old guy

First you cannot just go out and collect or even sometimes " look " without a permit or hunting license due to the " pursue " issue. In the Big Bend National Park of west Texas if you pursue the looking for reptiles you are in violation of the federal laws. I guess they want you to have a " chance encounter " with reptiles instead. Next is the time of year of seeking reptiles. We all know that reptiles from the USA hibernates during the winter months and normally become active in the spring or NOW . But when the temps increase many reptiles go into a estivation period normally during the hotter months. But they may also become nocturnal due to the decrease of temps at night. Then you have totally nocturnal species that IS active only at night and the only way to find them is walking or as many do, drive roads at night because the reptiles are on road to seek heat or just to cross. In my state the wildlife division may or may not ( try ) give you a ticket if they catch you just looking or you explain you are just photographing. This is if you do not have the hunting license. We hunt private lands with owners consent or permission by asking. I don't know of very many " public " lands anymore unless one is in fact talking of parks, state parks, and or federal parks systems.

I don't know of very many people that wear any of the so called snake boots or snake chaps. AND we collect and observe venomous snake in the field all the time. May be because we are tuned in to the knowledge of venomous snakes in the wild. Some of these people hunt in sandals ! Something I would never ever do ( I don't wear sandals anyway ) I normally wear boots of canvas or mid to high top sneakers. My bud that is a horse wangler/trainer and sometimes cowboy went with me to west Texas with his cowboy boots. He was miserable in those boots when we tried field collecting. In the many trips since, he wears those more rounded toed work boots that he says is a heck of a lot more comfortable. I wear the canvas military boots now. Of all the people that I know ( a lot of them including me ) have never ever been tagged by a venomous snake on the foot or leg or even close to it.