Artificial Cover?

[blowgunsgalore]

What do you think is the best kind of artificial cover to use? Where are some good places to put the cover or look for cover?

[youbeyouibei]

Where are you herping? Your backyard, a tree line, brush area, forested area...? That'll make a difference as to what you bring in. Non-treated wood such as a sheet of plywood in an open area or near a "border" area (tree line to start of grassy area or edge of body of water to tree/brush line, etc.) is a good start. What are you looking to find? Anything in particular or whatever reptile/herp you happen to come across?

I built a snake "trap" in the windbreak of trees on my property. Put up silt fencing that construction companies use to keep the dirt from washing away as wings about 10' long in either direction from the apex point of the trap, which was a wooden box with hardware cloth for the bottom/sides and a solid wood top. I cut small holes with wooden ramps leading up to them in the sides of the box toward either wing and then just checked it daily.

The wings were staked to the ground and directed snakes into the trap by them trying to find a way past the cloth. Caught a few corns and one really grouchy copperhead in the two weeks I had it out. Passed the time in the summer growing up, lol!

[blowgunsgalore]

Going for bullsnakes mainly, but ill be happy with whatever finds itself underneath my cover. Do you happen to have pics of your trap and set up? I dont really get what your talking about, and if im getting what youre saying then a snake that is taller than the drop off could just crawl right back on out?

[youbeyouibei]

No, I don't have pictures, sorry. Built it as a kid and didn't think to take any at the time; sorry. As to the drop off, yes, they could find their way out and how often they would, wellllll...I really couldn't say, lol! I have zero experience with bullsnakes and their habitat, as the animals in my neck of the woods are primarily corn snakes, some rat snakes, copperheads and in the southern part of the state Easter Timber Rattlesnakes.

I'll see if I can figure out how to upload an image and show you a sketch of what I'm talking about, as the original trap is long since gone.

[Mrgbb]

by far the best thing to put down is corrugated sheet metal. wild animals seem to love it... just dont put it on the dirt because if it rains the mud will cover the whole thing try placing it on tall grass or on some leaves.

Oh also if there is a trail in the forrest or wherever your putting this in than try to place the sheet metal like 50ft of trail but somewhere where you wont forget where it is.
ive had better luck putting it farther away from the trail rather than close to the trail.

[MTovar]

Good info given here, transitions from woods, rocky areas, rock walls, old buildings. I really like corrugated metal used for roofing as well.



1 more tip is layering. Allow for thermoregulation. You can use plywood and then the metal overlapped on one side. Gives them choice on temps.

Good luck!

[Jason Bowden]

What I call snake traps aren't traps at all. Like others here, I just use old plywood, etc. in a pile, just a layer or two. I recently put some of these out on a peice of wooded property I own. I used some scrap peices of plywood left over from building deer stands. Next time I go field herping there I'll take some pics.