It's usually during spring or fall herping trips that I come across most of my sightings of Northwestern, Coast, Mountain, and CA Red-sided Garters. Summer in the misty Northwest however usually inspires us to travel an hour or two inland to any one of the 6 to 7 major rivers around us. This means countless run-ins with Oregon Garters! Now most wild garters will try to defecate on you when taken in hand, and Oregon Garters are no different. However... of all the species I usually come across, T. atratus hydrophilus is the most apt to draw blood. Here's a few pics of some snappers!


So. Fk. Salmon River, SW Siskiyou County


Sapphire Lake/Stuart Fork Creek, NW Trinity County



Stuart Fork Creek, NW Trinity County


So. Fk. Chetco River, SW OREGON

I love these snakes!

Steve