcomed find for us and a definite game changer. Its interesting how the local commonality of species plays such a vital role to perceived success. I enjoyed the fact that we were finding snakes but a little disappointed that it was not anything beyond the same ole seven and six as they say.

You are right on your advice to Adam; NEVER APPEASE THE GIRLFRIEND! Sage advice for sure and doing otherwise has been the ruin of many a good snake hunter! :thumb:

We should do the same exercise next spring when the tin fields are in bloom!

Phil
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Josh Young
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Josh Young »

Tim, your lucky, I'd be happy to see 26 snakes in a night right now. Over the past week the only thing I've found has been 2 scarlets and a water snake and I'm in Palm Beach. The cruising has been horrible here lately for some reason which has made me search out new roads. I found the 2 scarlets on a road I have been on to flip for snakes but I never really cruised it until the other night. I've stayed out till 4 am cruising on several occasions and still haven't seen anything but those 3 snakes. To make matters worse I've been trying to find another coral after not having seen one since 2008 and I just keep seeing DORs so that just makes it all the more frustrating.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Phil Peak wrote:Fair enough Tim. I didn't see your post until early this afternoon and after the fact. Busy with work, etc, etc, ad nauseum..seems all I'm doing these days is working lol! :( Very much a random night though and a somewhat unproductive one at that. Incidently, a western pygmy or a northern scarlet would have been a welcomed find for us and a definite game changer. Its interesting how the local commonality of species plays such a vital role to perceived success. I enjoyed the fact that we were finding snakes but a little disappointed that it was not anything beyond the same ole seven and six as they say.

You are right on your advice to Adam; NEVER APPEASE THE GIRLFRIEND! Sage advice for sure and doing otherwise has been the ruin of many a good snake hunter! :thumb:

We should do the same exercise next spring when the tin fields are in bloom!

Phil
Phil, I knew you wouldn't take it as an afront...that's why I had no problem DQ-ing you. :mrgreen: (By the way, both species you found last night would be lifers for me!)

Next spring when the tin is in bloom and you post "Pick a random day" I'll pretend I didn't see it...but look and drool as a lurker! :beer:

Thanks for playing and continue with a great season...I'm jealous.
Tim
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

Tim Borski wrote:Also: NEVER appease the girlfriend...it sets precedent.
:lol: Next time I'll know, though, to be fair, she did have homemade lasagna waiting on me when I got back. That pretty much covered up the taste of defeat.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Phil Peak »

Tim Borski wrote:
Phil Peak wrote:Fair enough Tim. I didn't see your post until early this afternoon and after the fact. Busy with work, etc, etc, ad nauseum..seems all I'm doing these days is working lol! :( Very much a random night though and a somewhat unproductive one at that. Incidently, a western pygmy or a northern scarlet would have been a welcomed find for us and a definite game changer. Its interesting how the local commonality of species plays such a vital role to perceived success. I enjoyed the fact that we were finding snakes but a little disappointed that it was not anything beyond the same ole seven and six as they say.

You are right on your advice to Adam; NEVER APPEASE THE GIRLFRIEND! Sage advice for sure and doing otherwise has been the ruin of many a good snake hunter! :thumb:

We should do the same exercise next spring when the tin fields are in bloom!

Phil
Phil, I knew you wouldn't take it as an afront...that's why I had no problem DQ-ing you. :mrgreen: (By the way, both species you found last night would be lifers for me!)

Next spring when the tin is in bloom and you post "Pick a random day" I'll pretend I didn't see it...but look and drool as a lurker! :beer:

Thanks for playing and continue with a great season...I'm jealous.
Tim

Shoot no Tim, no affront taken at all. :) We've had one night this year where we found more than 26 snakes driving roads. We have had a night or two where we found uncommon to rarely encountered species. Summer is tough for us up here with the spring and fall being far superior in general. We find some snakes under AC this time of year but many more are found while trapping or driving roads at night. Just like the local amphibians, our snake species have a prime time when they can be most easily found and we try to capitolize on this. All methods are fair game and at the end of it all we just want to put ourselves in a position to be successful.

I really like the direction that you are going with this and find it very interesting. This is the kind of stuff that takes field herp forum beyond the casual photo post report and transcends it into something much more.

I'll pull together something this fall on our tin fields. This won't be as productive as our spring results but should be interesting all the same.


Phil
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Tim Borski
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Josh Young wrote:Tim, your lucky, I'd be happy to see 26 snakes in a night right now. Over the past week the only thing I've found has been 2 scarlets and a water snake and I'm in Palm Beach. The cruising has been horrible here lately for some reason which has made me search out new roads. I found the 2 scarlets on a road I have been on to flip for snakes but I never really cruised it until the other night. I've stayed out till 4 am cruising on several occasions and still haven't seen anything but those 3 snakes. To make matters worse I've been trying to find another coral after not having seen one since 2008 and I just keep seeing DORs so that just makes it all the more frustrating.
Josh, where I'm at, there's been a real solid EARLY eve thing going on. I've even seen a few Scarlets before full dark (8:50-ish.) It gets more typical from then on as the night progresses.

If you're seeing dor Corals in a particular area (and the ground cover allows) why don't you try shining a little on foot? You don't have to get in the thick of things, just pick away slowly around the margins...you'll be surprised how well they show in a light...even when mostly covered. Look for the "Coke cans" around edges and terrain features. You may be surprised at just how many there really are. If nothing else, you'll surely turn up some pretty Corns and other niceties. Dress "appropriately" if there are any hots around besides Corals tho.

Good luck and pick a "random" in advance to report ok?
PS: 'Saw a pic of one of your Scarlets...what a beauty!
Tim
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Adam Cooner
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

I took another shot at road cruising tonight with a friend of mine. We found some long, promising county roads, there was no rain today, it's close to the new moon, and, yet, still no snakes. :?

Maybe the rules are different for central Alabama? Right now, it looks like I could write up a lot of uneventful random nights, though.

Here's hoping the northwest part of the state treats me better this weekend.
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Josh Young
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Josh Young »

See that's the thing is that they show up in completely random places. The last one I saw was on the busiest road in Loxahatchee, Seminole Pratt & Whitney, and it had crossed the road sometime between 4 am and 7 am. I had gone to WalMart earlier and came by the spot it was run over on around 3:30 am and then on the way to my girlfriends house at around 7:30 am I noticed it. I have access to a tree farm where I found my first ever coral snake crossing the road in front of that I want to walk through but just haven't gotten around to it. The scarlets were found just down the road from where I live and on both occasions I nearly shat myself cause I just saw the red, yellow, and black together on a snake and thought both times I finally found a live coral. The scarlet you saw on facebook actually was apparently hit by a car before I found it b/c it died the next day and about the lower 3rd of its body was completely limp.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Kfen »

What a great thread! I love "tagging along for the night" with others. Unfortunately I only productively roadcruise 1, or if I am lucky, 2 nights a year in the northeast. Those are the early spring days when amphibians move in force. Good nights would be impossible to stop for every one of the hundreds, sometimes thousands of amphibs. Snakes just don't move at night up here enough to make it worth it. That's why I try to get to south FL at least once a year.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by spineback »

Well since I haven't been out cruising for snakes per se since I first read this thread..I will keep my account simple and to the point.

Needed to feed a southern hognose snake so I went out hunting for toads. Usual spot I know where there are toads is about 15 miles away...but decided to try a place 2 miles down the road where there is a pond. Pulled out of the driveway, went 0.2 miles down the road found a toad...turned around and came home.mission accomplished...

Will post a real account soon..sorry for the lame post!

Dan
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by bobassetto »

cruised several local malls observed following female H. sapiens......3 brunettes......4 blondes....one was outstanding.....and a candy cane redhead with green eyes.... all appeared to have just shed and have been basking quite a bit.......dude....i love summer......
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Tim Borski
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Kfen, This isn't about numbers/species and diversity. It's about picking a night in advance and taking us along vicariously, on an outing we'd otherwise not be able to attend. Pick a night and post frogs, mammals...whatever. Just keep a time frame of events as they unfold so we can get a "feel" for the trip.

Spineback, you have to pick a night in advance. ADVANCE.

Bassetto. DQ.

Josh, as you already know, a single dor denotes a population. If the area is accessible you might want to check it out on foot.
One of the places I drive past frequently turned up a dor Coral awhile back. I "flagged" the exact spot and returned during the day to give it a look. I found immediately that it was completetly unhuntable EXCEPT for one border where the vegetation opened up a little on top and the understory was relatively clean. Along this border was a mound about a foot high created by farm machinery. It paralleled the entire edge and my initial thought was it could act as a drift fence of sorts. Of course, any snake could get over it easily but I guessed an animal traveling liesurely would bump into it and follow along so I made it a point to check it out after dark. On only my 2nd visit, I found a beautiful Coral traveling right along side it. Since then, I've found a few more here, along with various other niceties. I know this edge has a limited life span but when the farmer plows it down (and he will) I'll find a similar situation elsewhere.

The above contains the absolute best piece(s) of advise (read between the lines) I have to share. I do this knowing that most, if not all here will never actually get the oppurtunity to take advantage "hands-on" so my chance of ever feeling crowded are slim...and if I ever do feel a pinch, I'll move on and find them again elsewhere.

...oh yeah, and don't forget to look for the "Coke cans." :mrgreen:
Good luck.
Tim

Edit:
I CALL TONIGHT.

7/14/2010
Moon rise: 9:44 A
Moon set: 10:32 P
6% vis
Hi: 88
Low: 77
Rain and Thunderstorms predicted throughout.

I'll be and on foot and will post my "random night" tomorrow morning.
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Tim Borski wrote: ...oh yeah, and don't forget to look for the "Coke cans." :mrgreen:
Good luck.
Tim

I thought that stuff came in bags?
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by monklet »

Drat, I did my trip Monday night Tim but forgot to announce it aforehand - I'm DQ'ing myself ;)
It’s been an hour, and no snakes...so ah pee's the girlfriend
I nearly pee'd my pants when I found my first boa but...?
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Tim Borski wrote: I'll be and on foot and will post my "random night" tomorrow morning.

I thought it was muy random night???
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by bobassetto »

DQed???......that was quick....but it was random!!!!........and i stayed away from the FAST FOOD JOINTS!!!!!....next time i'll take brick.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

It’s been an hour, and no snakes...so ah pee's the girlfriend
I nearly pee'd my pants when I found my first boa but...?
Very funny :lol:

What the heck? I'll try my hand at this again and call Saturday, July 17, with the understanding that my post will probably be a week later. The herping might be good back home, but the access to technology . . . not so much.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

OK, I was due for this...last night was a struggle on several levels and in 5 seperate areas. It started out ok and on my way to my first choice for the night I stopped at a discarded patio table top I've driven by at least 50 times. (It's on the border of some great hab I can't get access to.) Screw it. I turn around, don't see anybody coming and sprint over to flip it.
This is what was under. I took a quick pic and left. (I didn't count this on my "Random N".)
Image

I started earlier (8:35P) than I normally do cuz I was there.
Here's the book for 7/14/2010
Image

Tonight was uncomfortable. It was by far the warmest, most humid, calm night so far this summer. BY FAR. Everyplace I went I was greeted with a sopping wet shirt. My hat, likewise, could not absorb all the wet and poured it down my face, cheeks and neck. The AC in my truck, in between spots felt like dry ice on the wet clothes.

AND, the bugs were far worse than any encountered thus far this year but not really an issue long term. They went to bed around 10:30 and were almost nonexistant by 11.

My first encounter of the night was an ugly, medium size YR at 8:55. It was on the crawl along a fence line. I kicked it aside and continued. (Just kidding.) I did not get the camera out. #2 came at 9:05P. A Corn traversing a barbed wire fence between trees in a Mango plantation. It stuck out lik a sore thumb and I saw it from 100 feet away.
Corn: 9:05P
Image

The bugs are already thinning out by the time I find the next. Another Corn. It is climbing, and like the last, I'd have had to try hard to miss it.
Corn 9:50P
Image

I left after that and hopped into a truck full of dry ice. The second place I went didn't feel right and I left without exiting the ice box. At number 3, I simply walked a drift fence along a canal looking for a hatchling Burm. I found a pretty Garter coiled along side but it left while I was busy getting out my camera and dropping my note book in a puddle. It was after 11:00 before I saw my next snake. A prettier YR traveling along the fence. I scoop it up before it had any thoughts of making an exit and took a quick voucher.
YR: 11:05P
Image

I found another Corn on the crawl at 11:26. (I think this is a timing typo because I was in the icebox again at that time. In any event, it was immediately after the previous.
Corn: 11:26?
Image

Another ride to cool off. I find a lone Ribbon on the road. all is oddly quiet tonight.
Ribbon: 12:09P
Image

I'm ready for one last spot and drive to a place I call KT. I've never been there afterdark but took the time to secure PM permission earlier this week when I thought I'd have company. I thought I'd give it an hour or so but fell short. Begin: 12:15A/quit 1:13A. At 12:33, I find a Juvie FL Water and voucher it quickly. It is the last snake of a long night.
FL Water: 12:33A
Image

Here's an extra pic of one of the Corns already mentioned...for some reason I like it.
Image

And so ended "RN 2" for me. Nothing to really write home about but I called it so I'll post it. It doesn't matter if the night turns out "small, medium or large." Right?

I give the night a small to medium overall.

By the way, do any of you frogheads out there know which one sounds like a Lamb? Baaaaa....Baaaaa.... There were lot's of 'em at one spot and I'm not sure I've ever heard them before.

Tim
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by brick911 »

bobassetto wrote:DQed???......that was quick....but it was random!!!!........and i stayed away from the FAST FOOD JOINTS!!!!!....next time i'll take brick.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Where we going?
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Adam Cooner
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Adam Cooner »

Tim Borski wrote: By the way, do any of you frogheads out there know which one sounds like a Lamb? Baaaaa....Baaaaa.... There were lot's of 'em at one spot and I'm not sure I've ever heard them before.
I'm willing to bet the frog you're hearing is a narrowmouth toad.

Here's a link to its call: http://puca.home.mindspring.com/mp3s/Ea ... h.Toad.mp3
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Adam Cooner wrote:
Tim Borski wrote: By the way, do any of you frogheads out there know which one sounds like a Lamb? Baaaaa....Baaaaa.... There were lot's of 'em at one spot and I'm not sure I've ever heard them before.
I'm willing to bet the frog you're hearing is a narrowmouth toad.

Here's a link to its call: http://puca.home.mindspring.com/mp3s/Ea ... h.Toad.mp3
Adam, I've seen them there and that was my guess but didn't know for sure. Thanks!
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by bobassetto »

dude....reds are like my favorite east coast snake.....now stop!!!!!.....brick....cruisin' .....wildwood boards.....places like that.... :beer:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Phil Peak »

Sounds like narrowmouths to me too, and they're in season now. Around here they will call all through the day but can be surprisingly difficult to spot despite the loud call and shallow puddles they are usually calling from.

Phil
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Daniel D Dye »

Excellent thread, Tim. :thumb:

May I play?

We've had a ton of rain at the farm this week. I think I'll do a random run with Yvonne tomorrow night...she's a great note taker. :lol:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Daniel D Dye wrote:Excellent thread, Tim. :thumb:

May I play?

We've had a ton of rain at the farm this week. I think I'll do a random run with Yvonne tomorrow night...she's a great note taker. :lol:
Daniel, you are choosing 7/16/2010 as your random night? Remember, no matter what the outcome...good,bad,indifferent you gotta give us a time line Ok?
Good luck and I look forward to "taggin' along" with you two!
Tim
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by brick911 »

I missed the rule about pre-choosing the night, and I took a random one on Tuesday night. The night was an utter failure, so its not like I cheated. If you want, I'll show you what its like to get skunked on your target up here in the Northeast.
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

brick911 wrote:I missed the rule about pre-choosing the night, and I took a random one on Tuesday night. The night was an utter failure, so its not like I cheated. If you want, I'll show you what its like to get skunked on your target up here in the Northeast.
Brick, that IS the WHOLE point...to pick a night BEFORE you know the outcome. Anybody (me included) can put up their dozen best finds of any given week (and they should if they want) but this is all about the uncertainty of choosing a night ahead of time and then laying the cards out for us however they fell. (giving us a time frame as your night unfold is important in this game so we can have a feel of what was happening to you as "your night" progresses.)
Of course, there's no rule saying you can't look ahead at moon phase, weather patterns and more BEFORE throwing the RN card...The idea is to simply show results from a night you chose in advance. Heck we all wanna do well and not spend money on fuel on the nights that don't look prime on paper but in the real world, sometimes picking the best of the bunch is not an option. I'm not advocating you picking a bad night...just let us know AHEAD of time when you are going and tell us all about it the next day. So we can tag along vicariously...
Whew.

Edit: If anyone has any questions feel free to PM Brick...he knows all the rules. :mrgreen:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by bobassetto »

RULES????.......WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' RULES!!!!!!! :x :P :cry: :shock: :o :( :? :roll: :crazyeyes: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Phil Peak »

I know, its your post and you get to make the rules ;) but personally I think you actually had a better idea than you realize. Instead of viewing this as a contest where there are a set of guidelines (for example calling the night in advance), I believe that a chonology of events is much more interesting whether it was called in advance or not. I've never viewed snake hunting as a contest but rather an opportunity to learn more about what snakes are doing in various locations and under an assortment of conditions. Getting hung up on pre-conditions detracts from what could otherwise be good information. Getting back to the competion part, I guess anyone could cheat but I can't imagine why they would. I've done my fair share of road cruising in FL and I can attest that generally speaking it is far superior than KY for example. I do prefer our tin fields though lol!

I know, if I don't like the rules I should make my own post :beer: but if I did, I would refrain from rules. I simply want to hear about what other folks are finding and at what times and under what conditions.

Phil
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by Tim Borski »

Phil, I had no intention at all of this being competitive. None. I just wanted to know ahead of time when someone was going out and then be able to look forward to seeing how they did, no matter what the results were.
Anticipation and a vicarious ride with someone who lives in a different area (with possibly different critters) was the sole reason for the game. I love reading journals and such, and thought the "advance notice" would add extra interest to the already interesting.
This IS NOT nor was it intended to be a competition. Sorry if it was construed that way.

The thought of someone "cheating" never entered my mind and thinking of this just kinda ruins the whole thing. (At least for me.)

Tim
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Re: Interesting idea for a thread...

Post by monklet »

I really like the "ride along" game. I also support the random night "rule" as without commiting before hand many of us might be disincliined to report it. Also, the idea of reporting on trips regardless of outcome is a good one. A zero night should be as meaningful as an epic one in terms of helping us understand the vagaries of snake activity. But, for a couple reasons at least, this may not be practical...

1. Most people don't want to waste the time reporting a crappy outing.

2. Due to the sensitive nature of herp locations and the obligate "secrecy", reporting of a dead night, without a specific location is kind of like - "I went out somewhere I can't mention and didn't find anything" :sleep: ..whereas, if you do have success at least the pics are fun along with some anecdotes, even if no specific location is revealed.
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