LinearWhich Side of the Mountain? (General Forum)
Hey guys, I'm going to be on a boa trip in the next week and a half, and want some advice.
This is in Arizona. What I understand of rosy activity says to stick to the South side of the mountain. In this instance, the North side is much easier to get to. What would you expect the activity difference would be like between the North and South sides of the mountain in March?
Which Side of the Mountain?
by rosy-man 
, Monday, March 08, 2010, 17:50 @ BryanHughes
lol try both sides and let us know
Which Side of the Mountain?
by locality , Monday, March 08, 2010, 18:01 @ rosy-man
Just hike to the south side lazzzzzy!
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Ballinherper
Which Side of the Mountain?
Ha, I assure you I will hike wherever they are. What I asked is if their activity this time of year favors one side vs. another, and to what degree.
think like a boa
by RosyBozo , Wasatch Mountains, Utah, Monday, March 08, 2010, 18:17 @ BryanHughes
You'll get better advice from the rocks than you will from this bunch of kooks.
Try the north side of boulder piles on the north slope, try the south side of boulder piles on the north slope. Then try the north side of boulder piles on the south slope, etc.
Spend some time checking everything out and while looking under the rocks notice the moisture levels, temp, etc. Where would you wanna be if you were a boa? 
I really mean it... you'll get better advice from the rocks than from us.
think like a boa
I think I am not being clear of what I'm asking. Do they have a tendency to winter one one side or the other, or does it not matter at all? I know from other animals that it often matters quite a bit which side of the hill you're on, and I don't know if that's also the case with rosy boas. Are you telling me that it doesn't matter, and a good location on the North side of the hill has just as much chance as anywhere else?
think like a boa
by billboard 
, Boaville, Southern California!, Monday, March 08, 2010, 18:51 @ BryanHughes
Just go out and look. If somebody told you exactly where and when; how much fun would the hunt be? Some of us spent years and years figuring this stuff out; and others gleaned allot of what they know from posts here; but nobody is going to tell you what rock the snake is under. You need to do that yourself.
Get up there and look at everything. Pay attention to details. The rocks do talk.
There is no such thing as luck.
Preparation + Opportunity = success.
You never know until you go.
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I can't tell you where to look; They're wherever you find 'em; They're like gold!
think like a boa
I can't answer any of your question, as I've only been flipping for boas for several years, and still figuring it out for myself (AND by myself!) but I head for the sunnyist side, check for moisture levels under the rocks and then check for prevailing winds. The wind probably don't matter much for rosys under rocks, but I'm also a 'crack addict' and I see lots more snakes sunning on the windward side of outcrops than the leeward sides. Then again, I'm no expert... but I do OK... jim
think like a boa
by RosyBozo , Wasatch Mountains, Utah, Monday, March 08, 2010, 20:29 @ Hellihooks
ah heck, I guess I should have been a little more humble like all the other boa bros.
I'm also new to world of trying to figure out the puzzle that is the rosy boa. I only caught my first boa a year ago this week. As bill pointed out, some people work very hard for years learning how it's done (like Bill), others are very lucky to be able to learn from them (like myself).
Still, I stand by the advice I gave in my first post. It is exactly what I would do if I were in your shoes.
Good luck on your trip. Please post some pics if you "strike gold".
think like a boa
The first boa I ever flipped was on the north side of a real good boa hill in coastal boa habitat. You stated mountain in your original post so I will add I've road cruised at least a dozen below the north facing slopes of a mountain too. I must say that it probably most depends on the mountain your talking about, and the roaming range around it.
Since I've never flipped a boa in AZ before you can take all that with a grain of salt.
Which Side of the Mountain?
Bryan, I've always wondered if the population density of rosys is the same over both sides of a mountain. It might stand to reason that it's not, if the warmer south side provides more suitable habitat and conditions (not just temps, but prey items, refugia, etc). I think most of the folks here have seen the majority of their boas on south-facing slopes, but we also concentrate our efforts there, so it may not mean much.
My temptation in your case would be to find little south-facing bumps on the north slope, and check those out.
Which Side of the Mountain?
Thank you very much to those who addressed my question. I'll let you know what we find.
Which Side of the Mountain?
If you are speaking mountain, and not hill, then the boas that live on the north side will certainly find overwintering sites on that side. They have fairly small home ranges. That said, there is a telemetry study on Boas from Organ Pipe that (if my memory serves me correctly) showed most of the Boas overwintering in south and western facing rock piles. I believe the study showed they were still in those piles in March.
I would do as the others here have said and look for south-ish facing bumps in the mostly northern topography. Best of luck to you. (unlike Billboard I believe there most certainly is some aspect of luck
Which Side of the Mountain?
Thanks Jeremiah, that's exactly the info I was looking for. Hoping luck is on my side!
