New girl here, first year of herping post

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Carla Boehmer
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Joined: November 23rd, 2012, 9:45 pm
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New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Carla Boehmer »

Hello,
Thank you for accepting to this forum. I am very excited to be a part of this field of study. What began as a curiosity and conversation, turned into a passion for me. If someone says let's herp or road cruise, I am there. A testament to this is my brand new Camaro has 27,000 miles on it. Many of them from road cruising, trips to herping spots or shows. I will also say this has been great for my students, being my 23rd year of teaching, as they now have a much better teacher. Here are my finds of my first year of herping.....since I went to school in the olden days, i am sorry that the photos are huge. I am not techy.

This is me in SoCal and randomly found this, which started a new hobby....
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My lifer Crotalus oreganus
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More oreganus-I found so many I stopped taking pictures-how arrogant of me!
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Lifer Red-Diamond Rattlesnake Crotalus ruber
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My lifer Cal King Lampropeltis getula californiae
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a couple more photos, I found lots of these
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My lifer Pacific gopher Pituophis catenifer catenifer
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And I found tons more, but this was a pretty baby!
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The third rock Edgar Ortega flipped, I was wearing a dress in my defense, this feisty one was found!
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Visitors on my school campus on a regular basis....
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Lifer Great Basin gopher Pituophis catenifer deserticola
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Lifer Long-nosed snakes Rhinocheilus lecontei
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another Rhino
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Lifer California Night Snake Hypsiglena torquata 50 point find! haha
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Another
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Lifer Diablo-range Garter, juvenile Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus
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Adult Diablo-range
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When I was in Arizona I found a few of these guys, perhaps a Wandering Garter? Not sure, What do you think?
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Another Arizona find....another adult Wandering?
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Pacific Pond Turtles Actinemys marmorata
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Lifer San Francisco Alligator Lizard, gravid Elgaria coerulea coerulea
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Southern Alligator lizard Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata
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Amphibians
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And my last snake of the year. Pacific Gopher Snake from late November
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If you are still here and looking at my post....I would like to thank everyone who accepted me into the herping world. I appreciated that you believed in me and helped me learn so much. If it wasn't for Edgar Ortega I would never have even become interested in reptiles and the love of this field. I appreciate all that he has taught me and all of the herping we have done. I want to thank Chad Lane for herping with me and great weather advice. Thank you Ricky Ortiz for your herping and road cruising trips. I appreciate CVHS and the wonderful relationship I have with the club and our Junior club at my school that was started because of CVHS. I look forward to another amazing year. Thank you, Carla
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Mark Brown
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Mark Brown »

Welcome to the FHF community, Carla - and nice pics!
josh_r
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by josh_r »

Welcome! I love oreganus! Thanks for sharing!
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Piglet
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Piglet »

Nice post!I really like the garter pics.
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by hellihooks »

Welcome... :thumb: you should try to make one of the ongoing Soquel surveys, in Santa Cruz... great group up there... :) jim
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Joshua Jones
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Joshua Jones »

Great stuff, Carla, and welcome to FHF. It's always cool to see new people in the hobby, especially when they're having as much fun as you seem to be having. :thumb:

Those garters are, indeed, Terrestrial or Wandering Gartersnakes (Thamnophis elegans).
Barry R
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Barry R »

welcome, great pics!
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Mike VanValen
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Mike VanValen »

You started off with a bang. Nice stuff, welcome to the madness :thumb:
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Natalie McNear
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Natalie McNear »

Welcome to FHF, Carla! Good to see you on here. You've found more stuff in your first year of herping than many people do in their first decade... Of course, you do have some pretty awesome herper friends to show you the ropes. :thumb:
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Owen
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Owen »

Pretty darn good first post :thumb: That second Diablo garter looks pretty big. Of course, the question of the day is, "Will you enter these in the Database?" :mrgreen: :

http://www.naherp.com/
Zach_Lim
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Zach_Lim »

Didn't I run into you at the pond? Haha!

Good to see you on the Forums, Carla. Excellent finds, all of them. I gotta hit Central Valley with you guys and find my lifer Rhino!

That frog in the air shot/shadow is cool!

Zach
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Andres
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Andres »

Great first post, Carla. Here's to your target species for next year. :beer:
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Biker Dave
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Biker Dave »

HEy Carla...Welcome!

You say you're a teacher...where at?

And yes, definitely contribute to the database! http://www.naherp.com

Dave Weber
AZ Chapter
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DaveR
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by DaveR »

Welcome Carla...ignore indigoblue...a troll. Very nice pictures.
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dery
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by dery »

Welcome Carla. Nice post for one of your first two.
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monklet
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by monklet »

Welcome to the club Carla. Looks like you're off to a good start.

This is an interesting GB as it appears to have a lot of Pacific influence as if on an intergrade zone. Can you give a general locale for that without disclosing any sensitive information? ...and be wary, many here can deduce specifics from a set of general data. ;-). I'd just like to know at least which county or general patch of desert. Geographical variance in Pituophis is one of my nerdy things :crazyeyes:
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Biker Dave
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Biker Dave »

Carla --- pm Monklet your info to avoid a world of crap descending upon you!! :lol: :lol:
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monklet
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by monklet »

Thanks Dave :thumb: :lol: ...I assume you mean that unless or until she understands what's sensitive info and what's not as to herping locales, better discuss in private.

Carla, you may be all over this by now, but just to be sure, I believe Dave is expressing due concern that newcomers understand the "protocol". Lot's of bad things have happened in the past due to exposure of ecologically sensitive or "claimed" locales, roads, rock piles etc. There are good reasons to practice reasonable constraint in exposing location information. That can mean something as simple as a particular ridge line or other geographically recognizable feature in the background ...or a set of data, image or written, which allows some "evil doer" to connect that dots so to speak.

Anyway, that all may sound intimidating, but please just take it as a general recommendation. Apparently you know Chad and it is all square with that so, I assume you are too :)
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Mr.Talltree
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Mr.Talltree »

Epic post, Carla! Welcome to the forum! You're off to one hell of a good start!
Luke- :thumb:
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ahockenberry
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by ahockenberry »

Superb collection of herps - thanks for sharing !
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Carla Boehmer
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Carla Boehmer »

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. I appreciate the advice and will tell you that when learning about herping I was clueless about herping rules. I am a woman of many, many questions and I asked where to herp, how to find things, which places to look, etc. to say the very least, I thought no one liked me, as no one would say anything. I was taken to a couple of roads, and because I ruthlessly herped continuously, herper friends realized I was serious, enthusiastic and in love with this hobby.
Thanks to my herp mentors I learned right away not to tell that I found that snake on $;($) road.
I love herping, I am looking forward to a productive 2013 post back fusion surgery in February; aw to be old and to have degenerating discs.
Yes Zach: We did meet at the pond, funny thing about that, you ask me what I was looking for using the species scientific name, and I had to ask Edgar on the phone what you meant. :)
As to the question about the Great Basin Gopher, I will pm you.
Thanks everyone,
Happy herping!
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El Garia
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by El Garia »

What a post! :beer: And your first, at that! The specimens and the photos are both excellent. Welcome aboard, Carla :D
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gbin
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by gbin »

One of the best first posts I've ever seen; heck, it would be a great job from an old hand! You bring a lot to the group, Carla! :thumb:

Gerry
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Soopaman
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Soopaman »

Good stuff! I really like the Cal kings and the Longnose snake!
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Carl Brune
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Carl Brune »

Welcome to the forum. How'd that twolined salmander sneak into your post?
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Carla Boehmer
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Carla Boehmer »

Haha, my East coast salamander was the only find I had on my trip to my parent's this summer in New Jersey. I was quite bummed as I had no one to herp with and feared poison ivy! :)
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Welcome to the forum - what an entry indeed!

You roadcruise in a Camaro?
hellihooks
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by hellihooks »

most folks think this is worth a read:
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... ne#p109086

Wait till you find your 1st BIG Di-camp... :D jim
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Welcome to FHF, Carla!!! I love your photos, and look forward to many more!

- Andrea
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reptilist
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by reptilist »

Welcome to the forum!
Nice post!
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rpecora
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by rpecora »

At first all I saw was the frog's shadow in that picture, very cool. Welcome aboard!
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Chris Smith
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Chris Smith »

Great stuff and welcome! I do believe you AZ gartersnake is T. elegans.

-Chris
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Chris Smith
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Chris Smith »

Chris Smith wrote:Great stuff and welcome! I do believe your AZ gartersnake is T. elegans.

-Chris
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axeman2729
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by axeman2729 »

good post! welcome to FHF!
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John Martin
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by John Martin »

Great stuff, and welcome to the forum Carla! :beer: Has anyone ever told you that you look somewhat like Bonnie Raitt? :D
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Calfirecap
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Calfirecap »

Welcome Carla,
Looks like you are off to a great start and you've got the right guides. It took me forever to figure out how to post pics, and I'm still lousy at it. Well done indeed.

Lawrence
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kyle loucks
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by kyle loucks »

Carla Boehmer wrote:Haha, my East coast salamander was the only find I had on my trip to my parent's this summer in New Jersey. I was quite bummed as I had no one to herp with and feared poison ivy! :)

Welcome Carla, give us a heads up next time you visit!
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Welcome...now go to the East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley and buy all my books. You'll be light years ahead of most of these hapless herpers...(what a shameless plug for myself...) :lol:
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Carla Boehmer
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Carla Boehmer »

Brian Hubbs wrote:Welcome...now go to the East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley and buy all my books. You'll be light years ahead of most of these hapless herpers...(what a shameless plug for myself...) :lol:
I promise I will if you promise to sign my copies and all the extra copies I buy for my students as prizes after you come speak at my junior reptile club meeting. Hee hee! I would be so honored to have you do that!
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by hellihooks »

Carla Boehmer wrote:
Brian Hubbs wrote:Welcome...now go to the East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley and buy all my books. You'll be light years ahead of most of these hapless herpers...(what a shameless plug for myself...) :lol:
I promise I will if you promise to sign my copies and all the extra copies I buy for my students as prizes after you come speak at my junior reptile club meeting. Hee hee! I would be so honored to have you do that!
Brian doesn't know anything about 'junior reptiles'... only adults... :crazyeyes: :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll: jim
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I'm not the best speaker...especially when I don't prepare (just ask Edgar about my fiasco talk a few years ago in Manteca :lol: )...but I might do it...we'll see... :roll:
hellihooks
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by hellihooks »

Pick me up and take me with you Brian... I am an EXTRORDINARILLY good public speaker... since I took those Puu, puu, puublic spp spp sppeaking classes. All you gotta do is bow, every time I say your name...Heck... I might even read one of your books, on the way... :crazyeyes: :lol: :lol: :lol: jim
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axeman2729
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by axeman2729 »

lol^
mikemike
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by mikemike »

Brian Hubbs wrote:I'm not the best speaker...especially when I don't prepare (just ask Edgar about my fiasco talk a few years ago in Manteca :lol: )...but I might do it...we'll see... :roll:
I'll vouch for this.
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by davhug1 »

nice stuff
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mywan
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by mywan »

I couldn't help but notice how comfortably and gently you held held the herps in your pics and still being in control. Nice technique :thumb:

Welcome to the forum :beer:
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dery
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by dery »

Great job on handling arachnids gently too Carla. :beer:
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Carla Boehmer
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Carla Boehmer »

kyle loucks wrote:
Carla Boehmer wrote:Haha, my East coast salamander was the only find I had on my trip to my parent's this summer in New Jersey. I was quite bummed as I had no one to herp with and feared poison ivy! :)

Welcome Carla, give us a heads up next time you visit!

I will be sure to let my east coast herping friends know I'm on there again with plenty of notice so someone will actually be able to herp with me. :).
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Dalton Lund
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by Dalton Lund »

Amazing first post, congrats on a very productive first year. :thumb:
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yolodave
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Re: New girl here, first year of herping post

Post by yolodave »

Frog shadows! Love it. Great photos, thanks for sharing.
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