It can be difficult to imagine field herping while surrounded by such cold and blustery conditions that the winter often brings us. But that is what makes January the perfect month to prepare for warmer and hopefully rainier days ahead.
Here is a list, though not comprehensive, of a few things that new and aspiring field herper can do indoors as we await late February for the uptick in herp activity outside.
Learn to ID a single group of herps. When I first started birding, I was easily overwhelmed by the myriads of species that I could not identify beyond the backyard feeder. Somone suggested that I focus on a particular family of birds that interested me. I started with hawks because I was interested in their predatory nature. There were only a handful to identify, and most were common. From their it was owls, then woodpeckers, then sparrows, you get the point. If I could make a suggestion in this caseā¦ to me, Frogs and Toads are the ideal family of herps to begin honing your focus on identification. They are early breeders, locally common and literally announce their presence audibly during breeding season. You canāt find all of Indianaās 17 individual species in one county, but that makes it a little easier to just try to learn the species in your county. The HHS website is an outstanding free resource to see multiple photos and hear their calls. While you can try to memorize the calls yourself, donāt hesitate to include a family member to quiz you as they play the calls at random. It can be a fun and engaging way to involve others.
If you find yourself really enjoying learning to ID herps and are quickly consuming information, consider purchasing some books. Amphibians & Reptiles of Indiana by Dr. Sherman Minton is the quintessential single volume on the subject. It is easy to read and delightful to look at. Purdue Extension has also published 4 individual books that make it very easy to stay focused on just one group of herps. They are Turtles of Indiana, Salamanders of Indiana, Snakes and Lizards of Indiana, and Frogs and Toads of Indiana. These books also include photos and range maps and make for an excellent alternative to being online. They can be purchased at Purdue Extensionās education store online or, for an even greater adventure, treat yourself to visiting the bookstore at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County. You can also find a treasure trove of information in Mike Pingleton and Joshua Holbrookās The Field Herping Guide. To my knowledge, this is the most current and readily-available āhow-toā guide. While not focused specifically on Indiana, the tips, knowledge, and wisdom in this book is immediately applicable and is an excellent companion to a beginner.
Start researching public land locations in your area that may have a pond or wetland. No matter how small it may be, it will likely hold herps. Keep a list of those places that you want to visit and continue to add to it as you learn more.
Lastly, you can discover the huge resource of YouTube videos and Podcasts. Some good podcasts are The Orianne Societyās Snake Talk, and Colubird and Colubroid Radio. But my personal favorite has been So Much Pingle by the aforementioned Mike Pingleton. The list of a Mikeās guests and subject matter is cornucopia of content that is sure to keep one entertained for countless hours. My two favorite herping channels on YouTube are NKFHerping (featuring Georgia-based Noah Fields who takes you on first-person adventures all over the southeast and beyond) and Life Underfoot (which feature shorter but intensely rich and rare footage expertly captured and shot of native herps by some HHS alumni!) These two YouTube channels alone would keep even the most-seasoned herper enthused and inspired and honestly deserve their own features in future newsletters.
This list should serve only as a mere springboard to launch a new and aspiring field herper in to learning and planning oneās own individual adventures in 2025!
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