Hey Everyone,

I like looking at snake pics all day long BUT I enjoy habitat shots just as much. This forum has many devoted overseas hobbyists and I know they'll appreciate seeing some habitat photos of where some of their snakes come from. These pictures are from a 2009 trip I took to the Peloncillo Mtns in the "Boot Hill" area of New Mexico (and they spill into Arizona). The Peloncillos are a ROUGH mountain range and very challenging to field herp. We went early in the year - MAY- at it was way too hot during the day. You'd herp during the mornings and evenings. We even did night hikes.

http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/wildareas/peloncillo.html

The area is also VERY dangerous- lots of illegal smuggling comes through this area (like many of the mountain ranges in New Mexico & Arizona that are by the Mexico border).



The apy off is that the Crotalus lepidus klauberi from there are considered by many collectors to be some of the BEST in the United States. We herped the area hard for 4 days and didn't see a single Banded Rock Rattlesnakes. We did come accross three male Northern Blacktail Rattlesnakes. My horrible photography skills do not do these animals credit- they are NEON yellow in person. This is one of my favorite locales of Northern Blacktails.

In situ:




And here are habitat pictures... ENJOY!

Guess I'm gonna have to just take you back in there and show you how it's done

Hello Graham,

thank you for these photos and description.

They bring memories for me as I have been to the mountain ranges of southern NM and AZ several times.
I too think the C. l. klauberi from the Peloncillos are some of the most beautiful ones but that´s a matter of taste.
I´ve seen C. m. molossus of equal color in the Santa Ritas and similar ones in the Chiricahuas and I enjoyed it every time.

Thanks again,
best regards,
Rainer

Brook- anytime. I struck out bad in those mountains- I usually do pretty good!

Rainer- Thanks. I was blown away by the molossus there...they were hot. I really need to try and bring back a pair next time.

I try to do at least yearly trips to the Chiricahuas & Huachucuas... Been camping in the Ritas once (hunted the roads around them multiple times).... that area is my favorite... the only thing that'd be better would be to herp northern/central mexico in the mountains!

That is a stunning molossus!

I'm not going to make it down to the bootheel this season but I do need to get in there for a couple of females for my two males.I have a nice spot just East of Peloncillos in a very small range and man the klaubs are super clean.....your right Graham, those klaubs from that area are as good as it gets.I would love to be there this second!

That first pic of the Northern Blacktail is good anyway and the habitat pics are excellent, like them very much, thanks for sharing!

Its a while since I've been across to herp that range, I do remember the piles of abandoned personal stuff from the smugglers and illegal immigrants.

At least two of our fellow American herpers had hand guns with them in this area.

Here is one we found in the range

Wow, really good photo, brings out the colors/markings nicely.

Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and pics.
I truly love that area and are hoping to get back there some day.
Here is one of those famous klaubs from the area that a friend, Anders Johansson, found when we were there a couple of years ago.



/Patrik

wonderful pictures of blacktails and alltimefavorite klauberi.
its good to see how they live, must be very hot in the desert

very nice pics, especially the last one with klauberi!! Keep posting guys:)

Graham:

very nice pics, and Klauberi is fantastic rattler, very nice color... And the natural diet are lizards?? mammals?? Do you have experiencie with this sp in captivity? Tº ?? Humity??.

Greetings from Perú