Garter Snake Catching in Southeast PA

Hey
I'm out on the prowl for a garter snake again and am wondering if anyone knows what the best time of year for catching them is? Any other tips on where and when to catch them would be most welcome. I've always kept my eyes out for them and have spent some time looking a few years ago, but our property has always seemed lacking in garter snakes. We have forest, meadow, and stream on our property, with an abundance of worms, insects, and a fair amount of toads, but I've only casually seen 1 live, 1 caught by a cat, and 1 dead on the road over the past 5 or so years. Perhaps I am not looking at the right times & places. Any tips are welcome!
- Julia Grace

hey,

ive noticed that spring and summer are the best times to look. they are somewhat semi-aquatic so i would look around close by to a creek or stream. maybe under some rocks. ive found them basking on tree stumps in the woods. When im in the poconos i find alot.
hope that helps

Kim

We found,,or I should say captured a BIG garter about 3 years ago.She was the biggest garter I had seen since my child hood in the country.It was over at my rod&gun club that I first saw her.It took 5 very slow and sneaky approaches to get her.She was soooo fat that I knew she had to be gravid,,and man was she !!!!
We had her for 3 weeks, and I was just about to give up on the idea that she would give birth for me,,when presto, 37 babies
And she was'nt done.We were bringing her back to where she came from,,and she was still having babies in the car.
After that, I was hooked again,,and started keeping snakes
So at this time of year you could find a garter thats "packing", good luck.

Thanks guys! I managed to find a medium sized one on a relatives property. I think our property has a very strange lack of snakes. It'd be awesome to catch a gravid female! I'd love to see the whole live birth thing. Must have been something!

Thanks again!
- Julia Grace

Your best bet is walking the banks of a fresh water stream or small pond/lake.

Early morning before they warm up because they are fast when up to temp. good luck!