Herping Appalachicola National Forest

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Croakersoaker
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Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

Hi All I'm new to the forum. Used to herp a lot when I was younger . Recently moved to Tallahassee from Texas and decided to get back into it. I have been road cruising a lot in the national forest. Here are some of my finds.
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It was sad to find this DOR is it an Appilachicola Kingsnake?
Croakersoaker
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

Not sure why my images oarent working can anybody help?
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mtratcliffe
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by mtratcliffe »

Croakersoaker wrote:Not sure why my images oarent working can anybody help?
Use the BB Code links for each photo from imgur. Just copy and paste and it will work.
Croakersoaker
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

Thanks it should work now
Carl D. May
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Carl D. May »

Nice finds! Those are all representative of the region.
Your DOR king is indeed an 'Apalach'. Did you take other images of it?

You've discovered a very cool part of Florida and have only scratched the surface. I wish you countless hours of interesting times there!
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Noah M
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Noah M »

Carl D. May wrote: You've discovered a very cool part of Florida and have only scratched the surface. I wish you countless hours of interesting times there!
x2

Enjoy the area. Lots of neat stuff there. Do you have any other pics of the glass lizard? I love those.
Croakersoaker
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

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This is the only other pic of the glass lizard. He was very big at least a couple of feet. First one I have seen
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Noah M
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Noah M »

Cool & thanks. I can't be 100% sure, but it looks like an eastern slender glass lizard. Florida has 4 species of glass lizard and I think the eastern slenders are the longest of them.
simus343
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by simus343 »

Noah M wrote:Cool & thanks. I can't be 100% sure, but it looks like an eastern slender glass lizard. Florida has 4 species of glass lizard and I think the eastern slenders are the longest of them.
Close tie, and it looks to be a O. attenuatus to me as well based on the photo. Ophisaurus ventralis (Eastern Glass) hits 43in while Ophisaurus attenuatus (Slender Glass) hits 42in. This is based on SREL - you got me curious so I went and looked it up. ;)
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Noah M
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Noah M »

Eastern glasses may be longer, but by that age they wouldn't look like this.

The other option based on the color is mimicus, my favorite of the four. But most are much smaller than a couple of feet. Eastern slender is more likely, but this is also why I said I couldn't say with 100% certainty.

I tried for a mimic a couple of weeks ago and the forest was dead. I described it as like a snake rapture. I saw exactly 0 live snakes over a 2 night stay, and only one very large glass lizard that escaped into the grass before I could get a good close look. A very disappointing trip to say the least. But I visited the caverns, which were awesome, so I can't complain too much :P

Anyhoo, please keep posting your finds. I love that area of Florida!
Carl D. May
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Carl D. May »

Noah M wrote:Eastern glasses may be longer, but by that age they wouldn't look like this.

The other option based on the color is mimicus, my favorite of the four. But most are much smaller than a couple of feet. Eastern slender is more likely, but this is also why I said I couldn't say with 100% certainty.

I tried for a mimic a couple of weeks ago and the forest was dead. I described it as like a snake rapture. I saw exactly 0 live snakes over a 2 night stay, and only one very large glass lizard that escaped into the grass before I could get a good close look. A very disappointing trip to say the least. But I visited the caverns, which were awesome, so I can't complain too much :P

Anyhoo, please keep posting your finds. I love that area of Florida!
Sounds about right. This is the summer doldrums for snake activity up there. Unless there is a major weather change I've found July-August to be kind of dead in the ANF.
But then, early morning road cruising or hiking can produce box turtles. Especially if there's been rain.
Croakersoaker
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

I've had a couple of nights lately where I also saw nothing. it has been raining everyday between 3.00 and 5.00 pm. I notice when it was wet outside I saw very little if anything. But if we go a couple of days without rain I will see 4-6 snakes between 9.00 and 11.00 pm. I still go if it's been raining as I have been told that's when the scarlet kings come out. But it's definately a lot more exciting when it's dry. The night where I found the dor Apalachicola king I also found a dor scarlet king on my way back up to Tallahassee. We are building a house on 5 acres in crawfordville and it will be done in 3-4 months. Then I will be even closer to the action cant wait.
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Noah M
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Noah M »

Carl D. May wrote: early morning road cruising or hiking can produce box turtles. Especially if there's been rain.
Ha! Quite true. We did find a box turtle while hiking in the rain!
Carl D. May
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Carl D. May »

Croakersoaker wrote:I've had a couple of nights lately where I also saw nothing. it has been raining everyday between 3.00 and 5.00 pm. I notice when it was wet outside I saw very little if anything. But if we go a couple of days without rain I will see 4-6 snakes between 9.00 and 11.00 pm. I still go if it's been raining as I have been told that's when the scarlet kings come out. But it's definately a lot more exciting when it's dry. The night where I found the dor Apalachicola king I also found a dor scarlet king on my way back up to Tallahassee. We are building a house on 5 acres in crawfordville and it will be done in 3-4 months. Then I will be even closer to the action cant wait.
An odd fact regarding scarlet snakes...I've encountered them at all hours of the night. Of course at dusk like most normal, right thinking snakes. But then also way late into the darkness--1:00 AM to 5:00AM! They're weird little guys.
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Noah M
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Noah M »

I typically find scarlet snakes later in the night, very often the last snake of the night. But then again I don't typically herp past midnight.
Croakersoaker
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

I have been out about 10 times all between 6.00 pm and 11.30 pm ( I have small children at home so really can't do all nighters anymore) and the scarlet snake has been the most common snake I have seen.. I have found about ten. The scarlet kingsnake on the other hand I have only found one as well as one dor.
Croakersoaker
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Re: Herping Appalachicola National Forest

Post by Croakersoaker »

I have been out about 10 times all between 6.00 pm and 11.30 pm ( I have small children at home so really can't do all nighters anymore) and the scarlet snake has been the most common snake I have seen.. I have found about ten. The scarlet kingsnake on the other hand I have only found one as well as one dor.
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