The following is a list of ethics, rules, and tips that we feel are necessary to all field herpers and will improve the quality of your herping and your safety in the field. These are all things that we personally feel are important, and you must obviously make your own decisions in the field based on your own authority. Enjoy!
- The most important thing about going into the field is being legal. Make sure that you have the proper permits and documentation necessary for your area and that you are only herping places that you legally have access to. Property owners in many parts of the US will shoot at trespassers on site and this is a situation that we would strongly suggest you avoid easily by obeying your local laws.
- Collecting snakes from the wild has been greatly debated with the vast number of bloodlines that are being bred in captivity. We don’t take species from the wild, but if you do decide that you feel it is ok, make sure that you are familiar with what species are protected and if collecting is allowed in your area. Permits are also needed in certain states to keep, breed, and sell native fauna so this should be researched as well. We would also advise that you note what you are taking as over collection can devastate or destroy a population of fauna in an area very quickly.
- An essential tool for all field herpers is a quality field guide that allows for natural history facts, descriptions, and pictorial representations of native species to help with identification. We would advise that you memorize and know ALL of the native venomous species in your area by sight, because all it takes is one misidentification to provoke serious consequences.
- When you are in the field you will most likely utilize the method of flipping or bark ripping and there are some ethical concerns that arise with these two methods. When you flip cover or rip away bark you are exposing a very important microhabitat that is alive and thriving under that cover. As a field herper your dedication is to finding herps, but first and foremost it should be towards the conservation of the animals that you enjoy seeking so much. Make sure that you are taking care to do as little damage as possible to the natural cover these animals seek by replacing items where you found them. It is normally best to replace things, but in some cases you may have an opportunity to create a microhabitat out of newly fallen trees or limbs and in this case you can leave a spot better than you found it. Unethical herping seems to be running rampant in our community with new herpers not taking the time to replace cover, and destroying habitat because they don’t think its worthy of being savored. Just because you didn’t find an animal under that particular log on that occasion doesn’t mean that it may not be utilized 3 hours later by a massive King or gorgeous Milk. All cover, large or small, needs to be treated as if it is precious and this should be your greatest concern in the field. The more we herp the more we see our normal spots being torn to shreds by other herpers who don’t share these values and don’t seem to understand how nature works. So we ask you to please think about these things, and if it was worth the time and effort to lift the rock or log, then it’s worth the effort of replacing it where you found it because this is more important. Not only that, but ethical herping like this will be rewarded with more respect in the field from your peers and more invitations to go on bigger, better hunts down the line. Ethical herping is smart herping, and smart herping leads to better conservation, more finds, and more fun!
- A great place to find information, locations, and fellow herpers are local Herpetological Societies and Conservation Organizations in your area. These can be great places to learn more about the art of field herping and improve your skills, as well as make new friends that share this common interest. We would suggest getting involved in these societies as they will benefit you, and most of the monetary benefits from fees and fundraisers goes straight back into the conservation of the fauna that you love and seek.
- Handling venomous snakes! We do not doubt that you haven’t seen Steve Irwin, Jeff Corwin, or Austin Stevens wrangling a venomous snake on television in a theatrical way that makes it seem awesome. We hate to disappoint you, but most of these stunts are done with planted, captive bred snakes that are used to human presence. We have personally had a close encounter with a venomous snake early on in our herping experiences, and since that incident we can safely say that the closest we have been to a venomous snake is the length of the hook or tongs we're using to handle it. There is no need to ever grab, hold, touch, or tail a venomous snake unless you are keeping them or conducting scientific studies. These stunts are, in our opinion, just a way for these people to reaffirm to themselves that they are “men” and get an adrenaline rush. We have taken many great photos of these beautiful, venomous animals and never needed to get any closer than our lens can get me. We would suggest taking pictures from a distance and remembering that most North American venomous species are unpredictable, thermal sensitive, and aggressive animals that deserve respect and distance. We hunt with snake boots that are puncture resistant, and we photograph venomous snakes with a longer lens to increase the distance between ourselves and the snake. North American snakes have an average striking distance equal to 1/3 of their body length, with the Western Diamondback having a little bit longer reach and Coral Snakes have a shorter reach. Most venomous species will pose perfectly for you without any modification at all, and any that needs to be done can be done from the reach of tongs or a hook. This is just our opinion, and as a disclaimer we would like to encourage everyone to avoid handling venomous snakes while they are in the field and if you feel uncomfortable when a venomous snake is encountered, just turn and back away slowly to diffuse the situation as safely as possible.
We would like to end this section with a quick overview of our own venomous snake bite procedures, and if you live in an area where venomous herps are encountered we would suggest that you come up with a procedure of your own.
In the case of a venomous snake bite:
- Identify the snake that bit you correctly so that proper antivenom procedures can be taken when you arrive at the hospital.
- DO NOT PANIC!! Increased blood flow only worsens the effects of the venom, so try to elevate the limb and stay as still and calm as possible. Do not run and make sure that you are maintaining a slow heart rate so that you are not worsening your condition by helping the spread of the venom.
- If you have a cell phone available (and you should) call 911 and alert them that you’ve been bit, what you were bit by, and where you are at. This should begin the search for antivenom as quickly as possible and an ambulance should be dispatched to you. After that call we call a friend or family member close by so that they know what has happened and where we are at so they can get to us ASAP.
- There are many “snake bite kits” on the market today, but none have been proven to decrease the effects or seriousness of a bite. We do not carry a bite kit with us, but we do carry a quick tourniquet in the case of a bite. If you are planning on having to leave a tourniquet on for long periods of time then we’d advise you to NOT use one, but limbs can be fine if a tourniquet is applied briefly. My plan is to rinse the bite wound thoroughly with bottled water, and to apply the tourniquet upstream from the bite but as locally as possible. DO NOT CUT THE PUNCTURE WOUNDS OR SUCK OUT VENOM WITH YOUR MOUTH!! This does not help and only damages the bitten area more.
- Try to move as calmly and slowly as possible towards a safe pick-up point for the ambulance or your friend to get you and take you to the hospital. Keep your mind alert and focused so that you are responsive when they arrive as this is your best chance at a recovery and survival.
- Know what is being given to you medicinally as many hospitals do not have good envenomation procedures in place and can try to give you medicines that may worsen your status before improving it. They are trying to help, but snake bites don’t happen often. Alert the medical team to any allergies you have that may conflict with what they are prescribing you, and be aware of what is going on around you.
DISCLAIMER: These are OUR precautions and procedures and are not here to ensure your safety or survival. They are only a summary to give you an idea of how to deal with an accidental envenomation. We would suggest contacting your local area hospital and seeing what their procedures are, as well as investigating other procedures to come up with your own.
We hope that these tips and ethics have provided you an insight into how to best conduct yourself in the field, and have encouraged you to get into the hobby of field herping. It is truly awesome to witness the snakes that we hold so dear in their natural environment, and it is a great way to help out conservationists and researchers alike by keeping good field notes and promoting these values. Enjoy your field herping and share your experiences and passions with others through photography and conversation.