5-28/29-12

Trip Details

Location: Minnesota

Weather: On Tuesday it was warm and sunny with a high of 73 degrees.

Time: 5/28 - 9:00 p.m., 5/29 - 2:00 p.m.

Herpers: Mike Pingleton, Jeff LeClere, Austin Scharosch, Jim Scharosch & Matt Ricklefs

Account by: Matt Ricklefs

Photos by: Austin Scharosch, Jim Scharosch & Matt Ricklefs

Thought of the Day: That’s a long way up!

Monday 5-28-12 (Happy Memorial Day)
In an effort we, or rather Mike, spent another long day of traveling to get into semi good weather. This took us from the western Dakotas back toward eastern Minnesota and we would eventually end up back in Iowa. We had 3 days of 8 or more hours of straight driving. Since Mike rented the vehicle he had to do all the driving, so where we were all a bit road weary, Mike was understandably loopy at times.

We spent most of the day driving but we did have a little time when we got to our location in Minnesota. We dropped Jeff off to get his vehicle and then he was going to follow us down and we’d meet at the location. We arrived at a sand prairie area and walked around for a while with no finds. It was quite windy, and as it was later was starting to cool off. Austin made the first (and for this day the only) discovery again and turned up a wandering Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii).

Photos by Jim Scharosch

This was a full grown one at about 13 inches. She was in cruise control and we did not want to bother her too much so we got the best shots we could with the fading light and a very mobile turtle.

Photo by Matt Ricklefs

At least we found something for the long travel and it was something cool. Not that anything wouldn’t have been appreciated at this point.

We actually had nice weather and were able to camp out on Memorial Day. We discussed the tactics for the next day and we would be doing some hiking for some Timbers so we needed to get some rest. We camped in the canopy of pines and the stars were out in force. It was great finally getting to break out the camping stuff and sit around a campfire. Since we got in late so we had set up in the dark, but it was a nice night and after some munching and beers we all were put to sleep by the calling Whippoorwills.

Tuesday 5-29-12

Photo by Jim Scharosch

It was a fine morning and although a little cool still, it was much nicer weather than we had had thus far. We had a hearty breakfast and headed out to our first location.

Jeff had told us that the hikes in would be pretty old school straight up the hillsides for Timbers and he was not kidding. In the midst of a few animal trails we hoofed it up and up and a nice steep angle. At our first location we had some great scenery and habitat but struck out on any critters. So, down and down we went and then off to our next spot.

When we got to our next spot we found a Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) and a nice Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis s. sirtalis) about 19 inches long that sat rather nicely for us.

Photos by Matt Ricklefs

Then we were off. This was another big hike in and actually even harder than the first. But we prevailed and arrived at a rather small hillside opening. Jeff had mentioned that it was a smaller hillside, but they usually did pretty well. As these are open non-developed spots you really are straight up a ledge near the river.

Photo by Matt Ricklefs

If you were to get too close to the edge and lose your footing that would seriously be all she wrote (or rather all I wrote as I wasn’t getting close to the edge) and …game over. We finally had some great weather. By the time we arrived at this location it was sunny, warm and the right time of the day on this nice south exposure. Once we all took in the scenery Jeff directed us to the “good areas”. Sure enough we scored our first two Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) in a small crevice.

Photo by Jim Scharosch

Not long after we scored another and another and before we knew it we were wrangling four Timbers all about 3 to 4 feet long and none of them in much of a mood to sit still. The biggest was a good 4 feet. It was good that we had a lot of us with a lot of people with timber rattlesnake experience.

Photo by Matt Ricklefs

It was actually very cool. Given the circumstances of the trip and that this was the first time we actually saw anything of any significance we took time to work with these snakes with as little intrusion as we could. The pictures you see are a compilation of these.

Photos by Austin Scharosch

Photos by Matt Ricklefs

As we finished getting pics of each one, we let it go back where it was. After some time we finished with all, they were happy, we were happy and we headed back down. Austin and I took the rather direct straight down (no, not over the ledge, DUH) the hillside approach and waited for Mike, Jeff and Jim as they retraced the route they had taken up. After what seemed like hours of waiting for them (ha ha ha) we regrouped and headed to our next location…this one did not require a hike.

Photo by Austin Scharosch

Our first find was another Garter out on the crawl.

Photos by Matt Ricklefs

This one was a little larger at about 2 feet. It had some nice coloring and actually sat for us nicely. Our only other find was a very nice Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis t. triangulum).

Photo by Austin Scharosch

Photos by Matt Ricklefs

Usually when we post an Iowa milk snake we don’t specify between Red and Eastern as there is so much integration in Iowa, but in Minnesota they are all Eastern. This was a smaller one at 13 inches.

They day had been a good one.

Photos by Austin Scharosch

Photos by Matt Ricklefs

We ended up in our old stomping grounds collectively, but I had not done a lot of Minnesota herping so it was cool. We decided that since we had about one more day of weather we would head back down toward Iowa, camp one more night and hit Jim and my normal spots and then the trip would reach its conclusion. The cool, cloudy, drizzle was starting to catch up with us again, but not before we had one more decent day.

To top off the best day we had a gorgeous night. We arrived at a park with enough time to set up camp in the twilight, have Camp Master Mike prepare a wonderful meal of taquitos and we munched on various other Mexican themed goodies, were able to find some good beer and started a nice roaring fire. To top it all off, Austin busted out his guitar and regaled us with bluesy, jazzing jamming that filled the camp as we kicked it primitive style. It was the best day and the best evening we had had and we were very thankful for that mix. It had been a long road to get here and we had a lot of fun, but since it IS a herping trip ACTUALLY finding some “good” herps was long awaited.

The road is long and winding,
But with friends is always fun.
The time will pass by fondly,
As another day has begun.
A day with sun on a hillside,
And in the evening beer o’ plenty a slurpin’.
Nothing matches the insanity and enjoyment,
Except perhaps great finds when out a’ herpin’.

Photo by Matt Ricklefs