# Does herping get worse as winter sets in?



## naivepom (Apr 29, 2009)

Have been out herping fairly regularly for the last few months and have noticed a real drop off in the number of snakes I am coming across. I am herping in Townsville and whilst the weather has cooled down I assumed snakes would be active all year round here. Is this not the case? And if they do reduce their activity does this mean i will see less and less as the weather continues to cool or do i just have to adjust the times and places I look for snakes in? I'm really hoping I wont have to wait 9 months for decent herping again!

I've attached a few pics I took last week - the carpet was on Orpheus Island and the rest were in Undarra national park.


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## spongebob (Apr 29, 2009)

Your kind of on the right way of thinking except it isnt 9 months like in Pommieland, more like late July


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## Slytherin (Apr 29, 2009)

Down south its getting cool so the herps here have gone or are going into hibernation. I can't speak for far north though.


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## seumas12345 (Apr 29, 2009)

Hey man, just wanted to ask you what external flash are you using in the fourth shot?
Cheers


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## slacker (Apr 29, 2009)

I'm just curious as to why supposed herping shots show two pythons that appear to have been photographed on a table?


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## craig23 (Apr 29, 2009)

As it cools down you will find less reptiles out on the roads at night, however you wil be able to find plenty of species that are very hard to find in summer, under rocks, logs, tin etc etc... just as many herps to be found, just different ways to find them. Some pythons, specially scrubbies will sun themselves on large rocks and on branches in the mornings in winter as well.


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## Ishah (Apr 29, 2009)

slacker said:


> I'm just curious as to why supposed herping shots show two pythons that appear to have been photographed on a table?


 

Hey yeh, I didnt notice that on first glance! How strange... Second glance the thought was... Maybe he added pics of his animals by accident? or forgot to say they were or something... But no, its suppose to be all wild animals and in the bush...:shock::?

Yes it does gradually decrease, the amount of herps out as it gets cooler, but there are others to be found in other places and in different methods like someone else said... and all the regulars come back around spring time when they are coming out of hibernation, so really its just 3 or so months they arent as active out of the whole year... Just yesterday on the way home from work I bumped into a massive spotted python... at 24.5 degrees temperature around 9pm... And I live up your way... about 3hrs away or so... So yeh... Just need different techniques this time of year...


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## naivepom (Apr 30, 2009)

Thanks for the info guys - I will keep herping and maybe try a little more active searching rather than nothing but cruuising roads.

Oh and about the pics - I dont recall saying they were from herping - the first one I found hanging around the dive shed on Orpheus and the Stimsons was found foraging in our camp at night. All of them were wild snakes.


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## naivepom (Apr 30, 2009)

And sorry for not replying to the flash question - i just use my cameras inbuilt flash but turned down a few stops. plus a bit of photoshopping to soften it a little!

Also in terms of 3 months until they are active again - the snakes have already noticeably reduced in activity and it wont get to this temperature again until September-ish - I make that about 5 months. Do they come out more readily in spring as they are hungry or do they just hibernate earlier than is necessary at the end of summer as they are full?


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## redbellybite (Apr 30, 2009)

well my callouts arent as full on but still get the odd one here and there ..it does get really quiet over the next three months, but usually by mid August it starts to pick up again ...
They dont hibernate ...you can still find them but you need to put that extra effort in ..and maybe have better luck in the day when they are out sunning themselves to warm up a bit ...


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## tan (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi NP, It does slow down moderately up here - gives us catchers a well earned break. You'll still see them about but not as frequently. I find coming into winter I find common trees throughout the day sunning themselves etc but I wouldn't be planning any big herping trips for the next couple of months. Remember though, our winter isn't as long or as severe as down south so you won't be out of action for 9 months..more like 4ish.
Tan


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## JasonL (Apr 30, 2009)

Do you have anymore pics of the Antaresia? that is an intergrade area and I'm interested in seeing a whole body shot of that animal, it looks more mac looking from that pic.


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## Retic (Apr 30, 2009)

Don't worry you'll get used to people jumping to conclusions 



naivepom said:


> Oh and about the pics - I dont recall saying they were from herping - the first one I found hanging around the dive shed on Orpheus and the Stimsons was found foraging in our camp at night. All of them were wild snakes.


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## slacker (Apr 30, 2009)

boa said:


> Don't worry you'll get used to people jumping to conclusions



lol Ash. If I was truly jumping to conclusions I would have made an aggressive statement, rather than expressing my curiosity in the form of a question 

-Lee


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## James_Scott (Apr 30, 2009)

My partner and I are doing a 17 day road trip from Melbourne to Alice Springs and back in July. What could we expect to find at that time?


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## Arete (Apr 30, 2009)

I generally hold off with fieldwork on Gehyra until night time temps are getting up around 20 degrees. After that, it's not worth the expense given the poor sampling rate. 

There's more activity in spring and early summer than later as mating for a lot of species happens around then, with activity dropping steadily until it gets cold and virtually ceases.


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## naivepom (Apr 30, 2009)

JasonL - I've attached the only other two pics I have which show a reasonable amount of the body. 'Scuse the daft question but whats the fuss about intergrades?


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## jack (Apr 30, 2009)

winter is the best time for herping... just lift a log or rock and the damn things are to sluggish to get away


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## JasonL (May 1, 2009)

naivepom said:


> JasonL - I've attached the only other two pics I have which show a reasonable amount of the body. 'Scuse the daft question but whats the fuss about intergrades?



No fuss at all, I'm just interested in seeing Anteresia from that particular area... That ones a bit of a mixed bag.. IMO their all the same thing anyway 

Oh, thanks for putting up more pics btw


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## mysnakesau (May 1, 2009)

Even up here on a warm day the sitings are getting less. Still the odd turtle and snake sneaking around but no where near as busy as the previous three months


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## DanTheMan (May 1, 2009)

James_Scott said:


> My partner and I are doing a 17 day road trip from Melbourne to Alice Springs and back in July. What could we expect to find at that time?



Will be cold, wont be a lot active. Although you may see a bit sunning themselves in the Alice Springs sort of area as you get further north where there's more sun than Melbourne, but it's still quite cold there in winter.


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## Retic (May 1, 2009)

Don't worry Lee, your post was fine 



slacker said:


> lol Ash. If I was truly jumping to conclusions I would have made an aggressive statement, rather than expressing my curiosity in the form of a question
> 
> -Lee


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## lizardsNturtles (May 2, 2009)

that intergrade looked nice i should start herping soon as i get the time and money.


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