Reptile & Amphibian
News Blog
Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.
Tuesday, June 5 2012
After spending a week with some of the latest gear I have put together a list of things that I field tested and can recommend, or that will be required to comply with Texas Reptile & Amphibian Stamp for hunting along the road right of way. Here are a few of the items I would recommend.
Lighting is the most critical tool for roaming around in the desert at night, and LED lighting technology is probably the best technological advance (other than WiFi in the hotel rooms) since I last spent any time in the field.
The first generation of LED lighting was hardly, if ever, an improvement over the halogen bulbs long in favor with light manufacturers. With the second generation of LED lights, however, LED lighting has truly come into it's own, offering lights that far exceed even the brightest halogens in the tiniest packages. Huge 5 million candlepower corded spotlights from back in the day, with massive reflectors that could open a shopping mall, have been supplanted by units like the Cyclops, a 9 watt LED rechargable unit smaller tham most corded lights of old, and yet with the power that far exceeds the 5 or 10 million candlepower units from back in the day.
Best of all LED technology is an energy miser, I was able to use my Cyclops for 20+ hours straight before I needed to recharge it. The Cyclops comes in a bubble pack with both a an AC and a 12V car charger. I liked this so much I bought a second one! | |
| I was hoping to find a light for focusing my camera at night, I was also looking for a headlamp, and also something to replace my "Stubby" 12v fluorescent "tube" lamp. When I stumbled across the 300 Lumen Forehead Bonfire headlamp, a light designed for working closeup in medical situations, I found a light that did all three jobs at once. Again, brighter than most of the old handheld spot lights, this unit comes with 3 AAA batteries, which give it just enough power to get though a night walking the cuts.
You will want to buy some rechargable AAA batteries, and a charger as the Forehead Bonfire does eat batteries faster than you realize. There are other brighter headlamps out there but this one, adjustable between spot and flood, seems to offer the best balance of light and longevity. |
There has been a lot of talk and discussion about the "reflective clothing" requirement in the new regs. To comply with the regulations associated with the Reptile and Amphibian Stamp you need to wear clothing with 144 square inches of reflective material on the front. and 144 square inches of reflective material on the back as well.
These nylon mesh ANSI 2 rated safety vests by Neiko meet or exceed the regulation requirements, and are relatively inexpensive. Made of a lightweight nylon mesh they can be worn over a T-Shirt without causing too much extra heat and discomfort. And they will help keep you safe as you walk along the road shoulder with 18 wheelers whizzing by.
Arguments aside, wear one of these and you won't get a ticket. At least for what your wearing. | |
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