Need Help In Central Texas.........

[Guest poignant]

The local clean up crew doing their thing........why do the eat the eyes first I wonder?

Cool pictures Bigtex. The eyes are the softest parts and hence most easily accessible. Vultures typically do not have the powerful ripping beaks of raptors and shearing jaws of mammals and sometimes need a head start (no pun intended).

Edited for spelling.

Edited May 9, 2012 by poignant

[Bigtex]

Thanks Poignant, appreciate that.

I discussed this before, but couldn't find the picture until last night. This was a few years back, and ran across this beauty........it was an amazingly long Coral Snake, about 6' long, and thick. They are not supposed to get this big. I tried to catch him, but was too big & mean. Incredibly strong snake, plus they don't make Coral snake antivenom anymore.

These are in the Cobra family, and with the same type of venom. It even hounded up like a Cobra, hissing, and flattening the skin on its nexi to make a long hood.......very scary snake!

[Guest Thepattywagon]

That's a very large Coral Snake! I think the largest ones found in Florida are less than four feet, but the Texas strain may grow longer, not sure. "Everything's bigger in Texas", right?

If that one was anywhere close to 6 feet, it was probably a record.

I've only run across two Corals in Florida, and I yielded the right of way both times.

[Guest wudewasa]

According to the Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians, 3rd Edition, both the eastern and Texas subspecies have records of over 47 inches. Regardless of size, that is an impressive animal to observe! Corals are a rear fanged, neurotoxic species, so while envenomation in humans may be more difficult, but the result can be very serious.

[Bigtex]

Had a nice hike today, and was exploring a new area along one of the many creeks, in a remote area. Found this area near the creek where something large had bedded down for the night. Whatever it was tried real hard not to leave any sign/tracks, and didn't. If it was a Deer, or some other large animal, seems like they would have surely left sign with the creek & mud in close proximity. A real nice cozy spot for sure, and was thinking of doing a 1-nighter there myself, when I noticed the bedding area.........now I will do it for sure, calling ShadoAngel.

[Guest]

New area? Remote?

Let's go!

[gigantor]

BigTex, thanks for sharing that. I do have an armchair question though.

Wouldn't a BF choose a nice dry spot to lay in? the first pic shows that it's kind of muddy there.

Edited May 18, 2012 by gigantor

[Guest BFSleuth]

I think they also like mud wallows, perhaps to control against bugs or to cool down. This report was rather interesting in that it involved mud wallows and a visual of tree knocking (one of my favorite reports):

http://www.bfro.net/gdb/show_report.asp?id=27075

[gigantor]

You should classify it

Edited May 18, 2012 by gigantor

[Bigtex]

Hey Gigantor........the bedding area was soft and fairly dry, cozy spot, plus a nice cool breeze comes through there. Even though the creek and muddy area were near, whatever took a nap there made sure they didn't touch, or leave any sign there.

[Sunflower]

Flat Tops Wilderness has a place named "Devils Causeway"

[Bigtex]

An old footprint, very VERY old.......find these here and there, and usually on creek beds after a good rain. Just glad to know folks have been hiking these trails for a long time.

And the winners of the 'bag of nasty old food outta fridge' contest was Buzzards.

[Guest]

I really enjoy your posts Bigtex! The great snakes your finding also bring back pleaseant memories of my old amateur herp'n days all over Texas. That large Great Plains Rat snake several posts up is great as is the amazing Hognose pics but the GIANT Coral snake has me blown away! WOW. That woulda been a heck of a trophy to collect. The area seems great with all the variety of wildlife and BF activity. Love your wolf dog, what a beauty! Hope you can have another encounter this year. I am thinking of getting a kayak, canoe or jon boat as well for checking out some areas that hard to get to.

[Bigtex]

Thanks GEARMAN, always glad to know folks enjoy the posts, even though it strays from the main subject matter. However, the way I see it, BF lives in the great outdoors, so to study all nature will give a better picture him, or so my theory goes:)

I would get a Kayak, get one long enough to carry gear, and will move faster than the shorter ones. They are a lot quieter than the other two as well, and that's important with this hobby......no bright colors is good too.

My main Kayak below, also serves as my 'pack mule' too, and ready to go. This is an 'Old Town' 2-Man 'yak, and removed the front seat so I can really load it up with gear.

Kayaks and canoes are the best way to get no place fast, and offer access to some extremely wild places.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Bigtex

[Bigtex]

Here are a few pics from one of my Bushnell Game Cameras. This was back in December of 2011, right after Xmas when I took all of the holiday fixins from Xmas dinner, and dumped it in one big nasty pile. Left the camera out there about a week, and got over 1,230 pictures! Here are some of my guests for the late holiday meal; a feral cat, raccoons, possums, and mister fox, oddly no skunks.