Anybody seen this guy around?

I'm an avid nature photographer and this guy is on my bucket list.

If you are in metro Phoenix and have a go-to-location where this guy or his friends
regularly hang out I'd like to ease out there with my Nikon and Sigma 100-400 and
snap off 100+ images or so...

Specific trails and locations preferred, actually private land is even better.
If you see one and can capture your geo-location that would be swell too.

Rattlers and Tarantulas are always looking for a spot in my lens as well.

P.M. if you don't want the world to know these locations, which I understand.

 

I spotted one in 2023, ha. It was out at Saguaro Lake, east of 3rd cove.

 

I've lived here in the desert all my life and never seen one. Have a friend with a 2nd gen Tundy and at one point had a 2nd gen Taco. He's seen several of them. Several encounters out near Sheep Bridge on the bloody basin road side. Not the Barrett lake side.

Gila Monsters are cool looking, but their skin is poisonous.

 

Not sure about the skin - I do know that the bite is quite painful, and deadly in very rare cases.

I'd never try to pick one up. That's what my 100-400mm lens is for - like this image whilst lying down in the sand as
it was emerging from the brush.

 

Take me out to wherever you've seen these - I want these images for myself LOL

 

Saw this one out near lake pleasant today

 

I saw one crossing the road a few years ago at sunrise in Saguaro National Park (east) outside Tucson. I was delighted with that sighting!

We have this license plate option in NM now. I'm kinda tempted.

 

Damn I'm always a day late and a dollar short. Good find.!

 

Try looking along the river between Thatcher and Stafford. Safford (auto correct)

 

A Gila monsters skin is not poisonous, they do however secret venom into their saliva and deliver it with a bite, they chew the skin and create a wound that the venomous saliva enters.

 

Thank you for that info. Its been since I was a kid that I learned about the Gila Monsters. I thought it was their skin, but I was wrong. Again, thanks for the correction and much appreciated!

 

Be careful. Them thangs dangerous.

 

I think you’ll have a hard time getting someone to give up exact locations, they unfortunately get poached a lot. They aren’t rare by any means, they just have a funny way about them

 

Poached? Who would do such a thing.

I have found out that these critters don't stray far from their 'home', so if one is discovered in some are, most likely
it will be found in the vicinity ( say 20 square yards ) from where it was last seen. I understand a good time to snoop for
them is after a good rain.

 

Yes they are heavily poached, mainly because of the perceived rareness. It’s a shame. You are correct, they stay very close to their home base