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Posted: 11/26/2018 11:20:10 PM EDT
[#1]
I've lived in AZ since 1995. I was lucky enough to see a Gila Monster in the wild on one occasion (so far). I was mountain biking in an area known as Indian Hills on the North side of Casa Grande and I came around a corner on the trail and there he was - getting some sun. He was not real big, maybe about a foot long, but he was pretty fast and he cleared the trail before my buddy was able to see him.
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Posted: 11/26/2018 11:28:40 PM EDT
[#2]
Seen 3 in my 36 years here.
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Posted: 11/26/2018 11:40:48 PM EDT
[#3]
Saw my first one a few months ago while scouting for deer. It was just slinking along the trail by a spring. Pretty neat.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 12:39:20 AM EDT
[#4]
Nope.
And I have seen and heard more rattlers in Northern California than here. Since 1977. |
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Posted: 11/27/2018 1:59:32 AM EDT
[#5]
Twice. In all the time I spend outdoors, only twice.
Bloody Basin area  Safford area 
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Posted: 11/27/2018 4:43:04 AM EDT
[#6]
Couple dozen or so in the last 14 years.
I live and walk my dogs out in the desert in Vail, see a few every year. 
Even by the front porch. 
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Posted: 11/27/2018 8:47:33 AM EDT
[#7]
Saw one going down my drive way very slowly about eight years ago.
So I went back in the house to get my phone to take a picture and it was gone. |
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Posted: 11/27/2018 9:34:18 AM EDT
[#8]
I've seen several dozen. They frequent areas where there is access to water. I found two in Sabino Canyon living under the drain of a drinking fountain.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 10:58:30 AM EDT
[#9]
I've seen 3 in all my time roaming the desert. To me the Gila Monster ranks right up there with the horny toad as being one of the coolest AZ critters.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 12:01:27 PM EDT
[#10]
One. 1989, near Horseshoe Dam. (Also saw his colorful cousin, a Coral Snake in Thunderbird Park)
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Posted: 11/27/2018 12:56:38 PM EDT
[#11]
I've seen one in the Kofas but 3 or 4 by my house in E. Mesa
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Posted: 11/27/2018 1:04:45 PM EDT
[#12]
Yes and I didnt realize they can be aggressive.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 3:06:26 PM EDT
[#13]
Yes seen a few. Back when I was younger, we used to go out in the desserts all the time and catch snakes and lizards.
Last one I can remember was out by the Verde River |
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Posted: 11/27/2018 3:50:16 PM EDT
[#14]
yup, climbing a pretty aggressive hill while pig hunting, found a small ledge and he was on it.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 4:13:39 PM EDT
[#15]
Years ago, twice while riding my dirt bike out in the desert by Radar Hill outside of Ajo.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 5:49:30 PM EDT
[#16]
Lots of rattle snakes and a Chuckwalla or two...
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Posted: 11/27/2018 6:21:51 PM EDT
[#17]
Yes in a housing project near River Road and another in the pre-paved parking lot at Salpointe.
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Posted: 11/27/2018 6:31:55 PM EDT
[#18]
5 or 6 in my 20 years here. Most out in the Florence/Box Canyon/Mineral Mountain area
and one at Saguaro Lake Marina. |
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Posted: 11/27/2018 11:50:27 PM EDT
[#19]
Mohave county native, never seen one. I got real excited one time, pulled an illegal u turn on a mountain road- it was just an orange-ish chuckwalla.
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Posted: 11/28/2018 12:09:41 AM EDT
[#20]
All I see are are geckos, kings, and gopher snakes.
Edit: and the occasional guy doing push-ups. |
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Posted: 11/28/2018 11:34:09 AM EDT
[#21]
A handful, always out near Florence or the Superstitions.
They aren’t anywhere near as cool as horny toads because you can’t catch them and play with them. If one bites they don’t usially let go, if one gets on you, try holding whatever appendage is affected submerged under water. Have a plan to avoid immediately being biten again though. And seek immediate medical attention |
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Posted: 11/28/2018 12:46:53 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
A handful, always out near Florence or the Superstitions. They aren’t anywhere near as cool as horny toads because you can’t catch them and play with them. If one bites they don’t usially let go, if one gets on you, try holding whatever appendage is affected submerged under water. Have a plan to avoid immediately being biten again though. And seek immediate medical attention I know someone that has been bitten by almost every venomous reptile native to AZ. He said Gila bites were the most painful. |
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Posted: 11/29/2018 1:20:28 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yes and I didnt realize they can be aggressive. |
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Posted: 11/29/2018 4:10:23 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They aren't aggressive. They can be defensive though. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Yes and I didnt realize they can be aggressive. |
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Posted: 11/29/2018 6:05:19 PM EDT
[#25]
Seen 2, Grew up in the Arizona desert
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Posted: 11/29/2018 9:07:32 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you try to scoop one out of the road with a shovel so it won't get run over it will bite the shit out of the shovel. For a second I was wondering if I was going to get the shovel back. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yes and I didnt realize they can be aggressive. |
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Posted: 11/29/2018 11:02:09 PM EDT
[#27]
Not yet.
I have a Roadrunner that lives in my neighborhood, killed my second scorpion (this time in my house), helped a tortoise across the road, and found a few lizzards. No snakes or Gilas. |
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Posted: 11/29/2018 11:32:15 PM EDT
[#28]
A couple times..they are cool.
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Posted: 11/29/2018 11:49:06 PM EDT
[#29]
I've seen 3 of 'em. One out by the road up to 4 Peaks, one at San Tan Park, and one out at Brown's Ranch. The one at Brown's hissed the most, he did not want his picture taken!!
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Posted: 12/1/2018 7:48:11 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Twice. In all the time I spend outdoors, only twice. Bloody Basin area https://scontent.fphx1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16922_1040542925957447_9132792826571835103_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent.fphx1-2.fna&oh=4b7028db4c3bbcccf4c88ab305e645df&oe=5C772B98
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Posted: 12/1/2018 3:35:17 PM EDT
[#31]
I grew up in Wickentucky (Wickenburg), the only thing to do there is go play in the dez. I'm surprised none of us got tagged by a rattler at dez parties.
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Posted: 12/1/2018 8:07:06 PM EDT
[#32]
Never.
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Posted: 12/1/2018 9:31:53 PM EDT
[#33]
Plenty. I live on acreage in the desert however.
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Posted: 12/2/2018 1:01:38 PM EDT
[#34]
I have seen 2 in the last 28 years of stomping the AZ desert quail hunting.
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Posted: 12/2/2018 3:56:32 PM EDT
[#35]
In my near 50 years here, I've see 2.
1 out west of Phoenix in the early 80's, shooting in the desert. 1 at NW corner of Scottsdale and Bell in the mid 80's. Dove hunting with my dad. Before it was a golf course and dealerships. North of Bell on Scottsdale road used to be horse ranches and we would hunt behind them. |
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Posted: 12/2/2018 7:42:57 PM EDT
[#36]
Seeing one is on my to do list. I will keep looking. What types of areas are they found in?
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Posted: 12/2/2018 8:37:58 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Seeing one is on my to do list. I will keep looking. What types of areas are they found in? |
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Posted: 12/4/2018 10:57:46 PM EDT
[#38]
Cochise Co.
Pima Co. 
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Posted: 12/19/2018 9:51:38 AM EDT
[#39]
Had one sneak into my garage while the wife was pulling her car out. In there for two days until I coaxed him out with some water and an egg. Here is the picture in the front yard. We must have a nest close by as we have seen several over the years. We live outside of Tucson in Pima County.
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Posted: 12/19/2018 12:52:24 PM EDT
[#40]
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Posted: 12/19/2018 6:10:30 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote History |
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Posted: 12/20/2018 12:37:20 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote History |
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Posted: 12/21/2018 11:37:50 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I think this one is looking for a date. Quote HistoryQuoted:
I think this one is looking for a date. 
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Posted: 12/21/2018 11:38:19 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'd hope so.... Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'd hope so....
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Posted: 12/22/2018 1:25:00 PM EDT
[#45]
In 17 years I've never seen one in the wild.
However, my Fluffy seems to really like looking at the pictures in this thread! I'm pretty sure she hasn't seen any in the wild either. 
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Posted: 12/24/2018 12:30:04 AM EDT
[#46]
Seen one. I'll dig up the photos.
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Posted: 1/13/2019 12:47:17 PM EDT
[#47]
I've spent my entire life in the southwest walking the desert and I've never seen one. I used to chase and catch lizards as a kid. Maybe the gila monsters are just smarter than lizards.
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada. |
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Posted: 1/16/2019 12:24:39 AM EDT
[#48]
1 out by pleasant
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Posted: 1/16/2019 9:37:13 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I've spent my entire life in the southwest walking the desert and I've never seen one. I used to chase and catch lizards as a kid. Maybe the gila monsters are just smarter than lizards. Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada. They spend most of their time in burrows underground, but are fairly common if you know where and when to look. |
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Posted: 1/16/2019 11:32:46 PM EDT
[#50]
One live on McCain loop early in the morning, one live on the lower part of Catalina hwy, and several run over on Catalina hwy. None recently now that I think about it. Th ones that were hit by cars smell really bad for some reason.
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