Field Herp Forum

I'm curious how many of you have seen them out while herping in California, and where. I myself have only seen them in the San Gabriel Mtns.

I haven't seen one in years but we use to see them around caliente creek (lower tehachapi's. What about fishers? Any one see those?

I have only seen marten's here in SoCal, and have seen a marmot on two occasions in the sierra's.

I saw a Ring-tailed Cat driving in the mountains above Ojai one night but I wasn't herping. Very rare and maybe my best critter sighting ever. Had Mountain Lion up near Isabella while night driving one time too...probably my second best critter. So what's my best snake?...probably a saugie in AZ a couple years back.

I've seen a Fisher in Oregon.

This year alone, I've seen 20+ Marmots. While road hunting I seen a San Joaquin Kit Fox in an area I've never seen them in 8 years. So that was pretty cool.
Yesterday in the Sierra's while looking for Hydromantes I seen a Bob Cat, only my second ever, first during the day. Other one was early this year looking for Tiger Salamanders it had a small Rabbit in it's mouth.

I've seen a few Weasel species one in the Valley near my house, and 2 in the Sierra's.

I've seen some Badgers while road hunting, plenty of Coyotes. Seen some Cougars in the Sierra foothills on my Aunt property, and two way up in Amador County while hiking.

I think that's all the mammals I've ever seen. I've actually never seen a bear, since I was 7 or 8 when I was in Montana.

Only real mammal photo I've yet to get.


Yellow-Belly Marmot.



Cheers,
Chad

Highly unlikely. they can't drive

I've seen Ring-tailed Cat above Kernville (kern County) and on the Grade in Anza-Borrego.

I seen one by Scissors Crossing and the San Gabes.

I didn't believe it either...and I thought I saw it throw a beer can out the window too ...shoulda got a pic darn it!



I still have never seen a bear...but I've seen scat...does that count?

Ive seen them out in calico.

I'm surprised at how many ringtail cats have been seen...I didn't realize how widespread they were. I figured they were only in a couple pockets here and there.

If they range so far, I wonder what their population density is like, and what about their habits make them so rarely seen.

I've never seen one, though my friend on the other side of the car saw one once in Utah (gone by the time I turned my head).

I saw one last year on the 173... back way up to L Arrowhead. ran across the rd in front of me, climbed bout 6 ft up a cut, sat there and looked at me as i pulled up, fumbled with my camera, and tried to get a shot... forgot the flash...click ... he was gone. DOH!! He was 'Dun' in color...NO markings of any sort... just all light tan.
I see weasles (my fav) in the Cajon, and years ago had a 'pet' badger living undeer my house at Willow Beach... used to hand feed him PB sandwiches... he'd stroll right into my house looking for handouts.... jim

Ringtail Cats don't stay in one place very long. So if you see one your chances of seeing it again the next night are slim. The cat I saw earlier this year was timid and didn't seem bothered by my presence. I have seen too many to count bear and deer while herping. I have only seen a badger on two occasions, and have seen many weasels as well. Here's the ringtail I saw earlier this year. I've also added a couple herps I've seen from the same area this year.

I saw a ringtail in the Bay Area several years ago on Mt. Hamilton. I was quite surprised, having had no idea that this area is in their range. This year I saw a Badger hanging out around a board line in San Mateo county, and I've seen 3 or 4 Bob cats, including one I came about 5 steps from stepping on a couple weeks ago. I've had very little success photographing mammals though, they're always long gone by the time I can get to my camera.

Laguna Mtns. San Diego Co. ca
San Bernardino Mtns. San Bernardino Co. ca-(lived here my whole life, and have only seen 2, both on the rd. 1 live and 1 dead, got pics of the dor)
Chiricahua Mtns. Cochise Co. az
pecos co.-(I think pecos or terrell) tx. If you like seeing mammals when herping...go to tx. You can easily see over a hundred deer on a cruise, plus my first dillo...that was as exciting as the herps I went to see were.
Jeff

I've seen at least a dozen on the grade in SD Co. Usually they were scurrying away from a DOR, and then on the next pass they'd occasionally be back to the same spot.

I've seen one DOR ringtail in either Yuba or Butte Co. in northern CA. I've seen countless grey foxes, red foxes in a few places, countless coyotes, kit foxes a couple times, one live badger, 2 DOR badgers, a few random weasels, and I couldn't even begin to think about how many skunks, opossums, and raccoons...

My mammal highlights this year are the 4 armadillo I've seen in the past couple weeks after moving east.

Hey Mike.....the ringtail I saw was in the San Gabes...right across where everyone wades in the water & camps....its a parking lot with big trash containers where I saw it.

On the grade/ Borrego.

I saw one two days in a row at the same spot in the Los Gatos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
I'm from the Greater Cleveland area, so it was pretty cool to see.

Tim