How to Keep a Herping Field Journal
What to record after a snake, lizard, or frog find — and how to keep that journal searchable without disturbing wildlife.
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Record the find, then leave the animal alone
A useful herping journal stores identity, a historical place, setting, and the picture or clip. It does not require pinning, flipping, or crowding the animal.
If you cannot identify to species, keep the group. Honesty travels better than a confident wrong name.
Location is the place of the find
Do not drop today's GPS on last year's road cruising photo. Confirm the historical place. Unknown is allowed as an answer; it does not unlock import.
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