If at all possible, try to go looking for snails in the evening or on dark, overcast days.
rocks debris flower pots wooden planks on the ground damp, shaded areas[3] X Research source weedy or leafy areas close to the ground
Slime is usually left in silvery streaks across dry surfaces. You might see a slime trail on rocks, dirt, pavement, or on vertical surfaces like trees and walls.
Stable, clean substrates at the bottom of the water are ideal habitats for snails. Clean, clear water that is not murky or full of sediments will house the greatest range of snail species. Look for water bodies with high oxygen concentrations to find the most snails. Fast-moving water bodies with a lot of rapids or falls tend to be the most oxygenated habitats.
Identify an area that might house snails. You can usually find snails in cool, damp, shaded environments or near food sources like gardens. Water the area late in the afternoon. Try to dampen the soil and leave a mist on any low lying vegetation nearby. Return after dark with a flashlight. If snails inhabit the area you’ve watered, you should see them or their slime trails fairly easily.
Try laying boards of wood, large, flat bricks, stones, or flower pots near an area you believe snails inhabit. You can also use inverted melon rinds, but be aware that these may also attract other insects like ants.
Dig a small hole in the ground that is deep and wide enough to hold a cup. Add beer or baking yeast to a 5% sugar and water solution in a pitfall trap. Be sure you only leave a shallow pool of liquid or the snails you catch might drown. Check your trap on a regular basis. You may decide to check every day or you might check the trap multiple times each day, but if you leave your snail for a prolonged period of time it may die.
Purchase or build a kick-net. A kick-net can be easily made by fastening a long, thin mesh to two wooden poles, creating a net that looks like a giant scroll with handles in the folded ends. Look for an area in the water where there are riffles or falls. Approach the chosen area from downstream to avoid disturbing any snails you might catch. You can use rocks to stabilize the net underwater and downstream, then lift submerged objects to “shake” snails loose. You can also hold the handles of the kick-net so the net is downstream and walk backward upstream, kicking rocks and submerged objects loose. Be aware that a kick-net will catch all kinds of aquatic invertebrates. While some of the invertebrates you catch may be snails, there will probably be many other types of unwanted invertebrates present in the net as well.
