Least-herped places in the USA?

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Coluber Constrictor
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Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

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Andy Avram
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Andy Avram »

Wyoming has Yellowstone and there have been a number of Yellowstone posts over the years. I can't off-hand though, remember how many had herps pictured. Personally I have seen Tiger Salamander and heard Boreal Chorus Frogs in Wyoming.

I can't remember much posted about North Dakota, but I am sure someone has found a ND herp and posted it.

If I had to guess I would say Alaska has never been featured with a herp post on here.

Andy
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noah k.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by noah k. »

I went to Montana over summer and I think some herps from there would be cool but i know those have been posted.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Natalie McNear »

Alaska and Hawaii, I'd say. All the Louisiana stuff has been from the southern part of the state because that's the better part. :D
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Owen »

Natalie McNear wrote:Alaska and Hawaii, I'd say. All the Louisiana stuff has been from the southern part of the state because that's the better part. :D
Yeah, I would say Ni'ihau probably has never been herped (Kauai county).
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by jonathan »

Southern Idaho? I know a decent amount about herping it because my dad did snake research there for three summers and has told me a lot about it. But as far as I can remember, I've only seen one very short post on FHF about it and the naherp database for the area is almost empty. The few posts I've seen from Idaho usually dealt with the forested panhandle.

Eastern Montana, everything in Wyoming outside of Yellowstone, and both of the Dakotas also come to mind.

Looking at the naherp.com database, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia also look strangely empty.

http://www.naherp.com
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

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Andrew G
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Andrew G »

How about Maine? I grew up there and it isn't exactly a herpers paradise. I can't remember seeing anything from Maine on here either.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by John Andermann »

I have a lot of pics from northern Louisiana. I'll be making a big Louisiana post pretty soon.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

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Cole Grover
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Cole Grover »

There have been quite a number of Montana posts... Sure, some were before The Crash, but there have been several since.

Montana Post
Another Montana Post

Also, I've posted a fair number of herps from Wyoming over the years.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by jonathan »

Cole Grover wrote:There have been quite a number of Montana posts... Sure, some were before The Crash, but there have been several since.

Montana Post
Another Montana Post

Also, I've posted a fair number of herps from Wyoming over the years.

Those are awesome posts Cole. I had never seen them. The habitat is really cool. I especially like the juvi racer and the painted turtle in-hand. And I always forget that boas get way out there.

How far east were you in those posts? (I don't know montana - I'm just generally wondering what state you're closest to there.)
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I think someone should do a Reno Nevada area post...do we even have members in Reno?
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Dell Despain
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Dell Despain »

A good comprehensive post from southern, to mid Idaho would be interesting to see.
A herp trip in the spring to Idaho with Alan St. Johns book Reptiles of the Northwest sounds even more interesting.
Brian Hubbs wrote:do we even have members in Reno?
Brian no one would admit they actually live in Reno? :)

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by herpseeker1978 »

Not a state, but what about DC?

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by mikemike »

Brian Hubbs wrote:I think someone should do a Reno Nevada area post...do we even have members in Reno?
Renobart is around here somewhere. Reno is dirty. I have a couple pics somewhere of herps there but nothing special and always from gambling trips.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Talusman »

herpseeker1978 wrote:Not a state, but what about DC?

Josh

No herps left there as it's overrun by rats and other vermin.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Kevin McRae »

I have yet to see a North Dakota post! North Dakota's herp variety isn't too bad either. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is quite stunning. Beautiful badlands and petrified wood with enough species of herps to keep you (or this Canadian herper anyways) happy and several very interesting mammal species such as a bison and wild horses.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Gyri »

Coluber Constrictor wrote:I think someone just posted some frogs from Maine. Come to think of it, though, you don't see too much Vermont/New Hampshire stuff on here.
Pretty much just me and I was MIA this past summer due to extreme personal drama reminiscent to an action thriller. That and a lot of my posts end up on the NE Chapter board. I'll be representing a lot better this year :)
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Matt Arnold »

Haven't seen much from Maryland that I can remember, and definitely northern Lousiana. Also, i've seen a few posts from Mississippi, but not many. And Central/North Alabama... hopefully this year I can get on that :)
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Andy Avram »

Looking at the naherp.com database, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia also look strangely empty.
I think nearly every species found in Ohio has been posted on this board at one time or the other. Both Tenn and WV have had good representation on here too.
Natalie McNear wrote:Alaska and Hawaii, I'd say.
Hawaii has been covered a few times. Mostly pictures of sea turtles and exotics.
Coluber Constrictor wrote:I'm pretty sure some Alaskan frogs have been posted on here before.
I can remember discussions of Alaskan herps but I can't recall any pictures of successful stories of people finding Alaskan herps.

The east coast has been covered pretty well too, and I think all those states have had posts over the years, especially when mikez was a regular poster.

The only state I cannot remember being posted about is North Dakota, but I am sure someone has...

Andy
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Stohlgren »

Alaska has been posted: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1319&p=14818&hilit=alaska#p14818

I feel like Maryland get posted quite a bit but could be wrong. I have herped there a few days over the last two winters while visiting the ladyfriend's family. Only found salamanders (redbacks, duskies, two-lineds, reds) and a bullfrog though. I really have to get her to take me up there in a better season.
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Cole Grover
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Cole Grover »

Andy Avram wrote:The only state I cannot remember being posted about is North Dakota, but I am sure someone has...
Totally. I believe Russell Keys has posted a few Pituophis and I know that some amphibians from there have made their way onto the forum. Chris Smith has done a number of posts with ND critters.

Jonathan,
We scattered across the southern half of the state in those posts, though we stayed east of the Continental Divide. At some points, we were close to SD and WY. Feel free to PM if you'd like more in-depth info.

-Cole
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Jason Hull »

I think someone should do a Reno Nevada area post...do we even have members in Reno?

Brian no one would admit they actually live in Reno?
I'll admit it. I live here. Almost 37 years now. Not that bad if you don't hang out downtown.

I posted some photos of the area a while back on the R.M.C forum.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by jonathan »

Mha2345 wrote:Haven't seen much from Maryland that I can remember
There's been a lot from Maryland. I made a Baltimore post once, and then there was a huge collaborative effort from the Delmarva Peninsula NAFHA trip, and tons of others as well.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Andy Avram »

Stohlgren wrote:Alaska has been posted: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1319&p=14818&hilit=alaska#p14818
Wow, not sure how I missed that post! Thanks for linking to it.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by jonathan »

Andy Avram wrote:
Looking at the naherp.com database, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia also look strangely empty.
I think nearly every species found in Ohio has been posted on this board at one time or the other. Both Tenn and WV have had good representation on here too.
Yeah, I'm sure they've been posted, I was just remarking that looking at http://www.naherp.com, it seems like large portions of those states might not get herped as much. Or their herpers just don't enter data in that database for some reason.

Andy Avram wrote:
Natalie McNear wrote:Alaska and Hawaii, I'd say.
Hawaii has been covered a few times. Mostly pictures of sea turtles and exotics.
As opposed to.... :lol:
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Fundad »

Chris Smith has done some ND posts, "I think". I know he has herped their quite a bit..

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Andy Avram »

jonathan wrote:As opposed to....
My only desire to visit Hawaii is that I would like to say I have been to all 50 states. It is my dream that I can knock Hawaii off on a layover on my way to somewhere else. Anywhere else...

I thought there were a few native lizards or frogs there, but looking into I guess I was wrong.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Andy Avram wrote:My only desire to visit Hawaii is that I would like to say I have been to all 50 states. It is my dream that I can knock Hawaii off on a layover on my way to somewhere else. Anywhere else...

I thought there were a few native lizards or frogs there, but looking into I guess I was wrong.

Sea snakes.

I think there are some folks of the opinion that certain lizard species may have conceivably rafted there on flotsam (i.e. no human involvement) and could be considered "native," or that some were inadvertently brought over by the Polynesians and have been there long enough to be considered native.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Brendan »

Brian Hubbs wrote:I think someone should do a Reno Nevada area post...do we even have members in Reno?
Reno is actually a really fun area to herp. Jason Hull lives and herps the hell out of that place. He's posted photos on a handful of occasions. Some of the photos in my year end post came from close to Reno.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by TeeJay »

As soon as I get a new printer/scanner... I'm planning on putting up a series of posts about the 4 years I spent surveying eastern South Dakota.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by jonathan »

chris_mcmartin wrote:I think there are some folks of the opinion that certain lizard species may have conceivably rafted there on flotsam (i.e. no human involvement) and could be considered "native," or that some were inadvertently brought over by the Polynesians and have been there long enough to be considered native.
Yeah, I've heard that distinction too between the ones that made it over several hundred years ago and the ones that didn't get there until Westerners started coming to the islands more recently.

I actually liked the lizard diversity there, even though it was all introduced. I found 4 different gecko species in one short trip. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera on me.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by peterknuteberg »

We see very few posts from Snake Road/Southern Illinois. :lol:
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by JAMAUGHN »

We see very few posts from Snake Road/Southern Illinois. :lol:
...Or Southern California. Maybe there are no herps there....
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

The White House?
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Hans Breuer (twoton) wrote:The White House?
Theodore Roosevelt maintained numerous snakes there.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Aaron »

I've herped Kauai, I saw some little skinks and two kinds of geckos. At one point my friend was driving us through a field to a lookout point, the grass was as high as the windows and a gecko flew into the vehicle. We also saw sea turtles. Interestingly he showed me a small beach where he said the turtles come on shore and bask. It didn't look like a place where they'd lay eggs either because I think the tide completely covers the sand. I think sea turtles basking on land isn't a common behavior.

So there's a report, no pics though.
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Aaron wrote:I think sea turtles basking on land isn't a common behavior.
It apparently is in Hawai'i. I know they also do it at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP and a couple of other places on the Big Island. I haven't personally seen it but it's mentioned in both the national park displays and literature and in tourist brochures for the other locations. It might have something to do with the black/dark sand.

http://www.nps.gov/puho/naturescience/reptiles.htm
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by herpseeker1978 »

chris_mcmartin wrote:
Aaron wrote:I think sea turtles basking on land isn't a common behavior.
It apparently is in Hawai'i. I know they also do it at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP and a couple of other places on the Big Island. I haven't personally seen it but it's mentioned in both the national park displays and literature and in tourist brochures for the other locations. It might have something to do with the black/dark sand.

http://www.nps.gov/puho/naturescience/reptiles.htm
I lived there for four years and we would see them basking occasionally. Never when I had a camera handy of course. My friend Merlin has a picture of one basking on a black sand beach on the big island.
Image
Photo by Merlin Wollenzien

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Jimi »

I think someone should do a Reno Nevada area post...do we even have members in Reno?
As Brendan and Jason noted, there's Jason Hull, who's posted some cool stuff (and "herps the hell out of the place"). But regardless, the thread title is least-herped, not least-posted.

The whole Great Basin seems barely herped, compared to other physiographic provinces. The area around the triple junction of Idaho, Utah, and Nevada is particularly interesting (to me...) species-wise, and is also peculiarly ignored.

A great deal of central and eastern Nevada seems like a ghost town (hardy-har-har). Ditto adjoining Utah. This and the previous area would make good Chapter field trip destinations. Lots of glory to be had there. Anyone else see the latest Herp Review, and Bryan/Tim/Young's pyrrhus geographic note? Also watch for a HR note from Mark Hazel for pyros in western Utah. There's more "dots on the map" to be filled in, in that part of the world.

Hubbs - (hi Brian!) any thoughts on milks west of I-15? Other than the well-worn, well-known areas?

Cheers,
Jimi
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by jonathan »

Jimi wrote:The whole Great Basin seems barely herped, compared to other physiographic provinces. The area around the triple junction of Idaho, Utah, and Nevada is particularly interesting (to me...) species-wise, and is also peculiarly ignored.

A great deal of central and eastern Nevada seems like a ghost town (hardy-har-har). Ditto adjoining Utah. This and the previous area would make good Chapter field trip destinations. Lots of glory to be had there. Anyone else see the latest Herp Review, and Bryan/Tim/Young's pyrrhus geographic note? Also watch for a HR note from Mark Hazel for pyros in western Utah. There's more "dots on the map" to be filled in, in that part of the world.
Phrynosoma hernadesi were also recently discovered to range into Oregon:

http://www.naherp.com/viewrecord.php?r_id=81885


There are potentially many other new state records to be found in that corner of Oregon, including Long-Nosed Snake, Coachwhip, Patch-Nosed Snake, Zebra-Tailed Lizard, and/or Desert Spiny Lizard (list courtesy of Joshua Wallace's post).
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Jimi »

There are potentially many other new state records to be found in that corner of Oregon, including Long-Nosed Snake, Coachwhip, Patch-Nosed Snake, Zebra-Tailed Lizard, and/or Desert Spiny Lizard (list courtesy of Joshua Wallace's post).
Absolutely. SE and SC Oregon are basically "central NV", ha ha. Maybe we could do a joint RM and PacNW chapters trip to that region. Delightful country, real quiet.

Cheers,
Jimi
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Gary2sons »

Jonathan and Jimi---Recently talked to a good friend in Oregon who is not a herp person at all but he said he has seen coachwhips in that corner of the state. He is a rock hound so that makes sense. He gave a good description on the appearance and how fast the snakes were. Some conversation with the locals in about the only town there might also help. Could be another species but probably worth checking out for anyone out that way!

Gary
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Joshua Wallace »

The northern Great Basin is woefully underrepresented on this forum. Here is a post from a trip I made in 2010 to the area. I have a few more trips down there that I should post as well. Nothing beats the vast openness of northern Nevada.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1585
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by DDReptiles »

Not states, but we seem to care about them more than some of our real states:

Puerto Rico/Isreal :lol:
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Re: Least-herped places in the USA?

Post by Jimi »

Thanks for that blast from the past, Josh, I remember it pretty well (the Easy-Up and the big tarp on the big tent triggered me). Ever get your Alvord Sonora? When would flipping season there be? Late April - early May, or what?

I worked a couple field seasons ('93-4) for USFS out of Susanville, and another ('92) out of Tulelake. I really liked Pyramid Lake and the Black Rock Desert. I had a spot by Honey Lake with one of the highest horned lizard densities I've ever seen.

It's one of the cool mysteries of biogeography how so many species get so far north over there. Zebra-tails and coachwhips spring to mind. Here in Utah they barely make it up into the state. Over there they're more than 300 miles further north, and a thousand feet higher. Wild. Ah, for those balmy west-side winters, ha ha...

Cheers,
Jimi
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