This weekend I was in Cincinnati, OH and I spent some time at Shawnee Lookout in the southwest corner of Hamilton County, and also Red River Gorge in KY.
I was at Shawnee for only a couple of hours, and I was hiking more than herping, but I still came across a couple of snakes.
Heres some shots from the hilltops and lookouts. I still cant believe there are not copperheads in Hamilton County. This place looks perfect for them. The hills are bigger than what they look in these pictures...
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/lookout1.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/lookout2.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Heres a black rat snake I almost stepped on. I almost fell trying to lift my foot back up. Thats what ya get for not looking at the trail.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/blackrat.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/blackrat2.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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I happened to look at the right place in the leaves by the trail, and saw this little Garter basking there.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/garter01.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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One thing that there is no shortage of in Hamilton County, and thats deer. They are everywhere. Our house is in the middle of town, and they are always in our backyard eating from our pear tree. My mom found a newborn in our bushes a few weeks ago.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/deer.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Saturday I went to Red River Gorge. It was mostly sunny and hardly got above 75 degrees. As usual, the copperheads were everywhere you looked, and I found quite a few ringnecks, as well as a black racer and a large garter snake, whose life I saved when I chased him off the road before a pickup rounded the corner.
Heres some scenery and snakes.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/panorama1.jpg" width=700 height=339>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/cliffnroad.jpg" width=450 height=600>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/cliffs.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/barn.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/ringneck01.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/copper04.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/copper03.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/copper05.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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I like this picture, although Im not sure why...
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/copper01.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/copper02.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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