where,s best

[PINJOHN]

for a number of years now i have had a dream [more of a fantasy really] of coming to America and spending the whole time herping for garters this dream has been further fuelled by the threads i read from members who go out and come across unusual coloured snakes and ones of large size and so forth.
this got me wondering about which part of the USA is the most prolific that is to say which state or area has the most species/sub species occurring in it.
i am sure that quit a few of you will be arguing for your state so lets keep it a clean fight no gouging, biting, or hitting below the belt, [ and please keep the stories of your herping adventures coming in ]

[guidofatherof5]

I think much depends on the time of the year. This year at the Ranch we had a cool Spring and went right into very hot Summer. During the Spring I had a large number of snakes but once the heat hit they were gone. As Fall arrives they will be coming back towards the den under my deck(I hope).
I was out herping on Sunday looking for T.s.parietalis(Red Sided Garter snakes) and didn't see a single one. Once again the heat was playing a part in that. I think Spring and Fall in any good garter snake herping area is best.

[BUSHSNAKE]

The west coast from Wasington down to California starting with fitchi then into pickeringii, concinnus, infernalis,atratus,elegans then down to hammondi and i forgot about ordinoides

[Odie]

Being from Oregon, this realy hurts, California

[Selkielass]

Michigan has a nice variety of garters and almost garters- Easterns, Butlers, ribbon snakes, Dekayi, ring-neck snakes, Eastern Hognose and a number of less garter like snakes.
DNR - Michigan's Snakes
Many may be legally collected in small numbers. (Up to 6 total. see above web page.)

These people; index
Have done camps and educational programs on reptiles in the past- if you contact them they might be willing/able to act as herping guides. (It seems to have been what their camps were about.)

Windsor/ Canada is a short drive away with a relatively open border, and Ohio and Illinois are only a few hours drive away- may the right contacts and you might be able go go herping for Chicago garters, then Catch a show in Chicago itself. (Chicago is a pleasant 5 hour drive from Detroit.)

[kibakiba]

Never forget the ordinoides! They are wonderful garters. So beautiful So are the concinnus, and all the other garters...

[ConcinusMan]

Western Washington and Oregon have T.s concinnus, T. ordinoides (in great many variations) and T. elegans. The east side (desert side) of those two states has T.s. fitchi mostly

Oh, and let's not forget about the Puget sound area. You know what's around there.

I am curious though, where in the USA can you find the most species/subspecies of garter snakes in one place. I wonder.

[New Mutant]

Is Kansas a good place for garters?

[guidofatherof5]

Here's the range of T.sirtalis and its subspecies as described on page 263 of "The Garter Snake-Evolution and Ecology by Douglas A.Rossman, Neil B. Ford and Richard A. Seigel
I've seen some beautiful high red parietalis's come out of Kansas.

[ConcinusMan]

There it is again. That L.A. area range for T.s. concinnus. It doesn't exist. Never did, so why do keep finding this on maps I wonder.