A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

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DIAMONDBACK DAVE
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A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

At the beggining of June, with the moon fading out I headed to the wild, rugged country of the Big Bend area. My plan was to backpack deep into the arid desert and see what critters might be crawling around on remote unvisited rock ledges and talus, a liitle diffrent style then the approach most people take when herping WTX.

I meet up with a Daryl, who gave me a fine introduction to the area, and after discussing what I might expect to see and encounter, I rambled of into open, arid country with a heavy backpack carrying two gallons of water, enough I hoped,... to carry me through untill I found a nice "basecamp" with enough water to drink and even bath( just enough to get wet really).......

Before heading into the cayon here is the seen laid out before me... very intimidating in the 115 degree heat.
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And as I worked my way up canyon some more scenic shots...
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After many rugged miles I sat down on this legde under a shady Cottonwould to rest alittle as the heat of the day dragged on. After about 5 minutes I stood up, strapped my pack and heard a faint rustle behind me...

Not two feet away from where I had my ass plopped down the whole time was a coiled WDB, now stating to uncoil and rear up after all the comotion.

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Can you see him? I didnt at first!

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Turns out this "runt" was a mature adult snake only 3 feet long, very small but typical in size and color for the atrox in that area. As I had guessed, their stunted size was a bio-indicater, suggesting that prey item avaliability was very limited in the area, keeping most of the atrox to about 3 feet in size. I found a total of 5 in the canyon over the next several days.....
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Looking backward I spotted this lonly wooden cabin, which became my home for the next several days. It was shady and cool, keeping a comfortable 105 degrees with the doors open and the non stop west Texas wind blowin through....offering me some respite and sleep during the inferno- like days....

It was also a very scenic spot to briefly call home...
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View from my bunk window, barley cost me a thing....

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And the Canyon below...

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Checking the limestone outcropes after nightfall near the bottom of the wash granted me this fine site, my first Trans Pecos Copperfellow, and a fine gravid female at that...

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Another runt atrox...
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My first Trans Pecos Rat... what a beauty...
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The heat was intense but the herping was otherwise unproductive. After several days with little to show for it, besides some scenic shots I packed up and hiked out.

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A friend on the forum put me in contact with a rancher who had a beautifull piece of property in northern Jeff Davis county. Since my luck in Big Bend was sparce I headed up north and was elated when I arrived on his property, knowing well that I was finnally in good habitat.

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The first night didnt dissapiont, as I found two beautifull Blacktails coiled on the limestone outcrops...
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The next night I was greated with this suprise, the biggest and ugliest Alterna to be posted on these pages, walked up in habitat!
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And some more shots and animals from the next several nights...

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I spotted this Talus high up on the mountain and knew what to expect... Mottled Rocks!!!!

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I also found these two atrox out after dark coiled out on the cattle trails, ambushing rabbits and kangarroo rats...
One a classic charcol and the other a pretty brown..
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The next morning after walking out of the bunkhouse to fetch water at the spigot I was greeted with this...

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Later on..
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The last night of herping I decided to climg the mountain out back agian an try for more Rocks. I was in habitat very similar to this but higher up.

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After dark I had just got done photographing this little bugger...

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When I Made a BIG mistake... climbing up a broken rock outcrop I put my hand up above my head to climb the next shelf up when I felt a sharp prick immediatly after putting my hand down. I pulled back and heard a rattle only to see a little 12 inch rock rattller slide down and under the rock shelf. Two small pin pricks on my left middle finger knuckle fortold that the next week would not be any fun.

45 minutes after the bite I made down the mountain and got a ride back to the ranch. This is what my hand looked like.

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It would progress up to my upper arm as the night went on, I went to bed three hours after the bite, around 1am and woke up with it swollen to the shoulder...

Two days later I went to the ER in Alpine and had them look at it, make shure I was getting enough circulation to the extemities and had a antibiotic IV, tetnis, and steriod shot, just to be safe from any secondary infection. The sweeling and pressure was intense, imobilizing my arm and finders or a week, but I suffered no other symptoms such as burning pain, blistering, fluid leakage, necrosis, nor any immadiate symptoms right after the bite, besides my hand and arm swelling quickly from fluid shift and alittle pain in the lymph node in my armpit. 12 days later the sweeling is all gone and I can type this no problem..... Guess it was gonna happen eventually?

The bite ended all the fun I was having, I tried to walk habitat for 3 nights afterward, but it hurt too much after a half hour and lying down seemed so much more inviting.....

I did get this nice parting shot before heading out. A big thanks to Daryl and Scott, with your help I had a great first time Texas introduction.

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chad ks
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by chad ks »

Dude there is not an ugly cell in that alterna's body! That's how you do the Bend right there!
Crotalus
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Crotalus »

awesome post! Well done!
LBenton
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by LBenton »

Suffering the bite sucked, but I have to say that Alterna is not ugly.... however I might be biased :mrgreen:
erik loza
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by erik loza »

What a great post. Thanks for sharing.
DIAMONDBACK DAVE
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

UGLY???? Maybe he is/maybe he isnt. He was my first though, so I was very happy. Heres another shot for all you Alterna Freaks.......

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DBD
chad ks
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by chad ks »

<newbie alterna freak. :)

You'd probably be one too if you didn't score such an awesome beast on your first trip out there! Took me four trips and about 35 nights of hnting to find my first.

Also, I forgot to comment that the hog find was stellar, looks like it could be a robust female to me. The atrox down in certain parts of the Bend really are dwarves...
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Ridge Walker
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Ridge Walker »

Absolutely fan-freakin-tastic DBD, that is how it's done! Loved the all the lepidus and the hog. You are one tough dude...I feel sorry for that little lepidus, it probably broke it's fangs off on your finger.

RW
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Ross Padilla
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Ross Padilla »

Wow, incredible post! The Rock rattlers are gorgeous! :thumb:
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xxxHERPERxxx
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by xxxHERPERxxx »

I am so jealous! That mexican hog alone would have sent me home with a smile on my face ear to ear...

Amazing post...
jswingchun
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by jswingchun »

I'm with the rest, that was a cool post. Not often you see people working west Texas on foot. Too bad about the bite, glad you are okay.
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Mulebrother
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Mulebrother »

Awesome post brother...glad to see the hand is working!
I have to say, you are one hardcore herper to hike out into that area alone. Good Lord. If the whole system fails, i want to be on your team! But man, great pics and narrative. I love that area...cant wait to get back some day.

Btw, struck out in FL...too HOT! Also note for future reference if herping on Eglin- having loaded gun in car is BAD idea. Very bad. :mrgreen:
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

Brad, holy !!!!! what were you thinking?..... Thats almost as bad a walking around Okatee property in broad daylight with your truck parked on the road shoulder. LOL Now who do I know that did that? :mrgreen:

Good thing your OK and not down in Gauntanomo Bay cuffed and blindfolded right now, I can only see it now, Fox News Alert... A Snake Hunting Enemy Combatent was apprehended today with possible links to Al Queda........ and Glades Herps...... :lol: :lol:


Ya bad idea.

Ridgewalker, it looks by the photo on your avatar that your missing a tooth now? Did you trip over one of those Timber Rattlersnake piles you find everywhere and knock it out?


DBD
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justinm
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by justinm »

The backpacking idea has me stoked to try the same thing someday. The bite sux, but it's a calculated risk, good to hear you're not still suffering from it. Judging from this post I don't think you saw an ugly snake on the whole trip.
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chrish
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by chrish »

Finally a rational person! Yes, some alterna are ugly and yes that is one. :lol:

That's a couple of interesting firsts that most herpers never get:

- walking up to an alterna when you aren't 2 minutes from your car (i.e. a real field collected alterna). You'll walk a lot of miles to find you next one like that!

- a legitimate lepidus bite. I know a few folks who got tagged by leps, but none of them can say they didn't deserve it. Your bite was bad luck and a little bad judgement, but it certainly wasn't a "stupid" mistake.

Waiting 2 days to go to the hospital.....that might have been stupid. I know of at least two people who are missing parts of or whole fingers due to lep bites that were treated quicker than that.

Cool post. Why is the pictigaster bleeding BTW?
chad ks
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by chad ks »

Finally a rational person! Yes, some alterna are ugly and yes that is one.
Ah, the fashion of alterna hating rears its ugly head yet again... :roll: :sleep:
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by carlo bongio »

Awesome post Dave!! Will pm later. :thumb:
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

Chrish,
The Alterna wasnt collected, maybe thats s first too? and I didnt really have the bite treated, just looked at? They asked me at the hospital why I came to the ER if I refused Crofab and wanted to leave 2 hours later....... :D


Anyway the copperfeller bit herself as I was hooking her off the ledge and on the flat wash. You know coppers are all very bity, especially when their all hot and high strung.

I felt so bad as she was gravid. Do you think she suffered? What is the general consesnus about vipers that end up biting themselves???


DBD
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VanAR
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by VanAR »

Cool stuff Dave, except for the bite. Its a good reminder to everyone else to watch where they put their fingers!
I felt so bad as she was gravid. Do you think she suffered? What is the general consesnus about vipers that end up biting themselves???
I wouldn't worry about it. My research colony of copperheads and timbers have bitten themselves and each other several times (including while gravid) with no visible effect. The worst that can happen is if they physically puncture a vital area and cause severe local trauma, but that basically requires a direct hit on the brain, which is tough to do.

Cool observation on the mini-atrox down there. My advisor and his advisor did a lot of work down there in the 70s-90s on the combined impacts of limited food and high heat on growth and reproductive rates, but they focused on Canyon Lizards and lepidus. Not surprising that other species would follow similar trends.

Van
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Correcamino
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Correcamino »

Great post Dave and some very nice pics! Sorry to hear about the bite, but glad you are OK.

As a former Lampro-dork I can tell ya, That alterna is NOT ugly! :thumb:

Rich
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Carl Brune
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Carl Brune »

Very nice post. Good for you, hiking off into the habitat like that. I would have a hard time keeping my flashlight/headlamp batteries charged if I was away from civilization for several days... Glad the bite turned out OK.
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tspuckler
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by tspuckler »

Yet another ultra-fine DBD post.
I'm still trying to get over that first Trans Pecos Rat!

Tim
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gbin
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Post by gbin »

Awesome trip and excellent post! Glad you're ok - things like that bite can turn real dangerous real fast when you're out there by yourself!

Gerry
Bob H
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Bob H »

Great post Dave. It really looks like a fun trip, especially siting in my recliner. Sorry about the bite but at least it was a "legitimate" bite and now you are a member of a special club.
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chris drake
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by chris drake »

Great post. You definitely had a bad ass trip. Makes me want to run back out there. The alterna is nowhere near ugly. Awesome that you walked property for it instead of shining cuts. Very cool. The hog and pictigastor are both spectacular. I would have walked away feeling great in finding any of those 3 much less all 3 and leps to boot. Glad to see you lep bite wasn't more serious. An atrox or scute would have not been so good. :)

Chris
r.edwards
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by r.edwards »

WOW!...epic post from the trans-pecos region...nice photos and animals....sorry to hear about the bite

r.edwards
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Brendan
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Brendan »

Never a disappointing thread from you Dave. This was no exception. Great photos of some nice buzztails. Bummer on the bite. No surprise it was a lep. No room for error with that species.
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Don Cascabel
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Don Cascabel »

Awesome post! Cool animals and interesting to see someone doing W. Texas on foot. Too bad about the bite but cool pics nonetheless.

Don Cascabel
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Paul White »

Cool photos, how's the arm?
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Bill Love
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Post by Bill Love »

That was one fine post, Dave! I tip my hat to your back-to-basics effort, and even your decision to tough out the bite after the wise hospital check-in. Your photos rock - that first TP rat shot is a true beauty, as are many of the rattlers and others. I could imagine the peace you felt wandering alone out there with the ghost of Edward Abbey. Thanks for a superb post!
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jason folt
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by jason folt »

Excellent post. I loved all the crots, but I have to imagine you saw some more lizards than that...

I do find it odd you seek medical attention to refuse the one thing proven to be of benefit and yet get antibiotics and steroids. You might as well cut/sucked the venom out in the field, poured a bunch of gin on it and stuck you fingers in an electrical socket. I am very glad to hear it turned out ok though.

Jason
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Daryl Eby
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Daryl Eby »

Wow Dave! You found some awesome snakes. I started to say you had great luck, but it was definitely more work, dedication and experience than luck. Too bad about the bite. Glad it wasn't too bad. I've always said that if I get bit it will be by something I didn't see. No fault there, just the inevitable risk of spending as much time as you do in rattler country.

That copperhead was a great find. I'm stoked you found it down here. Sorry your other luck down my way was limited to a suboc and some dwarf WDBs. That alterna may be considered ugly by some, but others (including me) love the unusual coloration and pattern. Field herping it makes it even more special. Very view herpers have found them that way. BTW, you're not the only one to turn loose an alterna, but you're in the minority. More and more are leaving them as found though. The hog is another very special field herping find. Very cool. How many blacktails and rocks? That is truly incredible, but not the least surprising, given your efforts. You earned all those finds!

No scutes or viridis?
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BChambers
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Post by BChambers »

I am in awe. A lot of us, I daresay, are feeling more than a bit "schooled" right now.

The pict and hog would have made the trip for me. But all those leps and molossus on top? Wow.

Brad Chambers
Rob
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Rob »

NICE!!! Congrats on the productive trip, minus the lep bite of course. Good to hear that you didn't have any serious complications that resulted in serious negative effects physically or financially!!

Damn fine camera work there as well!!
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by bgorum »

Dude, that looked like a blast! Well all except the last part. I would love to see west Texas the way you did. Great pictures too!
Brian Eagar
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Brian Eagar »

That is one hard-core post DBD. Too bad it had to end the way it did.
That has got to be so rewarding to find all those animals with nothing but your two feet.
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

Thanks guys for all the compliments....

One of the more difficult parts of the trip was making the transition to sleeping during daylight hours and then hiking habitat into the wea morning, after midnight it was hard to fight off wanting to go back to camp and go to sleep. I guess Im well past my teenage years now. :lol: Otherwise I enjoy the rugged aspect of hiking deep into remote places seen by few people, and shaping my skills and be comfortable to survive in backcoutry.

The other part was going through 12-14 AA batteries every night between my LED headlamp and 2 LED flashlights, which had to be swithed up every half hour because they get too hot! And then shooting pics with two flash guns as well. Almost every animal besides the first atrox and hog were shot at night. lThats a good chunk of change buying premium batteries at the store every other day!

Daryl, I believe I was within range for either scuts or vids, though I didnt hunt the lower flatter part of the range were either rattlesnakes would be. The rancher was suprising knowledable about snakes and did say he sees scuts every once in a awhile........

Jason, I didnt accept the crofab because I didnt need it. Best to save that stuff for when your life or limb depends on it. I like your other method though, next time I may try that.

Bill, I enjoy reading Abbeys work. Great reading......

DBD
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Daryl Eby
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Daryl Eby »

DIAMONDBACK DAVE wrote:Daryl, I believe I was within range for either scuts or vids, though I didnt hunt the lower flatter part of the range were either rattlesnakes would be. The rancher was suprising knowledable about snakes and did say he sees scuts every once in a awhile........
Yep. If you found a hog and horned lizard, you were almost certainly in range/habitat for one or both species. I only asked about them because I knew they were on your target list. Personally, I think your time was much better spent in the higher ground. Let me know whenever you head back this way. I'll try to get my butt back in shape so I can take you up on your offer to do some old school herping. Although, earlier or later in the year might be better heat wise ;) . You were down here during the absolute hottest week of the year. Kudos for making it out alive!

One other thing, Intellicast radar showed a severe storm hitting your Brewster county base camp while you were there. Did that hit you or was it just one of the many false radar readings I've seen this year? I was picturing you down in a canyon as one of our desert flash floods came rolling through.

Storms and flash floods have been intense this year. After three years with only minor road damage, I've had flash floods nearly wipe out the driveway to one of my vacation rentals FOUR times this year. I've spent nearly $4K in repair work. About 1200 cubic yards of rock and dirt were washed away just a few days after the dozer finished. Now I've got a massive rock and and concrete spillway, diversion dam, and large gabian where the rock and dirt used to be.
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Will Wells
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Will Wells »

Awesome post!!! I always look forward to your pics. This is a good reminder to watch where you place your hands.
ugh

Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by ugh »

I also don't see any ugly in that alterna......different,yes-any chance it's got some mexicana in it?Kinda looks that way to me but I don't have their range maps handy.
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

Daryl, . The ranger almost wouldnt issue my permit, he kept saying it was ill advised, I laughed and had to keep saying "ya but dont worry, Im Diamondback Dave". It was hot, but most of my movement was confined to early and late day activity and of course hunting by night. You need to play it smart when alone in the backcoutry. When I called in a week later to let them know I was out of the canyon he told me about some mountain bikers that got in trouble with the heat( I came across their tire trails at one piont) and someone in BBNP that lost the trail and was rescued two days later almost dead from heat and dehydration.

I was somewhere 8 or 10 miles north of the River road, I believe the lightning shots were from the vicinity of the road or on the mexican side durring that storm. I didnt experience any rain but they had some on the road and the mexican hills on the other side of the river were greened up at the time I was leaving the are.

I was in good looking habitat for black-tails and leps, its likely that they may have not occupied the area I was in (Too low, too hot, too dry) even though there was some, I stress some, good habitat. I know either species occupies a spotty distribution down in BBRSP.

Sorry to hear about your properties, sounds to me like you need some culverts there under those roads in the wash?

DBD
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Daryl Eby
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Daryl Eby »

DIAMONDBACK DAVE wrote:Daryl, . The ranger almost wouldnt issue my permit, he kept saying it was ill advised, I laughed and had to keep saying "ya but dont worry, Im Diamondback Dave". It was hot, but most of my movement was confined to early and late day activity and of course hunting by night. You need to play it smart when alone in the backcoutry. When I called in a week later to let them know I was out of the canyon he told me about some mountain bikers that got in trouble with the heat( I came across their tire trails at one piont) and someone in BBNP that lost the trail and was rescued two days later almost dead from heat and dehydration.
That all sounds fairly typical. It's extreme down here and lots of folks get in trouble by underestimating the dangers or by making simple mistakes (like sitting under a cottonwood or placing their hands where they can't see). The rangers tend to grill hikers to convince them of the risks or even talk them out of ill advised activities. They probably save lives and prevent a lot of injuries and rescues in the process.

DIAMONDBACK DAVE wrote:Sorry to hear about your properties, sounds to me like you need some culverts there under those roads in the wash?
That was my thought when I bought the place, but several folks down here strongly advised against it. I heard dozens of stories of culverts being blown out and leaving gaping canyons where the culvert used to be. The general wisdom down here on dirt roads is to lower the road bed to the lowest level of the wash and strip/widen/level the upstream area to allow the water to spread out and roll over the road. Unfortunately, the surrounding terrain precludes that option on this drive. I've now lowered the road bed as much as possible and built up the downstream side (that used to drop about six feet right past the road) with boulders and reinforced concrete, a large gabian, and a concrete and rock spillway. Now the water will be rolling over the road then spilling down through the concrete spillway or the gabian instead of spilling over (and eroding out) the road.
Crotalus
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Crotalus »

I just went through your post again - I think this is the coolest west texas post I've ever seen. Do you have any photos of the habitat where the leps were coming from? Or any insitus?

-JJ
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Dan Krull
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Dan Krull »

There is nothing ugly about your alterna! It is stunning!

Did the Trans Pecos Copperhead bite itself when you were capturing it?


Great post! Sorry about your bite!

Dan
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Greg Theos
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Greg Theos »

Looks like a true adventure. That alterna is pretty wild-looking, too.
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jason folt
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by jason folt »

Dave - I hear ya. I actually wasn't implying I thought you needed the crofab. I was more making the point I don't think you needed the other things either. The same argument regarding saving treatments for life and limb events can be applied to antibiotics and steroids. I admit a single dose of steroids is unlikely to cause most of the side affects, but the antibiotics have c diff and developing resistance patterns to contend with.

I don't want to take away from your excellent post. You kicked ass, had a amazing trip and the photos rock. I just don't want other people out there thinking it is a good idea to forgo accepted treatments of snake bite for things that have been proven to be of no benefit.

Jason
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chris drake
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by chris drake »

I don't believe that the alterna is old really. I believe that buckskin coloration is fairly common for alterna from that area. The more I look at it the more I like it just because it's not typical of the alterna posted. Sorry to hear about your properties Daryl. That is a bummer. Again GREAT post Dave!

Chris
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kcmatt
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by kcmatt »

Way to be different. No road cruising where it is generally the "only way," and with great results.

Better a lep than an atrox, that could have been worse on your own and in some points apparently fairly far from another person.
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Brian Willey
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Brian Willey »

Sounds like one interesting trip, that must have been something else man!
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Carl Brune
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Re: A Little Bit of West Texas,.... DBD Style -

Post by Carl Brune »

I just read this again. What a great adventure. I have thought about trying something like this, but I would try to talk a friend into coming along. I love those lepidus...
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