1st Scouting Trip

[ko4nrbs]

Spent several hours walking around the swamp area. Found good access and was surprised at how many corn fields were planted in and around the wet areas. The farmer's roads provide an excellent way to get around. Didn't see any deer but did see a few tracks. No rubs or scrapes were found.

Here is the tracks I found. One is of an alligator. I found where they have been crossing the road to get from one slough to another. Pretty close to where I will set up my Ground Blind. I will be set up inside one of the windrows overlooking a corn field where I saw the tracks.

Lot's of small sloughs in and around the corn fields and windrows. Will try to find a tree suitable for my climbing deer stand.



Bill

[xcaliber]

You’re a brave man to hunt on the ground where gators might visit you.

[Boo]

You’re a brave man to hunt on the ground where gators might visit you.

Haha! No kidding! I know they're supposedly not so aggressive to humans and often scared of us but what happens when they're real hungry? What happens when you bump into one at night? Seems to me like tip toeing through a bunch of hidden leghold traps!

[xcaliber]

Don't know how far, or fast you can run, but I know you cannot out swim one of these. I would save my pennies & dimes and go to Ohio for a buck hunt!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWd7NMNnYko

[AJ01]

Being a breeder of exotic reptiles, I can assure you that once temps drop, you will have no problem with the 'Gators! Being ectothermic, they depend on sun, and or air temps for warmth. That's why the hibernate.

Alligators did "holes" under river banks and in and around waterways to "den in". Below a certain level, the ground's temperature remains fairly constant allowing the reptile to maintain it's body temp. Heart rate slows, respiration slows and they do not eat.

Without the correct body temperature, anything the reptile eats would simply rot in it's stomach killing the critter. Nature was smart enough to shut off their need for food during cooler temps before they hibernate!!




This is a neonate Green Tree Python from New Guinea. I've been breeding these for about last 25 years. Been keeping and breeding some type of reptile for more than 40 years.

Everyone has to have A HOBBY, RIGHT???

And this guy is the pic you will see if you visit my Vendor's account on Kingsnake.com.

And yes, I know....I'm nutz!!!
You all know how Rednecks are!!!

[Boo]

Being a breeder of exotic reptiles, I can assure you that once temps drop, you will have no problem with the 'Gators! Being ectothermic, they depend on sun, and or air temps for warmth. That's why the hibernate.

Alligators did "holes" under river banks and in and around waterways to "den in". Below a certain level, the ground's temperature remains fairly constant allowing the reptile to maintain it's body temp. Heart rate slows, respiration slows and they do not eat.

Without the correct body temperature, anything the reptile eats would simply rot in it's stomach killing the critter. Nature was smart enough to shut off their need for food during cooler temps before they hibernate!!




This is a neonate Green Tree Python from New Guinea. I've been breeding these for about last 25 years. Been keeping and breeding some type of reptile for more than 40 years.

Everyone has to have A HOBBY, RIGHT???

And this guy is the pic you will see if you visit my Vendor's account on Kingsnake.com.

And yes, I know....I'm nutz!!!
You all know how Rednecks are!!!

What temps do gators hibernate at?

[AJ01]

Being a breeder of exotic reptiles, I can assure you that once temps drop, you will have no problem with the 'Gators! Being ectothermic, they depend on sun, and or air temps for warmth. That's why the hibernate.

Alligators did "holes" under river banks and in and around waterways to "den in". Below a certain level, the ground's temperature remains fairly constant allowing the reptile to maintain it's body temp. Heart rate slows, respiration slows and they do not eat.

Without the correct body temperature, anything the reptile eats would simply rot in it's stomach killing the critter. Nature was smart enough to shut off their need for food during cooler temps before they hibernate!!




This is a neonate Green Tree Python from New Guinea. I've been breeding these for about last 25 years. Been keeping and breeding some type of reptile for more than 40 years.

Everyone has to have A HOBBY, RIGHT???

And this guy is the pic you will see if you visit my Vendor's account on Kingsnake.com.

And yes, I know....I'm nutz!!!
You all know how Rednecks are!!!

What temps do gators hibernate at?

Boo....
They'll actually stop feeding once the temps dip into the low 70's. Let the temps drop below 60 and they'll become dormant. They just can't function.
Ever been out moving stuff in the winter and run across a snake? How slowly, if at all, does it move? Muscles can't work without heat.

[xcaliber]

Now that's some GOOD information right there! Nice snake, I don't like those either.

Good luck this fall, y'all!

[Prmtvbowman22]

That's a beautiful snake. I once went to my friend's house and a 16ft boa was coiled on the floor next to the couch. She said it just ate and would be content. It never moved.

[ko4nrbs]

You’re a brave man to hunt on the ground where gators might visit you.

No reports of them attacking anyone here. The ones I saw fishing just ignored me. There is a 9 footer in this slough and a few smaller ones.

A guy in Florida quit Kayaking when he noticed the alligators were bigger than the Kayak.

Bill

[AJ01]

Before I retired I did a lot of volunteer work at some of the local Zoos near where I lived at the time. Got to meet some very smart folks. One of those fine folks was a guy named James Murphy.
He's now Dr. James Murphy and now works for the Smithsonian!!
It really is a small world.

One of the others became one of my dearest friends, David Blody, who was Curator of Reptiles at the Ft. Worth Zoo. Dave died several years ago. His intelligence was only superceded by his generosity and willingness to help others.
Rest in Peace Dave.

Keeping reptiles has been an interesting hobby and a fairly good source of income at times. Here a few years back (beofe Covid), an annual report listed the Reptile Industry in the USA to be an 7.8 Billion Dollar baby!!
Not too shabby.

A neonate (hatchling) like the yellow one I posted runs about $750.00. A female will normally lay 15-20 eggs.And then if you have 10-15 females. Well, you get the picture!!



This is "Dot". She was hatched in 2007. And is stil "alive and kicking" in my personal collection. She is what is known as a Piebald Ball Python. When animals like this were first produced by selective breeding, such specimens sold for around $10,000. 00 EACH.

And people ask....."Why do you breed reptiles?"

[robertyb]

2 beautiful Pythons AJ. First time I have heard of a Piebald Ball Python and the first pic of one also. Thank you and yes I like snakes.