Grand Canyon herping

[nolagurl]

Has anyone ever went herping in the Grand Canyon? I spent the summer there on a working vacation. I saw a ton of lizards and a handful of snakes. It is maintained by the National Park Service so you can't touch the wildlife.

I'm planning on going back to the Canyon next summer for a brief vacation. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I'd like to try and spot the more elusive creatures (gila monsters, chuckwallas) at the bottom. I know that gila monsters have been spotted near Phantom Ranch but I'd like specific locations.

Thanks!

[SCReptiles]

I haven’t made that trip yet, but it’s possible in 2004. I have a close friend who snake hunts the west twice a year. I am always envious of what he brings back. Did you see any rattlers?

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I will be headed this year to herp for C.o.abyssus and C.o.lutosus. Being from AZ, I have never visited the Grand Canyon, strange eh? I do hope to see many other species, as I am even happy with scelos and uros.

Most of my herping has been in central Arizona (Yavapai county) as that is where I am from. This coming year I plan on taking my trips way north, and way south for herping. I get so sick of seeing cerberus and pyros every week around here...LOL OK, imma foolin round there. Seriously, I here the Canyon is good herping and I do have plans this year for one or two trips, depending on what takes place.

[nolagurl]

C.m.pyrrhus you need to go! Seriously you are missing out on something truly amazing! I've been to the Canyon 4 times. I never made it out to Prescott while I was in AZ though.

SCReptiles I saw what I think was a baby diamond rattler. It was dusk so it was a bit hard to tell. I also saw a few ribbon snakes and a ton of lizards.
I didn't get to see the elusive Grand Canyon Rattlesnake and I was a bit disapointed. Maybe next time.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

You may know, AZ has great herps (tons of crotes!!!!) and many different habitats ranging from desert to mountains ranges and plateus....great area to live in. Herping here is great fun. It is beautiful and enjoyable to hike around this state. We have a great deal of awesome flora and fauna that makes this a pleasurable place to visit and to study. My favourite crotes and colubrids are right out my back door as well, beautiful scenery and all that great stuff. Just can't wait to see the canyon for all it is worth.

[Reticman]

Hell,

I live in Arizona and have only been to the canyon once. Ive hit Sedona and Flagstaff several times but no the canyon. Maybe I will packe the wife and dog up and head up there pretty soon.

[emroul]

I live in Arizona as well, and have never made it up to the canyon. Field herping in AZ is so fun, the crotes and colubrids are everywhere! :D Maybe I'll make it down there summer 2004.

Jennifer

[nolagurl]

Sedona is beautiful and I love Flagstaff. It was a toss up to either move to Sedona or stay here in New Orleans. I really miss AZ. I can't wait to go back next summer! Has anyone here been to Havasupai?

[C.m.pyrrhus]

Been there. Good fun. I am not far from Sedona either and worked there a few weeks over the summer. Just makes me a bit mad at how all the richies took over such a gorgeous piece of land, but Oak Creek Canyon is not to far from Sedona and equally nice.

My dad lived in Flag for a bit, also some pretty area to see. I have to many spots I love to think about that I could just write several paragraphs on how great it is...lol. I lie in just about the center of the state, so I can go up north or down to the valley in any direction and see totally different things, just great stuff.

I enjoy showing folks parts around the state, from herpers to family and friends. You can see folks light up with delight when they find out that we do have mountain ranges and that this state is not just a big flat hot arid desert (the desert kicks @$$ too!). I just ask that folks obey our hunting regulations (bag limits, species of concern, etc.) and respect our wildlife. Otherwise enjoy it, for it is here for all to enjoy.

[Reticman]

Nex time you AZ's go herping, a group of us should get together,..kind of make a big expidition out of it

[C.m.pyrrhus]

Mr. ReticMan...I believe you are on the new <a href="http://accforum.proboards23.com/">ACC forum</a>? Good to see you there, and funny bumping into others from other forums...lol. I am a mod on the forum there (Ophidia Fanaticus) and I did not know you were from AZ till I saw your post here.

I am looking for herpers in the area to go with next spring. I have a great area out by Bagdad I go to (know a land owner) and a few other spots for general herping and hiking. Keep in touch as I still need herpers who like to field search and do a lot of hiking..lol. Hope you like the new forum as well, good stuff to come from it as new members join.

[Scott Wahlberg]

Good luck getting people to give you specific location for Suspectum.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I was actually "caught" in the Gila sting here in AZ by the Game and Fish Dept. I seen a nice ,what looked to be a very healthy, fat gila in the road. So I pulled over and simply walked it off the road as I took some time to look at it. Got back in my car and went down the road. I was immediatly followed by a truck for about 4 miles and then pulled over, by the AZ G&F cops. Had an hour on the side of the road as they checked my car, took a lot of info from me and so on. Kinda of a pisser. I have always stopped for about every AOR herp and pulled them out of the road, and still will, but not the "out-of-place" heloderms. Turned out to be the exact gila that many other leggit herpers were pulled over for during the summer. Actually a beautiful gila none the less. Wished I grabbed some photos.

[nolagurl]

That's exactly why I didn't scrounge around in bushes in the Canyon. I didn't want to get a fine for molesting the animals on park lands.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

Not all Park Rangers, Forest Service personel or G&F folks are like this either. I had the misfortune of running into some Forest Service persons from both sides of the fence. I was searching for pyros this summer during our good rains we were having, and was told to remove my self from the area for I would have been arrested for "molesting" a protected species. BUT, by AZ G&F regulations, it is lawful to hunt in any State Forest area with a leggit hunting permit, which I have. Some, if not most, of the personel do not know the laws or at least hope that you as a citizen do not know them. This is what gives me a pissed off attitude when it comes to the "lawmen." I did meet a lot of folks that actually took time from work to look with me, and I taught them a bit about the snakes in the area. One fella called our AZ Black (C. cerberus) a Mojave Black....lol. This proves some of my theory that these personel need some good fauna research of their area of expertise.

So, my advise to those that visit this state, is to research and bring along any information which would help them in these situations. As long as you purchase a hunting permit, know your laws and obey them, you should be able to have a reasonable good time here enjoying the wildlife. Herp related laws can be found at the AZ G&F website.

[Scott Wahlberg]

Originally posted by C.m.pyrrhus
I was actually "caught" in the Gila sting here in AZ by the Game and Fish Dept. I seen a nice ,what looked to be a very healthy, fat gila in the road. So I pulled over and simply walked it off the road as I took some time to look at it. Got back in my car and went down the road. I was immediatly followed by a truck for about 4 miles and then pulled over, by the AZ G&F cops. Had an hour on the side of the road as they checked my car, took a lot of info from me and so on. Kinda of a pisser. I have always stopped for about every AOR herp and pulled them out of the road, and still will, but not the "out-of-place" heloderms. Turned out to be the exact gila that many other leggit herpers were pulled over for during the summer. Actually a beautiful gila none the less. Wished I grabbed some photos.

I heard about that sting on the www.reptilesofaz.com forum. Lots of pissed off people after that. You could always run the thing over on purpose to prove the point that what there doing is totally wrong. It seems like a form of entrappment to me. I know a guy who got caught taking a Heloderma out of Az and had quite a bit of explaining to do, did not work out very well for him.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I did post there on that topic, as many others did. They have now joined with PARC on that site to make the issue on conservation available to more folks interested about it. Anyhow, I was extremely p!ssed as well. A lot of honest folks lost a fair amount of time so that the system and find ways at finding their budget requirments. I do believe the animals should be protected, but hell, there is a limit to wait is moral. Cops are not allowed to place such traps about to catch people in doing something bad (although they still do), and hell, I am sure the folks that are really out there to do illegal collections know better than to take without getting caught. Just a way to find folks who can be fined, which is what turns out to be the case. Mr. Johny Herper gets pulled over, does not get in trouble for the gila per se, but instead is found guilty of some other usless and meaningless law they can write a ticket for. Just a budget finder in disguise.

[SCReptiles]

Nolagurl, I spoke to my friend over the weekend, He is headed back to the grand cannon in June. If my work schedule will allow, I will probably head out with him.

[nolagurl]

I'll most likely be going in August as I'm probably taking summer classes.

[SCReptiles]

What are you studying?

[nolagurl]

I'm actually an English Major. Go figure. I wish I was a Bio major but it's too late to switch majors now.

[SCReptiles]

I started as a bio major, ended up graduating with a BS in education.