How do you go garter hunting?

[ConcinusMan]

I'm pretty good at finding good spots using satellite imagery. That's how I found the spot where I get the blue anery's. I have to tell you, the areas around Mugu Lagoon, or Ventura co. game reservation look very promising. Take a look using google maps and set it to satellite view, and zoom in. Looks green and wet. perfect for garters. CA red sided are highly aquatic. You're not going to find them far from water, and much of the time, they're going to be IN the water hunting amphibians.

[Selkielass]

I take. Slow silent walks between an old railroad track and the drainage areas adjacent to it. Morning, just as the heat starts to rise is when they like to sun on the fringes of the brush and grass. They are pretty much impossible. For me to spot unless they spook when I am close and I spot the movement before they disappear.
Piles of dumped turf and debris seem to be favors cover also.

I haven't had much luck with our dry weather.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I know there aren't any Garters in Europe [except for escaped ones in Sweden] so i don't know any garter herping advice.Try to look for them on South facing hills because that's where i find i have my most success finding Common lizards and Slow worms [haven't found any Grass snakes yet though]

[BUSHSNAKE]

I live in Ventura county also . I have never purposely gone looking for snakes in our area, but I love to hike so I have seen some. I've seen rattlesnakes while hiking through the Conejo valley trails off the 101. As for garters, I worked for a winery in Santa Ynez (way out in happy canyon) where I would see Thamnophis hammondii all the time. There is a lake on the property which probably supports their population. They were always coming down to the winery for a wine tasting .

Sounds awesome!

[Steveo]

I'm pretty good at finding good spots using satellite imagery. That's how I found the spot where I get the blue anery's.

That's generally my approach too. The difficult thing in the Denver area is that most of the public areas around water are parks; herping is allowed but I get a lot of dirty looks from other park-goers. I've been considering approaching ranch owners and such about herping on their lands.

[annulataarethebest]

In the area where I live you can find dozens of garter snakes a day, or none at all. The area I herp is a street that leads to some train tracks, on the left side are the tracks on the right side is a hill, basically what's left of the woods that used to be here. Now I never find snakes in the wooded area, but at the bottom of the hill, right next to the street, you can find eastern garters (if you're lucky), northern brown snakes, maybe a northern ringneck if you're lucky, and handfuls and handfuls of shorthead garter snakes. Under boards, rocks, trash, out in the open, if it's about 75 degrees, 6 pm, you can find a lot of them hiding, any earlier and warmer than that they're usually roaming out in the open.

[jaleely]

This is actually great advice, guys, and what i've been looking for! Awesome! : ) I wish i'd gone out today!
I have to say though i really don't know what i'll do when i find one...probably get really excited, try to catch it, get bit...and then try to talk myself out of wanting to take it home *lol* I know they can have parasites and things...and taking them from the wild is bad...but wouldn't they like a nice safe home with me, where i feed them pinky parts and trout? *lol*
Maybe it's a good thing i haven't found any!

[CoffeeBlack]

Maybe this is terrible but Ive had great luck around shopping centers and business parks. The larger ones have drainage ponds and those ponds often have food.

[EasternGirl]

Doesn't blue red-sided garters sound like infernalis or San Frans? Anyway....it's not necessarily terrible to take home a snake from the wild. Most of us have done it. People have different views on it. I think herping is an awesome hobby and a great way to enjoy nature and see the beautiful snakes you have in your area. Always know which venomous snakes are in your area though and how to identify them...that is my rule of thumb for herping. My view on taking snakes from the wild is that there has to be a balance...we can't just pluck all the snakes we wish from the wild and take them home...not good for the snakes...not good for the environment. But I never judge someone who finds a lovely snake and chooses to keep it...as long as it isn't federally protected. I personally use the philosophy that if the snake seems like it would be better where I found it in the wild, I leave it be. If there is a reason the snake would not do well where it is...danger of being killed, or injury and so forth...I take it home. Considering the fact that we can get CB snakes pretty readily on here...I try not to take them out of the wild if I don't have to. Four of mine were WC...two I rescued from bad situations and one was from an expo, one is from a friend.

[jaleely]

My opinion sways back and forth all the time. I'll be honest, when it benifits me, it sways that way for sure *lol*
I don't mind WC garters...in general what i don't like like is imports.
But, that's a whole different thread!

First i have to find the little buggers, next is finding a day to go herping, and lastly, if i felt i needed to keep it, i'd have to figure out how safe that would be for my other snakes. Quarantine time, and maybe deworming? Don't most WCs need to be dewormed?