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Corn Snake Distribution in SE USA

SkyChimp

SkyChimp

New member
Where can I find Corn Snakes? Common question on this board. Here are some maps showing verified Elphe Guttata Guttata distribution:
 
I never suggest catching one in the wild. When there is such a vast majority of captive born specimens that are well adjusted to captivity.
 
Maps would help
 

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Fenderplayer108 said:
I never suggest catching one in the wild. When there is such a vast majority of captive born specimens that are well adjusted to captivity.
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I don't suggest capturing them for keeps either. But I do suggest observing them in the field.
 
NC
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VA/NC/SC

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Snakespeare said:
Does anyone know of specific locations in Virginia that are particularly good sites for field observation?
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I don't think I've ever gone out looking specifically for Corn Snakes. Where in the state do you live?

Corns would most likely be found around agricultural areas that attract mice - obviously. Old barns, sheds near corn fields and such would be my best guess.

If you don't have access to private land, I suggest any number of the good Wildlife Management Areas run by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. This is all public land. Most of them have "dove fields" that are planted with grain (sorgum and sunflowers) that attract doves. They also attract rodents. Herping these fields in April, May and June, as well as Sptember and early October would probably be very productive - if not for Corns, perhaps every other species that dine on rodents.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/
 
I live near Richmond, and there are certainly plenty of appropriate spots nearby. I'm just sort of weighing the idea of how much fun a field trip could be against the effort that might be involved in tracking down a snake that is, at the end of the day, pretty common in this area (we have one in the family room, after all). I grew up in the mid-west, and our yard had lots of garter snakes in it, and I handled them often and released them shortly afterward. And since moving to Virginia I've seen snakes in the wild--copperheads and water snakes while fly fishing, rat snakes and milk snakes in yards--but no corn snakes (though I haven't exactly sought them out either).

I guess since I've never deliberately gone on a field hunt for snakes, I'm thinking about the process. Bird watchers tend to congregate in particular areas that are known to contain particular species, and fossil hunters and rock hounds are familiar with productive sites for their pursuits. I was just wondering if there were famous corn snake "hot spots" in Virginia. The process is probably more like fishing, in which one reads the water and develops techniques for effectively finding trout even in unknown rivers. And yet there's always something comforting about fishing familiar water where one can focus on spots that have been particularly productive in the past.
 
Then I would just try a WMA. If you live near Ricmond, I'd try the Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area in Charles City County. I am intimately familiar with that hunk of land (and it is a hunk - 5,000+ acres). I know it has lots of snakes. In fact, I bought a pair a snake-proof boots to wear when I turkey hunt that area after having several close encounters with copperheads.

It has one dove field (in several sections), but it is very large. And it is full of all sorts of rodent attracting plants. There are also several small plots of sorhgum on the road sides leading to the dove field. These were planted for turkey and deer, but again, everything benefits.

Whatever you decide is going to take some time. Checking out a WMA is probably the easiest way to herp quality land.
 
Your best bet is to road cruise at night. scope out some promising looking roads that arent' too heavily traveled right now. Then around May when breeding kicks in up in these parts go out and road cruise.

You are likely to find something. The corns I've seen around here (Richmond) so far aren't that attractive really but it's still fun.
 
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