So a good size group of us got out on labor day to do some herping. We were met by local Wisconsin herper Carl Koch and led around to some of his favorite spots.

First herp of the day for me was this newt

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065093.jpg

I hear someone behind me yell out hognose (our target for the day) and see this scene

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065104.jpg

It happened many times throughout the day that you had to decide if you were done taking photos of your current subject because another herp was found. Not a bad problem to have, here is the hoggie they were shooting

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065108.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065105.jpg

Back to the newt spot, we also flipped this guy there too but ignored him for a minute for pics of the hoggie

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065101.jpg

Our fearless leader President Archer found this perfectly posed peeper

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065139.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065129.jpg

Matt and son taking in the hog

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065124.jpg

One of my little favorites

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065181.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065172.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065163.jpg

A few gray tree frogs were seen but they were all green

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065155.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065159.jpg

We also happened upon a few of these fresh hatched little snappers

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065147.jpg

We got another hoggie that refused to play dead until we handed him to Mike Dloogatch, then he knew he was outmatched and dropped dead for us. Here are the before photos when he was still fighting

Neck flared

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065197.jpg

Then dead (not Mike's hand)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065202.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065203.jpg


http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065220.jpg

Little northern water nabbed by Carl

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065238.jpg


We also had this tiger turn up

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065261.jpg

Smooth green
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065271.jpg

We hit the spot near the tracks again later on and found some more hogs, these right out of the car almost, two within 20 feet from each other

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065254.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065256.jpg

By the end of the day we saw 8 hogs in total along with a bunch of other cool herps. Here is one of the last of the day

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065289.jpg

Showing off the great camo they have

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Labor%20Hogs/P9065291.jpg

All in all it was an awesome day with a great group of people and great herps. Can't wait to do it again.

Jason

Wow bro, you guys had an awesome day! Sounds like the conditions were perfect for just about everything to be out and about. Nice pics!

Killer shots and looks like a great day!

Awesome pics and herp finds

Absolutely incredible pics.

Dan

There were some nice finds, congrats.

Great shots - that's a cool day out!

Someone mentioned on another forum that it was not safe to be on the tracks. It was a once a day train that runs slow. The local crossings just have stop signs, no gates or warning lights for the trains. It was an awesome day for sure. We got 3 hogs in the AM and then 5 in the PM. Though you can't see it in the last pic there were little holes in the ground that the hogs were using to get away and in that last pic there is one hog visible and one just out of frame that made up the last two for the day. The one out of frame finally was allowed to get his head in one of the holes and he disappeared in a second. This spot is also where we found the hogs nesting earlier in the year this year and last year, it was really special to watch them dig their nest chambers and it also gives you a good idea that we tend to incubate eggs too wet when you see the soil they choose to use for a nest.

Here are some pics from last year to give some of you hog breeders a clue about incubation, these are pics of females digging nest in the sand.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Hog%20Heaven/P6288483.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Hog%20Heaven/P6288480.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Hog%20Heaven/P6288499.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c29/SnakesUnlimited/Hog%20Heaven/P6288505.jpg

And thanks for the comments on the pics but I am a bit pissed at myself for forgetting to adjust the white balance which was set wrong most of the day giving most of the pics that yellow cast. Oh well, every day out with the camera I learn something new and get reminded of things I already knew but forget sometimes.

Jason

Looks like y'all had a hell of a good day...Loved the pics -

Dang! What part of WI were you in? We haven't found anything around here! Looks like you guys hit the jackpot!

Great collection of pics looks like you had a great time.

Dang! What part of WI were you in? We haven't found anything around here! Looks like you guys hit the jackpot!

It was southern Wisconsin, you know us Chicagoland folks don't like to get to far behind the cheese curtain. :lmao::lmao:

This particular spot/region has great diversity and density of seldom seen species like blandings, hognose, pickerel frogs, and a host of other more common herps. They gray tree frogs were a personal favorite for the day. One of the guys was the only one who could spot them and he say 3 sitting in the middle of different bushes throughout the day. We also got to talk to some locals (snake in hand) about the regions herps and lack of any dangerous herps in the immediate area. We also saw some neat bird life like sandhill cranes and one of the guys is a bug geek and he spotted some weird fly that was some sort of rare awesome predator... :dunno:

Jason

P.s. Is there any reason for the 25 image limit per post, were larger post causing issues?? I just ask because I am eventually going to post my trip tp Peru and it will likely be 2 large post of about 30-40 images each which I will have to edit or cut up further to post here instead of just copy and post from my other forums

Those are all great shots. Interesting little bit about the nesting. Who's the guy with the orange belly and the kink necked pose? :wamma:

Those are all great shots. Interesting little bit about the nesting. Who's the guy with the orange belly and the kink necked pose? :wamma:

That is a red belly snake, awesome little fossorial forest edge dwellers. The turn up in Chicagoland right off major roads through "forest preserves" under the road side trash. Sort of a ring neck like snake.

Jason

Those are amazing pictures! What a great day, thank you for sharing with us!!

grown men on their belly's photographing little animals...
does it get any better ?
ck

Looks like heaven to me...hoggies everywhere!

Looks like it was a great day, wish I could have come along. I love the smooth green :)

Nice find with the smooth green snake! I've only seen one in my life even though they're supposed to be common here in MN.

Thanks for all the comments!! I really love that region. I have made 5-6 trips up there and we have had a great day every single time. If you can believe it we have seen at least 2 hognose each trip!!:eek::eek::eek:

I mean that is unreal!! There is no where else that I have even heard of where the hogs are that consistent. I will say that every trip out we have busted our butts all day to find the herps but it is a place where if you put the work in you actually get rewarded. :yessir:

Jason

Wow, that was a heck of a day.

Great finds and great shots; thanks for the post!

Love the photos. I love field herping vicariously through everyone. That's so cool. I love the Hog playing dead. I find it funny, but necessary for them since they're so small. Again, great photos. Glad you had an awesome time!