Florida Field Herpers

My son River,8 soon, and I will be in the Daytona and Ocala ( the villages) areas from April 9th-16th of next month and we were wondering if anyone could offer some advice about where to go, etc... or :wavey:would be willing to take us field herping while we are there?

thanks, Kyle

for the best herping in Florida, go into the everglades at night(you will see burmese pythons crocs, and many more)

drak2223 said:

for the best herping in Florida, go into the everglades at night(you will see burmese pythons crocs, and many more)

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Or not, since you are bring your 8 year old son....??

Get with username RobbiesCornField....he lives in Florida and I am pretty sure does some field herping.

-Josh

If you are going to be in/around Ocala - there is a national forest there. I have not been there myself, but I would imagine they must have some good trails to hike with the opportunity to see snakes.
So far the only places I have been out herping in Florida are all on the west coast. Sorry I can't be of much help.
If I have a car back by the time you are in town (mine has been in the shop for 30 days and counting), I would love to meet you guys.

ArpeggioAngel said:

If you are going to be in/around Ocala - there is a national forest there. I have not been there myself, but I would imagine they must have some good trails to hike with the opportunity to see snakes.
So far the only places I have been out herping in Florida are all on the west coast. Sorry I can't be of much help.
If I have a car back by the time you are in town (mine has been in the shop for 30 days and counting), I would love to meet you guys.

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Wow Katie, that would be just awesome! We'll have access to a car as well. We'll be there from the 7th to the 16th, I know my mom will have us in Daytona for part of the time ( Blah...) but then we'll be in The Villages, where she lives for the rest.
ps) Is this because you're a relocated Ohioan? You're going to love my boy, River he's awesome!

Really you need to talk to Craig- (I can't think of his forum name!!!) And maybe we could plan a Serpentarium trip for when you're here! Can't miss that!!

Nanci said:

Really you need to talk to Craig- (I can't think of his forum name!!!) And maybe we could plan a Serpentarium trip for when you're here! Can't miss that!!

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Great Nanci, send me some info. if you would... here:
[email protected]

Craig hmm...that does sound familiar here...do you remember what his avatar looks like?



This is what we look like, so you know we're not scary heh heh...
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/sho...dow#post805593

Around Daytona, there's not really anything. LOL. There's the Marine Science Center, and they have a few reptiles (and for $5 entry, it's really pretty cool). Oh, and of course, I'M in Daytona. LOL. As far as Ocala goes, I have no idea. I haven't really had a chance to actually get out and do any real herping since I've gotten down here. But I would love to go.
(Is Craig cflaguy ?)

I'M in Daytona.

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Thanks for the info. Robbie, I hope you know I wasn't slamming Daytona as a city or anything, just I'm not much of a fan of crowds...and My mom got a time-share right on the beach there....So there I'll I'll be with my 8 year old son and thousands of crazy college students...been there done that, just don't want to again...what was she thinking?

Maybe we could hook up and try to find somewhere to field herp there?

ForkedTung said:

Thanks for the info. Robbie, I hope you know I wasn't slamming Daytona as a city or anything, just I'm not much of a fan of crowds...and My mom got a time-share right on the beach there....So there I'll I'll be with my 8 year old son and thousands of crazy college students...been there done that, just don't want to again...what was she thinking?

Maybe we could hook up and try to find somewhere to field herp there?

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I wasn't knocking you for knocking Daytona. I knock it myself plenty of times. Fortunately for you, the big Spring Break weekend was actually this past week. You missed all the fun, including someone falling off the 24th story. I'll look around and see if I can find a decent area to herp. There's an area alongside US1 on the way down to New Smyrna Beach that looks promising, but we'd need waders.

Yeah, Craig is cflaguy. He'll probably find this thread, eventually. I _think_ you will be near Green Swamp/Withlacoochee Forest.

Do a search for Reptile World or Serpentarium to find tons of photos- we go there all the time. I might have one thread called Reptil World...

Actually, now that I think about it - our near Daytona - Canaveral National Seashore - I have heard of people having decent herping luck out that way.

And yep Kyle - I am a transplant from Ohio. Been here 9yrs and wouldn't trade it for anything! Actually - I just got off the phone with Matt and Mindy too!

I found a place that might be good for nature observation, and we might be able to herp, as long as we put everything back. It's called Spruce Creek Park, and it's a nice little wooded area just north of the middle of nowhere on US1.

Dang, I wish I lived farther north. I'm in Miami and don't really see any places to herp except The Everglades, but there's tons of alligators and crocs. Risky stuff.

Yep, I found it.....

Nanci said:

Yeah, Craig is cflaguy. He'll probably find this thread, eventually. I _think_ you will be near Green Swamp/Withlacoochee Forest.

Do a search for Reptile World or Serpentarium to find tons of photos- we go there all the time. I might have one thread called Reptil World...

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Thanks Nanci for the endorsement. Road cruising is great in April, dusk is the kats meow. Hard for me to do anything now since the wife works on the weekends and Kenzie has special needs at the moment.

But I'll try to see if the in-laws can maybe keep her.
Ocala National Forest as Katie suggested is in your neck of the woods. Just South in Orlando there is Econ State Park is great for herping. I found a Coral, ED, Ribbons, Yellow Rats and Corns. Good Gopher Tortoise colony, and a sweet spot for the Florida Box. During one rain storm I counted 17 box turtles while standing in one spot.
Lake Jessup in Sanford. One of my fav spots is Tosohatchee State Park in Christmas. 270,000 thousand acres. Home of the largest wild gators I've ever seen.
In Lakeland where I am, sure, the Green Swamp, Withlacoothee State Parks, and Gator Creek remind me of my childhood herping days. You don't go out there w/o seeing something.

Here is something you might enjoy....

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49093