Ok, no one bit on the last one...Hey southerners!!!

I would like to start field herping/photography but have no idea where to start down here. I'm from California, and it seems to be much different here in Northwest Florida.

Can I solicit any help as far as good places to look, times of day, what to look out for (I heard pygmy rattlers are pretty numerous around here), etc.?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Gabe

Hey, I'm in north florida, below jacksonville. I've lived here all my life, but I really never went field herping, I've seen tons of the local reptiles. Pygmie rattlers showed up on our doorstep more than once, with big rattlers, black racers, indigos, water moccasins, and copperheads, with various rat/corn snakes. I think they are all corn snakes down here, but you will find locals tend to call reddish - corns, and yellowish - rats.
Tons of various skinks, lizards, anoles, and then turtles and gopher tortoises(protected in Florida, dont' mess with them or the indigos, just take pictures.)
I don't really take time to go field herping, but maybe if you get down this way, there is a park Gold Head State park with decent trails(not so good on security) and then there is Camp Blanding with tons of forest, open certain seasons, dunno if you can just hike and herp in there.
I hope this helps. I saw the other post, but since I don't go field herping, I didn't respond.
Tips for southern herps same as everyehre else, don't stick your hands under logs, don't reach for something that you cannot CONFIDANTLY identify as harmless. Tons of inverts around, including black widow's, so watch for dangerous ones.
Hope some of this might help.
Wolfy

Also the local library should have a copy of Nat. Audubon society field guide to Florida. I have a copy myself someone bought me at a thrift shop.

Wolfy,

Thanks for the response. I guess a better question would be, is it worth going out in the day, or is the summertime best spent road hunting at night? Early mornings? Thanks again,

Gabe

I've seen TONS of the lizards, snakes and bugs during the day. Toads, frogs and bugs at night. For lizards I'd say daytime. Snakes anytime, but day is better, nice and hot during the day.
I'm totally bluffing, by nighttime I am doing stuff inside, and rarely went out to look for critters, except toads, which we caught and put into a toad garden. Not that they stayed there, but we were hopeful.
Wolfy

Herping

I am about 30 minutes north of Florida. The best time here for us to go is in the evening. The best results have come in the evening after a good rain in rural areas. There was an article in reptiles magazines (May 2006) about this and it talked about AC (artificial cover), this would be things like sheets of plywood car hoods, pretty much anything that would provide decent shade but still be somewhat warm.

In my opinion the ultimate snake for you too see would be the coral, but I must say they are few and far between, in the 10 years of field and road herping I have not seen one yet. What Wolfy-hound suggested about the book is a good idea as well, then you can look up the snakes that you would like to see and see what their habitat is and narrow down your search.

If you would like to take a drive, Little St. Simons is loaded with Rattlesnakes, the Okeefenokee Swamp, has tons of Cottonmouths, Corn Snakes, Mud Snakes, and of course Alligators. etc. This is also the end of the year for the Sea Turtles and with enough patience you could see a Loggerhead lay eggs and if you are lucky see the hatchlings run to the water.

Then of course the Everglades with the Caimen, Crocs and Alligators and the pesky Burmese Python. The following links are for some animals that are not indigenous to the US.

http://www.animalnetwork.com/reptiles/detail.aspx?aid=25040&cid=3706&search=

http://www.myfwc.com/critters/exotics/resultsClass.asp?taxclass=R

Whoo-hoo, I HAVE seen a coral. Didn't realize they were supposed to be hard to see. LOL. Granted I didn't "hunt" for him, he got into a pile of netting I was knitting together, and as I pulled some up he suddenly came squiggling out right next to my leg, and I was NOT pleased with that. He wasn't pleased either.
I guess that property I had was perfect, as there was a swamp behind us,a nd grassy fields in front, with scrubby undergrowtha nd pines to either side. I had it all!!
My friend now has a indigo under her house, and it has 6 babies around as well. She actually grabbed it by mistake thinking it was her dog's tail, and got the surprise of her life. I'm going to try to get out there to get pictures if it is around when I go out.
Wolfy

Coral Snake

Right on!!! Maybe it is because I look to hard. Sounds like you had a good piece of propery for spotting wild herps.

Wolfy-hound said:

My friend now has a indigo under her house, and it has 6 babies around as well. She actually grabbed it by mistake thinking it was her dog's tail, and got the surprise of her life. I'm going to try to get out there to get pictures if it is around when I go out.
Wolfy

Click to expand...

Do you mind if I ask where in N Florida you are located? Indigos are a rare find up here now. Please post some pics if you get any.

I'm between Gainesville and Jacksonville. My friend lives out in Archer. In the woods, way back in the woods. I haven't been out there yet.
Wolfy