Episode 21: From Mexico with Love: A Conversation with the Vought Family

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Hello everyone and welcome to Episode Twenty One!  I recorded a bunch of material while in Mexico back in September, including this episode with Shaun, Jeni, and Brandon Vought.  I recorded our interview at the Casa Juarez bed and breakfast in La Paz (an excellent place operated by a lovely Italian couple), where we stayed before visiting Isla Cerralvo just off the coast.  Herping families are a fairly common thing now, which I think is pretty cool, and so I was happy to get the Voughts talking about their experiences.  A herping family and a family of metal heads as well (hence the intro done by Shaun and Brandon).  I hope you enjoy our conversation – I know a number of parents who provide their children with full experiences out in the wide world, and not just with amphibians and reptiles.  And I’m proud to know them.

FUTURE SHOW NOTE:   I am still asking you to send me interesting herp jargon!  I’ve got a neat little pile, but I need more!  Get those pithy phrases and clever words to me via the show email below, and we’ll get a future episode together from the results!

And as always, please keep the comments and suggestions coming!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions. heavy metal t-shirts, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

Episode 20: Crackin’ Foxy with Steve Marks

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Howdy herpsters! And welcome to Episode Twenty!  My guest is Steve Marks from Windsor, Ontario.  And at left we see composite photos of Steve engaged in tracking fox snakes.  Steve and I have been buddies for a long while now, and I am happy to get him on the show and talking about his projects and passions, which are often one and the same thing.  One of the things we talked about is the Herb Gray Eco-Highway conservation project which Steve has been a part of for many years.  The man has taken a deep dive into fox snakes and I was happy to get him talking about it!  I’ve also had the privilege of watching Steve radio-track one of his beloved study animals up in Windsor – the man has done a wonderful job in not only keeping fox snakes going in Windsor, but in future-proofing their populations as well.

Steve is a well-traveled fellow and we covered some of his herp adventures in detail.  I enjoyed our chat and didn’t realize until near the end that we talked for nearly two hours!  Wanna meet Steve?  Come on down to Snake Road during Canadian Thanksgiving some time.  Here are some links related to this episode:

A wonderful blog post written by James Paterson about the Eco-Pass and other projects

The Canadian Herpetological Society

Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, Steve’s favorite herp charity

TRIVIA:  The teaser intro is borrowed from the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor, and adapted from Dashiell Hammett’s novel of the same name.  I’m doing my best to bring back obscure phrases like “crackin’ foxy” and “I won’t play the sap for you!”  And if you haven’t already seen it, the Maltese Falcon is worth your time.  Film noir murder mystery at its finest and heaps of obscure phrases.

FUTURE SHOW NOTE:  Speaking of obscure phrases, once again I am asking you to send me interesting herp jargon!  Get those pithy phrases and clever words to me via the show email below, and we’ll get a future episode together from the results.!

And as always, please keep the comments and suggestions coming!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions. maltese falcons, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

 

Episode 19: Ending the Hiatus with Dr. Alex Krohn

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Hello everyone and welcome back to the show!  After a few weeks off, here we go with Episode Nineteen, which features Dr. Alex Krohn.  Alex and I have been friends for a decade, and we have visited some exotic places, and had many an interesting conversation, so I am happy to have one more conversation to share with you!

Alex is the assistant director of the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History at the University of California, Santa Cruz.  I took the photo of Alex, his wife Allie, and their dog Juniper at the south end of Snake Road a few days ago.  It was great to hang out with the three of them while seeing some cool serpents on the road.  Thanks for coming on the show, Alex, it was great to talk with you again!

FUTURE SHOW NOTE:  In the intro I asked everyone to send me interesting herp jargon!  Get those pithy phrases and clever words to me via the show email below, and we’ll get a future episode together from the results.

And as always, please keep the comments and suggestions coming!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions. nights at the museum, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

Episode 18: A Campfire Chat with Mike Cravens

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Hi everyone and welcome!  For Episode Eighteen, we travel to Arizona to talk with Michael Cravens.  Mike and I go waaaay back, and we’ve spent time in the field together in a number of cool places, and had a number of interesting conversations around various campfires (hence the episode title).  Mike and his wife Mary are from Missouri but have lived out in AZ for a number of years now, and it was good for me to chat with my old friend and catch up.

Along with talking herps, I also heard about Mike’s work with the Arizona Wildlife Federation, and a couple of his side interests, including Hunt To Eat.  Here’s a link to an article Mike wrote for HTE – “A Life Defined By Wild Places”, which I think you will find interesting. I am also including a YouTube link to “Wild Game Big Mac Challenge”, where Mike takes on the infamous hamburger using a pound or two of elk.  That was fun Mike!  You’re a natural and it was great to see the kids in there.  And now I want an Big Elk Mac!

Mike is also involved with BackCountry Hunters and Anglers – which I didn’t know much about, but I enjoyed looking through their website and there’s a lot of interesting material there.  If you’re a hunter or angler and you haven’t already checked BHA out, take a look!.

Thanks for coming on the show, Mike!  Good to talk with you again.  And thanks for listening, everyone!  And don’t forget, the podcast will be taking a two week hiatus after this episode, while I do some traveling.  In the meantime, please keep the comments and suggestions coming!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions. game cooking, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

 

 

 

Episode 17: Toadally Priya: A Conversation with Priya Nanjappa

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Hello everyone and welcome!  Episode Seventeen features my conversation with Priya Nanjappa (photo courtesy of Kevin Urbanek).  Among other things, Priya spent ten years with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), and served as the state agencies coordinator for Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC), and she currently serves as one of the commissioners on the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission. During our conversation, we got into the nuts and bolts of wildlife conservation, and we also talked about the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which should be of interest to anyone who enjoys herps (or any wildlife, for that matter). From Rep Dingell’s press release: “RAWA is the most signification investment in wildlife and habitat conservation in a generation. The bill would dedicate roughly $1.4 billion to the Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program for proactive, voluntary efforts led by the states, territories and tribal nations to prevent vulnerable wildlife from becoming endangered.”  That’s 1.4 billion EVERY YEAR, folks.

On another note, you all should know that So Much Pingle is not Priya’s first podcast rodeo – we also talked about her guest appearance (as it were) on Alie Ward’s Ologies podcast, where the subject was “Bufology”. You can listen to the Ologies toad episode on your favorite podcast platform. You can also follow Priya on twitter (@toadallypriya) and on Instagram (wildbeautifulworld).

Thanks for coming on the show, Priya, and hanging in there while we worked through some technical difficulties!  And thanks for listening, everyone!  Please keep the comments and suggestions coming!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions. toad therapy, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

 

Episode 16: The Mayor of New River: A Conversation With Daniel Dye

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Hello again everyone, and welcome to Episode Sixteen!  I’ve been having a conversation with Daniel Dye for more than a decade, and for this segment, microphones were put into play!  Along with amphibians and reptiles, Daniel also has a great deal of knowledge and experience with insects, spiders, and other invertebrates, and fortunately for all of us, he’s crafty with a camera, and so there are a number of venues where you can check out his work.  We didn’t cover it in the interview, but Daniel is also a serious audiophile, and he has a home audio system that he built himself that will blow your hair back (I’ve been there, done that).  I get a kick out of his Facebook posts that feature a delicious breakfast and a selected album to go with it.  Jethro Tull’s ‘Minstrel in the Gallery’ was on the turntable this morning – tasty stuff, Daniel!

Be sure to check out Daniel’s Florida Backyard Snakes site, which also has a corresponding Facebook Group. And you can follow Daniel on Instagram (he’s @danielddyeii) and he’s on Flickr as well as Daniel D. Dye II.  It was great talking with you again Daniel, and thanks for coming on the show!   And as always, thanks for listening, everyone!  Please keep the comments and suggestions coming!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions. product placement, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

 

Episode 15: More with Justin Elden

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Hello again everyone, here is Episode Fifteen, the second part of my conversation with Justin Elden on this Sunday double-fun day.  The main thrust of our conversation is Justin’s work in Guatemala with the Highlands and Islands Conservatory, which is centered around the pictured Guatemalan pit viper, Bothriechis aurifer, but of course includes other herps and more importantly, their habitats.  And of course, we wandered off topic, but in ways you’ll appreciate!

Justin and his associates put in a lot of time and effort with this conservation project, and that includes getting the local people involved, and in some cases employed. So what can YOU do to help?  Pretty simple – buy a tshirt or other merch at the links below and I will say thanks in advance!

The Highlands and Islands Conservatory also has a FaceBook page that you can follow.  I’m also including a link to the associated Ranchitos del Quetzal Natural Reserve, where birders come to see the Resplendant Quetzal, and which I myself hope to visit when travel is again open and safe.  I might even look for a quetzal.

Here’s the link to Highlands and Islands merchandise, which feature Bothriechis aurifer, and here is the link to the original Mayan t-shirt design, which is pretty cool as well.

One more bit of Herp Love:  here’s a link to the FaceBook page of Andres Novales, who is involved with the conservation projects with his buddy Justin.  Andres shares his great photos of Guatemalan wildlife on his page.  Check it out!

And on a final note: we make fun of Marlin Perkins a bit, but the dude was pretty bad-ass in all actuality….

Once again, thanks Justin for coming on the show!  And thanks for listening, everyone!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, herp confessions, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

Episode 14: Zootopia: A Conversation with Justin Elden

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Hey there herpsters, it’s Episode Fourteen!  What shall we talk about?  Let’s ask the triumphant dude on the left, the one with the little viper in a tube.  That’s Justin Elden, the viper is Armenian (Montivipera raddei), and guess where they are?  In this episode, I talk with Justin about his involvement with the St. Louis Zoo’s mountain viper conservation project, (be sure to check out the link for more info and cool photos).

Justin and I both grew up in the St. Louis area, and we had a lot to talk about.  The time just flew by as we covered a number of topics, and we talked so much that I decided to split the interview into two parts!  Both episodes drop today, so bonus!  There’s more to come with Mr. Elden and you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for talking with me, Justin, and thanks for listening, everyone!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, trainspotting, scary bear stories, herp confessions, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

Episode 13: Watch the Skies with Josh Wallace

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Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode Thirteen!  Lucky!  We’re talking about herps, herp trips, photography, and the overall coolness of the cosmos with Josh Wallace.  We’ve been to some places, and we’ve seen some things…..Josh also brings a strong herp meme game to social media, and we talk about that, and much, much more.  The fantastic photo at top left is representative of Josh’s astroscape work with a camera.  Think about it, folks – while you’re tucked snug in your beds, Josh is slapping his cheeks to stay awake and capture images of the universe as it wheels overhead.

So what’s the correct way to pronounce Charina?  Is it Shar-eena, Chair-eena, Car-eenah or Car-eyenah?  Shar-eye-nah? Susan? Nobody seems to know, or agree.  Regardless of how you pronounce it, you can check out Josh’s herp, landscape, and astro photography at his Charina Photography portfolio site.  You can also follow Josh on Instagram – @charina.photography

Thanks for listening, everyone!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, arguments about pronunciations, cosmic debris, herp confessions, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike

Episode 12: @snakeymama: A Conversation with Dr. Emily Taylor

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Welcome to Episode Twelve!   In this installment, I talk with Dr. Emily Taylor, professor of biological sciences at Cal Poly (California Polytechnic State University), and we cover a number of topics, including rattlesnakes and leopard lizards.  Dr. Taylor is pursuing some fascinating lines of research and her passion for her work comes shining through.  Now this episode comes with some homework – I want you all to read “Squirrels vs Rattlesnakes“, an article Dr. Taylor posted to medium.com just a few days ago.  You’ll be glad you did!

We also talked about her Rattlesnake Beauty Pageant Calendar project – I know many of you will be interested, and 100% of the proceeds from sales of this calendar will benefit Advocates for Snake Preservation.  Dr. Taylor sent out a call for high-quality photos of our buzzy pals, and when the herp world responded, she chose the best of the best for this calendar.  Check it out!   I pre-ordered mine today.  You can also follow Emily on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram – she’s “@snakeymama” on TW and IG.  The cartoon image of Emily featured here is her Twitter avatar, and was rendered by Ethan Kocak, who also did the artwork for this show!  He does good work.

Thanks so much for coming on the show, Emily, I enjoyed our conversation and my brain is still in high gear thinking about some of the things we talked about!

Thanks for listening, everyone!  The show email is somuchpingle@gmail.com, and there’s also a So Much Pingle group on Facebook, for discussion, comments, feedback, suggestions, robot burrow-cams, herp confessions, tips for herping better, etc.

Stay tuned for more episodes! And don’t forget to herp better!

-Mike