The Sanderson Snake Days event was more than a giant gathering of field herpers; it was a public service event and a bridge building event for Texas herpers, too.

It was also a homecoming of sorts for some, and new beginning for others, including me. We were showing Texas Parks and Wildlife that we could not only follow the rules, but that our presence field herping was a positive one. We had rules to follow at night walking the public rights of way, and permits to buy, but that did not deter a single person. We infused the local economy with our money. We collected trash on the highways and assisted non-reptile motorists. There was also a lot of data collection for researchers.

Sitting around and listening to stories of days gone by was amazing. Learning tricks from people who have been doing this longer than I have been alive was well worth the price of the flight. There was a feeling of family that was obvious to me, a first-timer out with the West Texas herpers.

Our community is more than just the animals we keep at home. Our community is greater than our financial gains and losses. The diversity in our goals has never been so transparent to me as it was sitting in the middle of nowhere in Texas. This event really proved to me that we are not an industry, but a great community.