Herping Texas: The Quest for Reptiles and Amphibians

Myrna and David K. Langford Books on Working Lands

by Michael A. Smith, Clint King

Coiled beneath discarded trash or rocky slabs, basking along river edges, and tucked into rock cuts beside the highway, reptiles and amphibians constantly surround us. While many people go out of their way to avoid snakes or shudder at the thought of touching a toad, herpers take to the field armed with cameras, hooks, and notebooks hoping to come across a horned lizard, green tree frog, or even a diamondback rattlesnake.

In Herping The Quest for Reptiles and Amphibians , Michael Smith and Clint King, expert naturalists and field herpers, take readers on their adventures across the state as they search for favorite herps and rare finds. Organized by ecoregion, Herping Texas describes some of the state’s most spectacular natural places, from Big Bend to the Big Thicket. Each chapter contains photographs of the various snakes, lizards, toads, and turtles Smith and King have encountered on their trips.

Part nature travel writing and part guide to field herping, Herping Texas also includes a section on getting started, where the authors give readers necessary background on best field herping practices. A glossary defines herping lingo and scientific terms for newcomers, and an appendix lists threatened and endangered species at the state and federal level.

Herping Texas promotes experiencing natural places and wildlife equipped with solid information and a responsible conservation ethic. Throughout their decades tracking herps, Smith and King have collected humorous anecdotes and fascinating facts about reptiles and amphibians. By sharing those, they hope to dispel some of the stigma and false ideas people have about these misunderstood animals.

336 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2018

About the author

I have been active in herpetology and natural history studies in Texas for many years, including time spent in the lab and in the field in a couple of Texas museums in the 1960s. Despite all that, my career was in psychology (I've been a licensed Psychological Associate for 35 years). Herpetology continued to be a second, unofficial career, including herpetological societies, giving talks, and writing.

Increasingly, my time in the field is more focused on mindful appreciation and less on searching for or capturing herps, though I still search for and photograph them.

My goal in writing is to share at least an echo of how wonderful it is to be out in some wild place and to encourage the kind of love for wild places that keeps us advocating for conservation.

Reviews

[Romey Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic ride through Texas exploring various ecological regions and the herps that define them. Michael and Clint share a wealth of knowledge through vignettes in the field painting vividly recollections of victory, trials, and sleep deprivation. As much a travel log as a natural history tome - this is the book for anyone interested in exploring Texas and Texas’ abundantly diverse reptilian and amphibian denizens. From novice to seasoned field herping veteran, this book carries within it something for everyone.

[Kathleen Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting for future wanderings around the state.