I've really been bitten, no pun intended, by the whole herp thing and now would like to take it a step further. I am raising two ball pythons, but would like to document photographically, and in a journal, the native species of my state. Not sure when the best time to start would be. I live next to a 75-100 acre wooded area with a stream and some open areas. I'm sure there are plenty of snakes there. Current project is to make a snake hook from an old golf club (I've noticed many of the snake hooks for sale in the $30-40 range are made from old clubs). Mine cost $2.00 at the local thrift shop. While documentation is the primary focus of my efforts, if I were to find a nice specimen, keeping it would not be out of the question, providing it would not harm the snake (certain snakes I'm sure don't do well in captivity if they are caught as adults). Any help or advise would be appreciated.
thanks
Mike

There are quite a few members here from there. I am sure they will chime in.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

The golf club things a nice idea, last time I picked up a wild snake I actualy just threw on some leather work gloves and scooped him up, you get them right your fine, but please don't take my example, i'ts a really bad idea to do this. The Rat snake I grabbed was actualy rather okay about it, ,i was tempted to keep him, but I beleive snakes in the wild, should stay in the wild, i prefer CB much more than WC. As for certain snakes not doing okay in the wild, really any snake you catch outside is not going to be acclimated for life in a cage, Bringing a snake in for a bit to study it closer is not going to really hurt it, but I personally would'nt suggest it.
As far as Snakes native to maryland goes I beleive theres like 25-30 Species native to maryland, The most common are The Black Rat Snake, Eastern Garter Snake, Eastern Hognose Snake, Eastern Kingsnake, Eastern Milk Snake, Eastern Ribbon Snake, Eastern Worm Snake, Northern Black Racer, Northern Brown Snake, Northern Copperhead, Northern Ringneck Snake, Northern Water Snake, Rough Green Snake, Smooth Green Snake and the Southern Ringneck Snake. The Coastal Plain Milk Snake and Corn Snake are less common but also native, along with the Southern Copperhead and Southern Copperhead and Timber Rattlesnake, though I doubt you'll find a Timber Rattler.
As for when to start its hard to tell you esactly when to start, I would suggest Spring, Your going to have little to no luck during the winter, your best bet would be, once the temperature's stable out, and its consistently warmer out.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

Hey there! Howard county here... I would wait another month or two before expecting to see much. good luck!

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Harford county here. herps in the area start poking their nose out in another month or two, depending on the spring we have.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Is it illegal in Maryland to keep wild caught native species?

I had thought it was illegal in VA, but it turns out you can keep no more than 5 animals of a native wild caught species. Huh.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

Howard county too! North Laurel just off US1 near where US1 splits. If you have experience field herping it would be great if we could get together some time and you could show me the ropes. Heavy wooded area next to my house with a stream and some open areas.
thanks
Mike
BTW I doubt my wife will let me bring anything back home anyway lol.

Im pretty sure it is illegal to take things out of the wild in MD without the proper licencing, though in many cases its not something really looked into all the time. its mainly in place to keep people from making a business out of it. There are also laws about selling native species, You won't find a black Rat snake in a pet store anymore.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

my field herping consists of hiking in gunpowder state park and turning over a few rocks once in a while. However I got off the trail once to collect some bark and found a turtle.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

You have to have a special permit to sell native species. I know you can find little green reed frogs at Tom's.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.