Needed to pick up some furniture from the state of great scenic diversity, so by necessity I visited some of that diversity before leaving.
Approaching some lutosus in situ:
Moving south...
I didn’t realize when I found this shell first thing in the morning that there would be several live animals to follow.
The desire to not disturb these animals gave me the opportunity to use my neglected 10x zoom that I thought I would use so much more when I purchased my camera.
Find the fox-- only shot I got of a family of gray foxes in gila/tortoise/chuck habitat
Gila tracks, shelters and food found, though no monsters—not clear from the photo but Heloderma tracks in here. Brian and I were able to combine for one day in the south and both saw evidence of their presence.
Dove nest
A botched shot, but kind of interesting capture of winder movement:
Another interesting image in the morning in a different area from where the first winder was seen. Find the most interesting tracks on this desert thoroughfare. I tracked these extremely fresh tracks over a substantial distance until they went down a hole. I wonder if the snake was crawling still when I began. A portion of the tracks were right over my footprints from the previous day.
This large just hit (and still moving) mitchellii was quite a surprise:
A Brian E. find:
Brian thermoregulating along with the Pit, I didn’t previously know that Brians thermoregulated on roads in the Rockies. We were headed to flip for milks, but with family in the area my schedule was too tight to give it the full “go” it deserved. Usually I am the one still hunting, a strange role reversal only occurring by necessity. I even got to call Brian from the car (who was still on the hill) thinking I was calling back my brother and telling him I was "stuck" until Brian was done hunting. Thanks, Brian. I wish we could have hunted together more but enjoyed the day+ we were able to combine and the great discussions.
The OT portion of the show:
And an elusive “triple,” complete with the envious drift boat in the background hoping we would pack it up soon:
A trip out WEST
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: A trip out WEST
Wow. Looks like it was a great trip. Where were you?
- soulsurvivor
- Posts: 530
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
- Location: NE Florida
- Contact:
Re: A trip out WEST
Awesome photos! I love those torts. How many did you see??
- Andy Avram
- Posts: 897
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:37 am
- Location: NE Ohio
Re: A trip out WEST
The Smooth Green pictured after the Rubber Boas and before the rattlers and desert tortoise does not computer. I may have to bust out my field guide to figure out what state you were in. Looks like a great trip though.
Andy
Andy
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- Posts: 81
- Joined: June 9th, 2010, 10:32 am
Re: A trip out WEST
That is one sweet post. The in situ and habitat shots are great. Just awesome aside from the non-native brown trout. Hopefully we will get our fishing forum back too.
Re: A trip out WEST
Sick...
Dam Matt, you and your dam Brown Trout posts...
Fundad
Dam Matt, you and your dam Brown Trout posts...
Fundad
- Bryan_Hughes
- Posts: 73
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:39 pm
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
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Re: A trip out WEST
Awesome post. Those trout make me homesick!
Re: A trip out WEST
There is some absolutely beautiful stuff in this post!
- Cole Grover
- Posts: 746
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 10:06 am
- Location: Montana
Re: A trip out WEST
Your posts are awesome. UT is a sweet state!
I hear tell that you may be up here in our area later in the summer... Keep in touch!
-Cole
I hear tell that you may be up here in our area later in the summer... Keep in touch!
-Cole
- occidentalis
- Posts: 39
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:13 pm
- Location: the west
Re: A trip out WEST
I love the Diadophis and Spea!
- MHollanders
- Posts: 583
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 2:32 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: A trip out WEST
Very cool, great post. That Pituophis on the road looks HUGE in the first pic.
Later, Matt
Later, Matt
- Tim Borski
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Re: A trip out WEST
That Ringer's nuts! Any guess on length? Excellent post. I don't think your fox is a Grey. Kit perhaps? Pup coyote?
Thanks
Thanks
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Re: A trip out WEST
Killer post! Almost from pic to pic...I'm like...NOW what state is he in... I know what state i was in... CONFUSION... till someone mentioned UT. Dosen't really matter, I guess...GREAT pics of AWESOME herps... jim
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Re: A trip out WEST
Very nice Matt! You got some great shots.
Your track shots turned out very nice.
The Speck was definitely a great find. Too bad it had just been hit.
Rocky mountain Brian's sometimes need to thermoregulate after a day of sitting at a desk in order to build up energey to look under heavy rocks on steep hillsides and put them back. I think it's a vitamin D thing.
Very nice pyro. Congrats on that long awaited Utah animal.
Was the whip from the same canyon? I've only ever found one kind of snake there.
It was good meeting up with you again.
Hopefully next time our schedules will align a little better and we can find some of those missed animals.
Your track shots turned out very nice.
The Speck was definitely a great find. Too bad it had just been hit.
Rocky mountain Brian's sometimes need to thermoregulate after a day of sitting at a desk in order to build up energey to look under heavy rocks on steep hillsides and put them back. I think it's a vitamin D thing.
Very nice pyro. Congrats on that long awaited Utah animal.
Was the whip from the same canyon? I've only ever found one kind of snake there.
It was good meeting up with you again.
Hopefully next time our schedules will align a little better and we can find some of those missed animals.
Re: A trip out WEST
Oh so you think you can just slip a Utah pyro in like that without any commentary on it?!
GREAT post, excellent photography...
GREAT post, excellent photography...
Re: A trip out WEST
Chad,
I always look forward to clicking on your post. I am soo jealous
I always look forward to clicking on your post. I am soo jealous
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- Posts: 41
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- Location: Arcata CA
Re: A trip out WEST
Very nice great herps and great trout very few things in life are better then that.
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- Posts: 30
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:45 pm
- Location: Santa Rosa Calif
Re: A trip out WEST
Looks like that fish factory river the Green!
Re: A trip out WEST
Wow, great post. That Brian insitu shot was great. That pit looked confused.
Re: A trip out WEST
Thanks for the comments.
Schell, others have answered your question, though I did dip into AZ once as well.
soulsurvivor-- many. Over 20.
Andy, not sure if you are saying the smooth green wouldn't show up for you, hopefully did later.
Thanks, Rick. Invasive as can be, sure a lot more fun than the Utah chub though!
Thanks for the comments, Fundad. Glad you liked it. Wish I could have met up with you guys when you were out here. I was not far from where you were with a bunch of kids.
Appreciate the comments, Brian. They made me homesick also!
Thanks for the comments, bgorum, occidentalis and MHollanders.
Cole, I am definitely going to be up there next month. I might be staying a day or two longer than initially expected. Looking forward to some herping and fishing with you and Dell!
Tim, if I remember correctly I think it was about 18". Brian can correct if I remember wrong. It had a wandering garter in its belly. I don't think it was a yote, there were several of them and they were too small. Could have been kits, but the head-ear proportion didn't look right.
hellihooks, thanks for the comments. Most don't realize the great "spread" that UT has, a great state.
Brian, I found two whipsnakes, one was up that canyon, another down lower. I wish we could have flipped longer.
Chad, more effect that way! Thanks. I am going to be in west TX soon, need to get your cell # again to call you and see how things went for you guys.
McCracker, thanks. --Chad
Thanks, Sean. I agree, a great combination.
Carlo, the Green it is. Water was crazy high for those downstream dirty water fish, but it only made the trout more aggressive than their usual picky selves.
Thanks, jdustin. I'm sure the Pituophis was surprised at his sudden basking buddy.
Schell, others have answered your question, though I did dip into AZ once as well.
soulsurvivor-- many. Over 20.
The Smooth Green pictured after the Rubber Boas and before the rattlers and desert tortoise does not computer.
Andy, not sure if you are saying the smooth green wouldn't show up for you, hopefully did later.
Thanks, Rick. Invasive as can be, sure a lot more fun than the Utah chub though!
Thanks for the comments, Fundad. Glad you liked it. Wish I could have met up with you guys when you were out here. I was not far from where you were with a bunch of kids.
Appreciate the comments, Brian. They made me homesick also!
Thanks for the comments, bgorum, occidentalis and MHollanders.
Cole, I am definitely going to be up there next month. I might be staying a day or two longer than initially expected. Looking forward to some herping and fishing with you and Dell!
Tim, if I remember correctly I think it was about 18". Brian can correct if I remember wrong. It had a wandering garter in its belly. I don't think it was a yote, there were several of them and they were too small. Could have been kits, but the head-ear proportion didn't look right.
hellihooks, thanks for the comments. Most don't realize the great "spread" that UT has, a great state.
Brian, I found two whipsnakes, one was up that canyon, another down lower. I wish we could have flipped longer.
Chad, more effect that way! Thanks. I am going to be in west TX soon, need to get your cell # again to call you and see how things went for you guys.
McCracker, thanks. --Chad
Thanks, Sean. I agree, a great combination.
Carlo, the Green it is. Water was crazy high for those downstream dirty water fish, but it only made the trout more aggressive than their usual picky selves.
Thanks, jdustin. I'm sure the Pituophis was surprised at his sudden basking buddy.
Re: A trip out WEST
lmao. Mccracker, kcmatt's name is Matt fyi...McCracker,%20thanks.%20--Chad
Matt- I will send you my number, the trip to the Bend was awesome and I'm going back soon, when will you be headed down that way?
Re: A trip out WEST
I'll be in SE NM (family) July 1-4 and going to drop into TX the 5th-7th. Would be great fun if we could combine.
Re: A trip out WEST
Gorgeous pyro, nice find! Was it on the crawl or found under cover?
Re: A trip out WEST
Pyro was on the crawl, initially only a couple of inches of tail visibly. I didn't realize it was as nice as it was until looking at pics afterwards (excited to see any pyro at the time). Thanks.
Re: A trip out WEST
Awesome!!! That there is a great set of photos.
Bart
Bart
Re: A trip out WEST
Thanks for the comments, Bart. That was a nice little chocolate oreganus you posted a bit ago.