The first Sanderson alterna I found was from the first big cut west of town. I'll never forget that moment, as I had told my buddy that all I wanted to find was a light gray and black alterna, and ten minutes later, there one was. Since then Ive found six more from that cut, spending many hours walking back and forth through the lechugilla and and acacia, literally wearing a trail into the sides of the embankment. Besides alterna, this cut is home to many other species of snakes. Ive seen blacktails, copperheads, diamondbacks, lepidus, subocs, longnose, nightsnakes, blackheaded snakes, and gartersnakes.

RWH2467LASanderson22mWF1maleCMSweb
IMG1323

This snake was spotted by me on the last night of my trip in June 2007. I was unable to catch it since it was too high on the cut. Nathan Wells collected it a few weeks later. John Fraser had collected and then released it many years before that.

F1 female. I dont keep many babies, but this one was worth it. Click here to see my parents. Parents are from same cut west of Sanderson. WSNDF1
RWH2475LASanderson25mWCMSweb
RWH2236LASanderson23mWfemaleCMSweb

This female was hatched from the clutch the female to the left dropped after her capture. I consider this snake a wildcaught snake. WSNDF4

Female collected by C. Smith 2.4 miles west of Sanderson. WSANDF3
RWH2390LAmaleSanderson25mNCMSweb
IMG0958

This F1 female is the clutchmate to WSNDF1. She was given away as a hatchling and has since found her way back to me. WSNDF6

This male was collected by C. Smith the night after WSNDF3, a few yards away, likely the father to her clutch. WSNDM3
RWH2215LASanderson22mWmaleCMSweb
RWH2298LASandersonWfemaleCMSweb

Male collected by B. Haase 2.3 miles west of Sanderson. Collected 7/9/2004 WSNDM1

Collected by C. Smith 2.3 miles west of Sanderson 6/12/2007. This snake was gravid at time of capture, but that wasnt known for several weeks later. WSND2F2
RWH2701LASanderson14mWPecosCoRTHweb
RWH2707LASanderson14mWPecosCoRTHweb

Male collected by E. Timmeaus same cut west of Sanderson as the snake to the left. WSND14F1

Female collected by E. Timeaus first cut west of Pecos County line . WSND14M1
RWH2288LASanderson25mWfemaleRECMSweb
RWH2519LASanderson25mWmaleCMSweb

This male's mother (below) was collected while gravid and subsequently deposited eggs, which produced him. I consider this a wild snake.WSNDM2

This female was collected by Roy Engledorf at 325 AM on his way home from black gap. WSNDF5 This snake is now in the collection of Nathan Wells.

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