I'll be moving to TN in the very near future (About three weeks or so), and since field herping is considered illegal by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Department, I will have to either head to Kentucky or North Carolina for some action. Kentucky being and 1-2 hours closer, I'll probably be there more often. How's the herping there? Anyone willing to help out a newbie? Anything and everything is appreciated. Thanks for your time!

Just some clarification on this and your previous post, Dalton.

Though our laws here in TN are just as frustrating to me, all herping life is not dead; you just have to modify your protocol.

First, and foremost, no collecting without a scientific permits, and don’t even give the perception of collecting or molesting (i.e. no snake bags, tongs, or snake specific equipment). The “spirit” of the prohibition law is to help LEOs stop commercial collecting. Think like your herping in a large national park!


But, finding and photographing animals while pursuing other outdoor activities is fair game.


With a fishing license you can do much by-catch herping for photos while attempting to collecting bait!

"Section IV—Amphibians and Crayfish
Only northern dusky and spotted salamanders and native crayfish species that are not listed by proclamation as endangered, threatened, or in need of management may be harvested without limit by licensed sport anglers for use as bait.
Amphibians and crayfish species shall not be sold or purchased for bait. Amphibians and crayfish shall not be imported into Tennessee or exported from Tennessee by anyone for bait."


Hiking, fishing, birding, diving, jogging, biking, etc. opens opportunities to get a pic and data base record:





Moving yard debris sometimes produces:

A Tiger in the garden:





Even walking the dog produces here often!

One of a dozen black rats seen this year!

Herping in Kentucky is great, and as a licenced herping doctor i recommend it highly . Your also lucky that you have more access to herping in the southern part of the state, a place that i hear is good but is not as easily to get to from the northern part of ky where i live.

Oh wow, Thanks for the info, both of you. I was under the impression that all field herping was illegal, but gotta love loopholes. Would you mind linking to me where I would apply for said scientific permit? I'm thinking if I can find a way of getting one without being a licensed scientist. A school project, even work with the TN Fish and Wildlife department and provide data logs and species/population counts, something.

I have herped eastern, central and northern KY all my life. There is so much species diversity here across the state. Here in the eastern mountains you can find the king of the mountain, the Timber Rattler. And then head to western KY and you have shots at finding Scarlet Kings and Cottonmouths! Southeastern is a great region with many reptile and amphibian species!

If you ever want to head to NW North Carolina, let me know. We have great salamanders.

Does anyone know off-hand the rules and/or regulations concerning herps in National Parks? I'd love to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and as explained in previous posts no snake specific gear, but is there any legislation stopping me from turning over rocks in search of salamanders within the limits of the park?

I'm no expert, but as I understand, anything in national park boundaries is pretty much limited to visual only....no rock or log flipping and some staff even object if you stand in front
of an animal....the idea of "obstructing the animals' progress".

Barry got it.
National parks (Department of the Interior) are there to preserve everything natural so it will be there in perpetuity, so that’s why they are anal about things like parking on the grass. GSMNP has even a bigger task, since it is the third most visited national park or monument in the country.


“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity...”
― John Muir



Additionally, you may not use any live bait when you fish the park, so you can’t hunt “spring lizards”.
The park naturalists do a very good job with educational programs like “Salamander Walks” where you can search under a guided eye.




Consider that the park is surrounded by National forests (Department of Agriculture), where there is lots of available habitat for herping. Their charter is to provide “multi-use” land and are more friendly to “hands on” outdoors people (i.e. hunting, fishing, off-roading, herping , hiking, horse trails, timber management, etc. etc.)


“Conservation is the application of common sense to the common problems for the common good.”
- Gifford Pinchot

Alright. Thanks to both of you for the information!