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04-17-2019, 02:50 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Herping 2019
Hey folks - it's that time of year again! I'm going to try and do a better job of regularly uploading some photos throughout the season, and I am excited to see everyone else's finds too!
I have been going out regularly since about the 20th of March, but the late, long and cold winter really seems to have delayed emergence.
Interestingly, the meadowlarks (Sutrnella neglecta)were back (for me) March 3, and the black widows ( Latrodectus hesperus) all seemed to emerge on March 4.
I finally found my first snake of the year on April 10 - a nice large bull snake ( Pituophis catenifer sayi). I normally don't handle the snakes, but it's sort of a tradition to give the first one of the year a little hug.
Some bull snake shed:
A pretty sweet deadhead I found:
Sure can't beat the landscape!
I am moving here (Med Hat area) very soon, and I am stoked to be out looking every day. And sturgeon fishing! I am going to be hitting some of you up very soon for some advice on the rig I should get for that. Even just working here full-time, I pass cactus and sage right in the city, and I get excited every single day about it. 
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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04-17-2019, 03:25 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 231
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Awesome, I hope you kept that deer head because it's a beauty!
The FJ is still going strong, just hit 325,000km and has been integral in my hunting and fishing as well as family camping and road trips for the past 2 years, thought you may like to know that.
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04-17-2019, 03:32 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,629
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Should be interesting. Look forward to your pics. Might see some horny toads and northern scorpions around there too. I have heard the scorpions glow in the dark when they are hunting.... don't know if it's true though.
Speaking of the Hat... you might want to get a wide brimmed white hat. Gonna be hot down there. Sun stroke usually originates from the back of the neck.
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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04-17-2019, 04:23 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,772
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Sweet pics look forward to more herpetology pics!....
BTW the salamander we had for four years and fed him worms... turned him loose in the wild and lots of salamanders in that marsh now!....
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04-17-2019, 04:41 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 3,343
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As always - thanks for sharing your pics and stories.
Dodger
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Freedom comes with responsibility and integrity. Not stupidity and self entitlement.
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04-17-2019, 05:27 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Hey RB,
I have a few hats - and lots of sunscreen - and years of experience herping Canada, Arizona and other places.
As for the scorps - we do have them! Their scientific name is Paruroctonus boreus. All scorpions glow (fluoresce) all the time, when under UV light because of a tough layer in their exoskeleton called the cuticle that protects them from sunlight. Super cool arachnids for sure!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets
Should be interesting. Look forward to your pics. Might see some horny toads and northern scorpions around there too. I have heard the scorpions glow in the dark when they are hunting.... don't know if it's true though.
Speaking of the Hat... you might want to get a wide brimmed white hat. Gonna be hot down there. Sun stroke usually originates from the back of the neck.
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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04-17-2019, 05:41 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 177
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Thanks, I always love seeing your posts. I never get out to those parts of the Province enough.
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04-17-2019, 05:57 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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So glad you’re still loving her! I miss her - a lot!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRE75
Awesome, I hope you kept that deer head because it's a beauty!
The FJ is still going strong, just hit 325,000km and has been integral in my hunting and fishing as well as family camping and road trips for the past 2 years, thought you may like to know that.
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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04-17-2019, 05:57 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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This is so nice to hear! They are one of my favourite species for sure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nekred
Sweet pics look forward to more herpetology pics!....
BTW the salamander we had for four years and fed him worms... turned him loose in the wild and lots of salamanders in that marsh now!....
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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04-17-2019, 06:05 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 57
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Love the pic of the bullsnake! They are sure gorgeous snakes. Had a few as pets when I was a kid, but now I'm too scared to handle snakes, lol. I live in medicine hat and have many fond memories of catching and handling snakes (except for rattlers of course).
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04-17-2019, 06:46 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,670
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Nice pictures, thanks for posting, the biggest Black widows I've ever seen are in the Okanagan. They seem to supersize out there. Along with a healthy population of other arachnids like the Hobo, Orb Weaver, and Sheet Weaver that weaves neat little sheets in the grass.
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My blog - casting on the waters
fishing regulations and facts on fish handling
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04-17-2019, 08:13 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ft assiniboine area
Posts: 1,392
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nice pics ( i had to google "herping")
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04-17-2019, 09:20 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Alberta
Posts: 413
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Very interesting story and pics, thanks for posting.
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04-18-2019, 09:05 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 109
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welcome back arach, and thank you very much for the pics. always look forward to seeing these in the spring. have to get down there one of these years.
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04-18-2019, 12:22 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Forgotten corner Ab.
Posts: 566
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Nice pics. Haven't seen my 2 resident Garter snakes yet they'll show up. Always do.
Leroy
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Jesus said "Go and fish"
He didn't say anything about cleaning the garage and cutting the grass....
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04-18-2019, 02:52 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 12,770
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checked my local again this afternoon, sunny and much warmer than Monday, 2 Rattlesnakes and a Bullsnake suntanning this time.
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