Hit Arizona last a couple weeks ago with a 5-day stop in West Texas along the way. The Arizona part got cut in half due to a family medical emergency, but I’ll be going back early next month. Got several new species this trip and some pretty cool encounters with stuff I’ve got before. One of my worst trips in terms of quantity (37 snakes) but maybe my best in quality of species. Here are some highlights:

New Mexico milk snake - one of the hardest snakes to find in West Texas. Got this one at the end of an all-nighter around 5:30 am on what was otherwise my worst night in 9 trips to West Texas…

Banded gila monster - rumor has it that even a baby like this one has enough bite strength to penetrate a leather glove and draw blood, but I’d have to experience this to believe it.

Mexican black kingsnake - a rare site in Arizona…

Western coachwhip - took me 9 trips to West Texas to finally get a pink one…

Mountain patch-nosed snake - one of my top 3 targets for West Texas and it was the first catch of the trip…

Sonoran lyre snake - looks like it belongs in Costa Rica instead of Arizona…

Chihuahuan night snake - very common in West Texas but only the second time I’ve seen one do defensive coiling - also hypomelanistic so much lighter color than usual…

Northern black-tailed rattlesnake - encountered a pair 10 ft. apart - probably just finished mating…

Western diamondback rattlesnake - came across this one swallowing a kangaroo rat in Arizona right after the gila encounter…

Trans-Pecos rat snake - its pronouns are “totally” & “awesome”…

Long-nosed snakes - I had found several of the Texas subspecies before, but also got both phenotypic phases of the Western subspecies in Arizona this trip…

Texas horned lizard - my 3rd one ever, this one in South Texas on the way back - one of my favorites since childhood when I had one as a pet…

This post was edited on 7/26/26 at 3:21 pm

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Posted by FAT SEXY

California

Member since Jun 2020

2464 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 4:41 pm to TigrrrDad

Did you see any roadrunners out that way?

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Posted by Catahoula20LSU

Louisiana

Member since Oct 2011

3021 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 5:07 pm to TigrrrDad

Awesome pictures!!
Glad to see someone enjoying God’s creation. Several beautiful animals.
Keep sending pictures of your trips. I love to see them.

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Posted by TigrrrDad

Member since Oct 2016

8176 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 5:09 pm to FAT SEXY

Saw a few and finally got close to one…

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Posted by FAT SEXY

California

Member since Jun 2020

2464 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 5:12 pm to TigrrrDad

Coolest birds ever IMO

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Posted by mdomingue

Lafayette, LA

Member since Nov 2010

48325 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 6:42 pm to TigrrrDad

How old are you, if you don't mind my asking? I'm in my 60s, and folks my age were usually raised to pretty much hate snakes. How did you pick up your fondness for them? There are some absolutely stunning snakes in some of those photos, BTW.

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Posted by TigrrrDad

Member since Oct 2016

8176 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 7:23 pm to mdomingue

I’m 60 (and feeling it this year). Been catching snakes since I was 5 or 6 years old, but just started the serious roadtrip stuff a couple years ago. My dad and my uncle used to catch snakes, so they got me started.

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Posted by Catahoula20LSU

Louisiana

Member since Oct 2011

3021 posts

Posted on 7/26/26 at 7:27 pm to TigrrrDad

We have roadrunners in Louisiana. Haven’t seen one in a long time.

ETA: The ones I have seen were in Camp Beauregard or Camp Livingston area of Kisatchie. Looking at their range most maps don’t show that they live this far east. But I have seen several in Beauregard.

This post was edited on 7/26/26 at 7:33 pm

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