I've herped and lived on the right coast my whole life (I'm not gray-hair old, but I feel like it some days) and I've seen a great deal of what it has to offer. I moved to Florida from Maryland about 10 years ago and met Dick Bartlett about 7 years ago. Since then, and because of him, I've spread my wings and experienced states outside of the direct east coast. We've gone on a trip to most of the eastern and southern Texas and talked about West Texas quite a bit but never actually made the plans. Well, (the hint is in the subject of this post) we finally made the decision and set a date; August 22, 2014 and we would return a week and a half later on September 4th.
After a bit of confusion as to whether or not I was to meet him at his house or he would come pick me up we were in his "little engine that could" and on the road. Yep, we were driving from Gainesville, Florida on a direct route across I-10 to Comstock, Texas. We left at about noon that Friday with plans of stopping and getting a hotel when we got tired. The tired part happened, but the stopping and getting a hotel part did not. We did stop at a rest stop between San Antonio and Uvalde off of 90 for a inconsequential rest. As I sat there in the passenger seat I looked out the window at the surroundings. It was about 4 a.m. and thus still dark, but I could make out some of the terrain. A mesquite tree rested in the middle of a sandy ditch and a small rock cut could be seen near the edge of the road. We were official in West Texas and even though Dick was snoozing I was ready to herp. I looked around the rest area and around the bathroom stalls. All I was able to turn up were Mediterranean Geckos. I have those on my house in Florida so my excitement was at a minimal, but it was something. I decided I really needed to try to rest some. I sat back in the passenger seat and tried to get comfortable. I was just about to doze when I noticed something leap leap out from behind the passenger side front tire. It was a toad. Well, we were this far west, it would likely be a lifer. I jumped out and grabbed said toad. Although I had herped well within the range of this toad, it was indeed the first lifer of my trip.
Diclaimer: for all the lumpers, I use subspecific names for many of the animals, as I see fit.
Gulf Coast Toad (Incilius nebulifer):
Incilius nebulifer by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We didn't stay long at the rest stop, maybe a half hour, and we were on the road again. Lack of sleep was something that I would become very familiar with in the upcoming days.
Comstock, Texas was our goal and we made it there at about 9 a.m. (central time) Saturday morning. We got a hotel and laid down for another nap. It was short lived because both him and I wanted to go look around. We headed out to look around for some diurnal animals.
Many herps, and other fauna, use the road cuts, or rock cuts, that are common along West Texas roads. They are a popular place for herpers to view herps.
Rock Cut by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We saw several lizards darting in and out of crevices along the cuts. We are both very interest in our Sauria friends, so we of course stopped to see what each was - that's a lot of stopping. The vast majority of the the lizards that inhabit the rock cuts are sceloporids.
Texas Crevice Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus poinsettii axtelli):
Sceloporus poinsettii axtelli by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
And a very high orange individual. I've never seen one quite this orange, in photos or elsewhere:
Sceloporus poinsettii poinsettii by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Merriam's Canyon Lizard (Sceloporus merriami merriami):
Sceloporus merriami merriami by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Sceloporus merriami merriami by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We searched around several different areas near Comstock that day. Several other lizards were seen on rocks and trees in the open desert.
Most common were these:
Texas Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus texanus):
Cophosaurus texanus texanus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Cophosaurus texanus texanus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Southern Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus consobrinus):
Sceloporus undulatus consobrinus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Eastern Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus ornatus):
Urosaurus ornatus ornatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris):
Crotaphytus collaris by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Crotaphytus collaris by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Texas Spotted Whiptail (Cnemidophorus gularis gularis):
Cnemidophorus gularis gularis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
At an abandoned gas station we found a few things to flip. It was midday so we didn't really expect to find anything, but there was junk and a herper has to do what a herper has to do. We didn't see any herps, but we saw a couple scorpions.
Diplocentrus lindo:
Diplocentrus lindo by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Vaejovis waueri:
Vaejovis waueri by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
At the same abandoned gas station there was a catch tank that was half filled with water. I knelt down to give it a closer look and got a nose full of awfulness. There was no way out of the tank if you are a small creature, and I could see the skull of a dead mammal at the bottom. I was easing my way back up when I saw some movement. I didn't want to, but I leaned in close to see what it was. I could see it was an anuran and this is what I scooped out;
Couch's Spadefoot (Scaphiopus couchii):
Scaphiopus couchii by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Dick assured me that we'd see several more, that wasn't the case; this was the only one we found.
After all the sweating in the 100+ degree heat, we decided to head back to the hotel and rest until sundown. This will become a routine for the rest of the trip.
Night came upon us and we drove some local roads that Dick hasn't driven in over 20 years. After only a few minutes onto the road of choice, we found a snake on the shoulder.
Texas Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus):
Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We drove into the wee hours of the morning, yet that was the only snake encountered. A very nice looking snake, so we were not upset, only tired.
The following night we tried another, different road. We only found one snake that night and it was one of the most common.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox):
Crotalus atrox by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
But we did see a few hog-nosed skunks, striped skunks and hooded skunks, tons of white-tailed deer and one porcupine.
Many things use rock cuts, but some just see them as a hindrance.
Hystricomorph Hystricidae by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We stopped by the Pecos River at one point in the evening to see if we could see any Trans Pecos Copperheads. This was a week before the big storms that flooded the region so the water wasn't a raging torrent, yet. It was fun walking the banks, but no copperheads were seen. We did see several of these;
Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Lithobates berlandieri):
Lithobates berlandieri by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
The following day we left Comstock and headed west towards the Davis Mountains. When we got to Ft. Davis We stopped to talk to Buzz Ross for a long while. It was fun listening to him and Dick talk about the olden times.
This trip to the mountains was only as a side trip and after we left Buzz's Rattlesnake Museum we went to look for Canyon Treefrogs (Hyla arenicolor) of which we only found metamorphs (adults to come later).
Hyla arenicolor by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We left that same day and headed for Terlingua, which is a one-horse town near Big Bend National Park. We got a hotel and did the napping routine. We stayed there for several nights and I don't recall the nights and days in which everything was found, so I will show the pictures of what we found there.
First, the sight we wake up to. Sundown over the Chihuahan Desert.
Big Bend Sunset by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Trans Pecos Rat Snakes (Bogertophis subocularis):
Bogertophis subocularis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Bogertophis subocularis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Bogertophis subocularis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
The Aponomma elaphense were embedded on the top snake. These ticks primarily feed on Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes, so much that the species name was named after the genus in-which these rat snakes were once a part of (elaphe).
Aponomma elaphense by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Great Plains Rat Snake (Pantherophis emoryi):
Pantherophis emoryi by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
This snake was seen on the road as it began to ingest an Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii). I'm not sure if the rat had been bitten and followed until it died or if it was hit by a passing vehicle. Either way it was pretty cool to see.
Crotalus atrox by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Crotalus atrox by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
A neonate:
Crotalus atrox by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus):
Crotalus scutulatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Crotalus scutulatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Sonoran Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis):
Pituophis catenifer affinis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
This next snake was something that I was wanting to see, but was not an expected encounter. I found it crawling at the base of a low section in a big rock cut. I was shinning one cut and Dick was shinning the other side. I made the catch and was incredibly happy, but Dick couldn't hear my yells of joy because he was still quite far away. So I decided to not tell him and just hint at it. I didn't even tell him I found it until a bit later. I give you one of the jewels of West Texas;
Gray-banded Kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna):
Lampropeltis alterna by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
This next picture gives you an idea of just how flat their heads are. Perfectly adapted for catching lizards as they hide in crevices.
Lampropeltis alterna by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
My biggest goals were the Coleonyx. As a kid, the page in my field guide where they were located was definitely the most used. If they are not moving, they can be a difficult animal to spot. The one below looked like an odd rock on the shoulder and it was one of those "can you turn around, I think that was something" moments that we can relate to.
Texas Banded Gecko (Coleonyx brevis):
Coleonyx brevis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
And a hatchling that was crawling around a harvester ant mound:
Coleonyx brevis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
That gecko was a huge lifer on my trip and couldn't fathom finding the other, more reclusive, gecko in the region.
This is the much larger and less terrestrial Coleonyx.
Reticulated Gecko (Coleonyx reticulatus):
Coleonyx reticulatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Okay, I could go home now and all would be good. But since we have about week left, I suppose we could stay.
Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus):
Bufo punctatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Texas Toad (Bufo speciosus):
Bufo speciosus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Big Bend Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus schmidti):
Urosaurus ornatus schmidti by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Twin Spotted Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus bimaculosus):
Sceloporus bimaculosus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
The Rio Grande runs very close to parts of the road and we could easily see basking turtles and they were not uncommon.
Big Bend Slider (Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae):
Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Texas Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera emoryi):
Apalone spinifera emoryi by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
The view to better portray the experience.
Rio Grande by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
These tarantulas are very commonly seen crossing roads, especially the males that are more transient than females.
Aphonopelma steindachneri:
Aphonopelma steindachneri by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
As well as these Muppets that are both day and night active.
Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus):
Lepus californicus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Plateau Spotted Whiptail (Cnemidophorus septemvittatus):
Cnemidophorus septemvittatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Western Marbled Whiptail (Cnemidophorus marmoratus marmoratus):
Cnemidophorus marmoratus marmoratus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Trans-Pecos Striped Whiptail (Cnemidophorus inornatus heptagramma):
Cnemidophorus inornatus heptagramma by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Southwestern Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus scitulus):
Cophosaurus texanus scitulus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Desert Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana stejnegeri):
Uta stansburiana stejnegeri by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
When you wake up and have views like these, it's difficult to be in a bad mood.
An Ocotillo, in the foreground, and a portion of the Christmas Mountains in the background:
Desert Scene by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
And evening views like these:
Shady Peak, Christmas Mountains by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Both Dick and I enjoy birding, to some extent. So one day we took a drive up to Marathon to check out a park that has a number of birds. Dick said that he had seen Vermilion Flycatchers there many moons ago. Well, these birds were still there.
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus):
Vermilion flycatcher by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We saw several other birds, but I'll keep it short.
The next bird epitomizes the desert southwest, and are fairly ubiquitous.
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus):
Geococcyx californianus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
The setting of the park was worth the trip:
Desert Water by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
After this trip we decided to head back the Davis Mountains to try our luck at acquiring a few more of our goals. We did some day time scouting so to get a better idea of the area before nightfall. On way up we got some amazing views. The foothills of the Davis Mountains are a sight to behold.
Davis Mountain Foothills by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Brewing Thunderstorm over Mountains by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Only moments after we stopped to photograph the above landscape, we saw a large snake on the shoulder. We knew right away what it was, but we could not tell if it had been hit. We turned around and saw it was in the exact same position. I jumped out and ran over to it and was greeted with an open mouth and a long, harsh hiss.
Sonoran Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis):
Pituophis catenifer affinis by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
That was a great way to start out our stay in the Davis.
Being in the mountains we knew we didn't need to start late. The temperatures were significantly lower than that of the lower desert, and the lows that night were supposed to reach the lower 60's. We got out an hour before dark and hit the roads. Nothing was seen moving for a long while and the had set and temperatures were dropping rapidly. We kept on trucking and we were rewarded. Going off the side of the road we saw a medium sized snake. We didn't know what it was,but I jumped out and ran over to it and yelled back to Dick "BIG LEP!"....goal one, acquired!
Crotalus lepidus lepidus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Crotalus lepidus lepidus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
And only moments later a much smaller individual:
Crotalus lepidus lepidus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We stayed out later than we normally would back east when the temps were this low, but we ended up only seeing those two snakes.
The next afternoon we hit the roads a little earlier in hopes of finding out second goal. The sun was still up and we were way up in the mountains making our first pass. We came around one of the katrillion bends in the road and saw a fairly large snake way up in the road. We both knew immediately what kind of snake it was....goal two acquired!
Ornate Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus ornatus):
Crotalus ornatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Crotalus ornatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
It was still pretty early and before dark so we decided to make the trip north to the famous Boy Scout Road. We got there about an hour later and almost immediatly found a snake.
A young and pretty Texas Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus):
Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We drove further and found a section of road that had some water running across it. On either side of the road there were pockets of deeper water built up. We stopped and immediately heard the calls of chorus frogs. I really wanted to get a photo of one calling, so I spent some time tracking one down.
Canyon Treefrog (Hyla arenicolor):
Hyla arenicolor by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Same frog posed on a surface:
Hyla arenicolor by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
With nothing more found (other than a couple C. atrox crossing the main road) we headed back to the hotel in Ft. Davis. The time was about 4 a.m. and we were both getting a case of the crossing eyes that quickly is followed by the "I'll just keep one eye shut" syndrome. How we made it back, I'll never know (probably because I had succumbed to the disease and Dick did not).
The following night we decided to do some rock cut walking outside of Fort Davis. The temps fell even quicker this night and the expected low was to be hovering around 60. We had walked several cuts, both of us each taking a different section of each cut, when we finally found a snake. I wasn't focusing my efforts on the ground in front of the cuts, only shining it so I didn't step on a rattlesnake. But I was glad I was doing that, because that is exactly where I found this snake. It's head under a rock.
New Mexico Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops):
Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Besides a giant bullfrog looking for anything and everything to eat, we did not find anything else. So it was hotel time for us.
The next day we decided to head to Alpine and get a hotel. Little did we know (or remember) it was Labor Day weekend. That in itself makes things difficult, but the fact that there was a hot air balloon festival AND the Marfa Lights Festival this weekend, made finding a hotel nearly impossible. We did find one hotel that said "oh it's the last room we have" and they charged us as such. That night we didn't really have any plans of cruising since our next goals were morning active animals. So we ended up going to look at the Marfa Lights. My pictures came bad so I'll just assure you we went, we saw and we were moderately impressed. I like that kind of thing so I actually did enjoy it.
The next morning we made our way to the prairie. We stopped to tell a Border Patrol officer that he would see us going back and forth a lot and that we were not up to any shenanigans. He seemed apathetic, so we moved on.
The first thing we noticed was several small lizards darting off the road into the taller grass. I jumped out and was able catch one. While not a direct goal, it was very welcome.
Speckled Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata approximans):
Holbrookia maculata approximans by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We drove on and soon saw in the road one of our goals.
Desert Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola):
Terrapene ornata luteola by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We ended up finding five total, so here's a few.
Terrapene ornata luteola by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Terrapene ornata luteola by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Terrapene ornata luteola by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Next was a beast I've seen as an exotic on the barrier islands in northeast Florida.
Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum):
Phrynosoma cornutum by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
We found several including two tiny ones.
Phrynosoma cornutum by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
Many of our goals were met on this trip, and a few were not. Even though we missed some goals, we have already put our plans together for next year. I can truly say that West Texas is an absolutely amazing part of our country. The creatures are as varied as the habitats. I cannot wait to return.
I hope you all enjoyed the trip with me. Thanks for taking the time to take a look!
Buffalo by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
-Jake Scott
P.S. I'd like to thank Chad Whitney, Kenny Wray and of course Dick Bartlett for all the help.
Texas the Big Bend
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Holy cow. Your first trip to West Texas and you find an annulata, an alterna, Coleonyx reticulatus, and a lepidus! I'm going to suggest not coming back because any other trip is going to be a major disappointment!
Great post, great photos.
Great post, great photos.
- DesertZone
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
Amazing pics and report, thanks for sharing.
- Jeroen Speybroeck
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
That was a fun read, a splendid array of species and great photography. Thanks a lot. There wasn't much to be had overthere back when I was there in spring (think: at best 1 atrox per 8h of cruising), so I'm pretty jealous.
- Mark Brown
- Posts: 567
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- Location: Austin, TX
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Very cool post! The old west Texas beginners luck is still extant....if you want to see an alterna in west Texas, take along a newbie!
Re: Texas the Big Bend
GREAT post...GREAT photos!!!
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Very nice. Big Bend is a long haul from anywhere, but the region is completely stunning.
- chris_mcmartin
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
I agree...took me years to find my first reticulatus (and even brevis), and I've YET to find either an alterna or a lepidus in 18 years (on and off) of lookin'. I'm jealous.chrish wrote:Holy cow. Your first trip to West Texas and you find an annulata, an alterna, Coleonyx reticulatus, and a lepidus! I'm going to suggest not coming back because any other trip is going to be a major disappointment!
Also, your casual comment on the "high orange" poinsettii is the understatement of the year! WOW!
- Mark Brown
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- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 2:15 am
- Location: Austin, TX
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Now I don't feel so bad. Found an alterna on my very first night out there, over 20 years ago, and I'm still waiting for number two. Funny how some folks find them every trip and the rest of us just wait......well, not so funny if you happen to be one of us.chris_mcmartin wrote:chrish wrote:I've YET to find either an alterna or a lepidus in 18 years (on and off) of lookin'. I'm jealous.
I've had much better luck with leps - found two nice yearlings on my last trip in June.
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Great post & pictures. I wonder how much of your finds were beginners luck or having Dick Bartlett and his incredible knowledge of herps at your side.
- chris_mcmartin
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
On top of it all, August isn't exactly the best month (traditionally, anecdotally) in West TX...makes this post even more impressive!
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Thanks a ton for the comments everyone.
I know how this kind of luck can be. If someone comes to Florida for the first time, they'll find indigo, EDB, pines, etc. (of course not everyone, but you do see it)
Although I'd like to think of it as "out-of-stater luck" apposed to beginner's luck. I hope I've gathered enough knowledge over the many years to be able to do semi-well in herping a lot of places.
I believe several factors were at play here. First, we were there for almost 2 weeks. We didn't see a lot of animals on any given night/day, but over time we gathered a plethora of herps. Next, Having Dick there helps immensely! His knowledge of the region is endless. He's been herping SW TX for over 40 years. But he hadn't been back to most of the areas in a long while. Chad Whitney was a huge help with jump-starting some of Dick's memories. I'm grateful.
-Jake
I know how this kind of luck can be. If someone comes to Florida for the first time, they'll find indigo, EDB, pines, etc. (of course not everyone, but you do see it)
Although I'd like to think of it as "out-of-stater luck" apposed to beginner's luck. I hope I've gathered enough knowledge over the many years to be able to do semi-well in herping a lot of places.
I believe several factors were at play here. First, we were there for almost 2 weeks. We didn't see a lot of animals on any given night/day, but over time we gathered a plethora of herps. Next, Having Dick there helps immensely! His knowledge of the region is endless. He's been herping SW TX for over 40 years. But he hadn't been back to most of the areas in a long while. Chad Whitney was a huge help with jump-starting some of Dick's memories. I'm grateful.
-Jake
- Tim Borski
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
Huge kudus to you both. You are my heroes!
Tim
Tim
- Mark Brown
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
That's got to be a big part of it.....I've never been able to spend more than four or five days at a time.JakeScott wrote:First, we were there for almost 2 weeks.
I'm a little surprised you didn't see any pictigasters during your stay. Fall is usually the best time to see them out there. Now you have a good reason to go back!
-
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
Great post, Jake. It was my pleasure to tag along. It was an even greater pleasure that the car elected to make a full round trip.
Mark. we looked for pictigaster buyt not awfully hard. This will be a target taxon on next years trip.
CaptJack0000--Jake didn't need me there at all. He, with online friends (Kenny Wray, Chad Whitney, Mike Rochford) had the locales all figured out. I tagged along more to revive old memories than for any other reason.
Thanx again, Jake.
Mark. we looked for pictigaster buyt not awfully hard. This will be a target taxon on next years trip.
CaptJack0000--Jake didn't need me there at all. He, with online friends (Kenny Wray, Chad Whitney, Mike Rochford) had the locales all figured out. I tagged along more to revive old memories than for any other reason.
Thanx again, Jake.
Re: Texas the Big Bend
I am in no position to dispute this because a solid portion of my herping success is thanks to the help of others, Jake included.CaptJack0000--Jake didn't need me there at all. He, with online friends (Kenny Wray, Chad Whitney, Mike Rochford) had the locales all figured out.
I'm glad to see both of you had a fine trip.
- Kyle from Carolina
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
Great post and great narrative. Makes me want to see Texas.
- Carl Brune
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
Fun post. You guys definitely rocked it.
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Congrats on an awesome trip!
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Nice job. found a ton of nice herps. Out of curiosity, how long after capture was the picture of the alterna taken. Your comment about the nose is intersting for sure.
- Josh Holbrook
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
Those desert Boxes are something else! Great post, Jake.
Re: Texas the Big Bend
Great post and nice photos, Jake. Good to see some folks really wreck it out there.
- chris_mcmartin
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Re: Texas the Big Bend
In addition to uploading your finds to NAHERP/HerpMapper, please also consider TPWD's Herps of Texas database:
http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/herps-of-texas
http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/herps-of-texas