South Carolina herping

[Tim Hepler]

Hi,
Second to last week in April while on family vacation in South Carolina, we took one day for herping. Had prearranged to meet Steve who takes people on private land where he has car hoods laid at many locations. These hoods attract mice, wood rats and of course snakes who use them as hides, to thermoregulate, and as a food source. See the attached:

http://s335.photobucket.com/albums/m474/lobo1113/South Carolina herping/

You can see me flipping the hood with our 1st snake being an eastern king, then a black phase hognose, flipping debris, Steve pullling out another king snake, a copper head, racer skin, a couple of pics of a small hognose, and Steve with two black racers and a broad head skink.
Next are some pics of a corn snake my wife found walking in tall grass to a hood, the field where found, then a beetle, a toad, fire ant mound and another skink.
The highlight of the day for Steve was this canebrake rattlesnake. Next pic is another copperhead, then a woodrat with her babies attached to her rear end, some of the flooded land. opposum and babies, beaver mounds of wood and finally the canebrake again.
All and all it was a great day finding 17 snakes. Was tempted to keep the small hognose but its dietary restrictions kept me from doing so. The cornsnake was beautiful and very docile. Still wondering why I didn't bring that home!!!
Wow this was like herpers' heaven.
Nothing like this in Pennsylvania
Tim

 

[Rick3521]

Hey Tim, I just checked out your pics on photobucket. Very nice finds, that eastern hog and that corn are great finds. Looks like it was a great family vacation. Im taking my family on vacation in july. Were gonna go to north carolina, hopefully ill get a couple of herping days in also. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Rick

 

[Chip]

Nice stuff! Where 'bouts were you?

 

[Tim Hepler]

Chip,
Met Steve at Santee exit of Route 95, From there he took us northwest into very rural country, where there were many turf farms and crop fields. How is the area around you
for finding herps. I hear Asheville area is very pretty with many mountains.
Tim

 

[Chip]

Yeah, but the corns here are mostly ugly. You can find tons of timbers, copperheads, black rats, eastern kings, garters, and water snakes. The "prize" specimens are eastern milks, hoggies, and such.

 

[El Jefe]

So....was it catch and release or are these gonna turn up on a table at the Columbia Reptile Show in June?

 

[Spurticus]

Really nice pics Tim !!

SC has some really nice spots for Herping for sure, especially in the low
country along the coastal plains. I just got back from our Edisto Vacation
and posted a few pics from this week. I didn't see nearly the amount of
snakes you did, but did see a couple in the area, but spent several hours
at the Serpentarium at Edito and really enjoyed that (as usual).

Got a special treat while there this year. The owners/operators of the
Serpentarium allowed the public to watch them milk 12 Eastern Diamondbacks.
They said the milk these about twice a season, before releasing them back
into the wild. First time I got to see this done live, and it was really a nice
experiance.

 

[drewman]

Could you send me Steve's e-mail address or phone number?

 

[Tim Hepler]

South Carolina Herping

Drewman,
Are you thinking of going to S.C. for herping?
Give me your email address and we can "talk".
Tim

 

[Chris Olson]

The best place I've found to go herping is behind the Wal-Mart in Bluffton. Sad but true. Nice finds...

 

[Allison]

Great shots! I enjoyed looking at them. The opossums were adorable!