How to find wild eastern newts?

[Sith the turtle]

Hello all, I am a new member looking for some eastern newts. I honestly want some captive bred ones, but I have not found any yet. But the only problem I have is I can not find any newts in the wild either! If anybody has any habitat types to find them in would be great, as well as areas in Georgia where they are confirmed to be caught

 

[Otterwoman]

We have a whole section on Field Herping, you might want to browse that section.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

I've been where you are. It actually takes people a lot of time to find the right habitat if you haven't spent a lot of time field herping. Any experienced field herper has either spent hours and hours researching and driving near and far. Or they have trusty friends to show them the way. Many people have it both ways and find their own little stomping grounds and have friends that shared their locales with them.

One thing for sure, people are very protective of where they herp and they're very selective about sharing information. Worst thing ever is someone coming into your stomping ground after you share it with them. And flipping logs and rocks and not putting them back. There are rules to follow. Hope this helps a little.

Good luck. I hear Georgia is prime for herping, lots of Eastern Newts. I'd go to places that have vernal ponds that are far from major cities. Try a State Park that has woods and vernal ponds.

 

[seandelevan]

If you're patient wait until late winter early spring when they are out in droves. With a lot of ponds and lakes over grown and swampy late in the summer it makes it difficult to not only see them in mass thickets of foliage but dealing with bugs, heat, and what not makes it miserable. I remember hiking in Feb up here in southwestern VA and came across a stream that was real calm, wide but it was probably 45 degrees out. Saw these newts everywhere just swimming along, most swimming right up to me. Without weeds, plants, and grass everywhere they were real easy to see.