Plains hog-nosed snake (Heterodon nasicus)
The plains hog-nosed snake is a snake in the family Colubridae with a mild venom for its prey, not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 984 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 13 states, most of all Texas (289), Kansas (197) and Nebraska (109). Its observation records peak in June.
The western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America. There are three subspecies that are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
From Wikipedia: Western hognose snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the plains hog-nosed snake poisonous or venomous?
Mildly venomous but not dangerous: the plains hog-nosed snake has enlarged rear teeth and a mild venom for its prey, and a bite causes at most local swelling, which is why many sources simply call it harmless. It is not a pit viper or coral snake, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. Clean any bite like a small wound.
Often mistaken for
The plains hog-nosed snake is not dangerous to people, but people often take it for rattlesnakes (both are recorded in 13 of its 13 states).
Which states have the plains hog-nosed snake?
Records are spread over 13 states; the top three, Texas, Kansas and Nebraska, hold 60% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 289 | 0.7% | 36th of 86 |
| 2 | Kansas | 197 | 1.3% | 24th of 44 |
| 3 | Nebraska | 109 | 4.6% | 7th of 31 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 91 | 0.7% | 30th of 50 |
| 5 | Arizona | 72 | 0.3% | 44th of 60 |
| 6 | New Mexico | 71 | 1.1% | 17th of 56 |
| 7 | Colorado | 45 | 1.3% | 9th of 26 |
| 8 | South Dakota | 40 | 1.3% | 11th of 16 |
| 9 | Montana | 19 | 1.5% | 8th of 9 |
| 10 | North Dakota | 17 | 7.9% | 5th of 8 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 14 | 1.5% | 12th of 15 |
| 12 | Wyoming | 14 | 1.3% | 8th of 11 |
| 13 | Illinois | 1 | 0.0% | 32nd of 33 |
When is the plains hog-nosed snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the plains hog-nosed snake run mostly May through October, peaking in June with 26% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Where the plains hog-nosed snake is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 289 licensed records, the 36th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Gaines County, Lubbock County and Coke County. Next come Hudspeth County (10) and Andrews County (10).
Kansas
Kansas holds 197 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Ellis County, Meade County and Trego County. Next come Morton County (13) and Logan County (9).
Nebraska
Nebraska holds 109 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 31 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Nebraska come from Cherry County, Lincoln County and Sheridan County. Next come Antelope County (6) and Frontier County (6).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 91 licensed records, the 30th most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Cimarron County, Cleveland County and Alfalfa County. Next come Comanche County (7) and Beaver County (5).
Arizona
Arizona holds 72 licensed records, the 44th most recorded of 60 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Arizona come from Cochise County, Graham County and Santa Cruz County. Next come Yavapai County (1) and Coconino County (1).
New Mexico
New Mexico holds 71 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 56 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in New Mexico come from Hidalgo County, Grant County and Chaves County. Next come Otero County (4) and Santa Fe County (4).
Colorado
Colorado holds 45 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 26 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Colorado come from Weld County, El Paso County and Pueblo County. Next come Prowers County (3) and Washington County (3).
South Dakota
South Dakota holds 40 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 16 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Dakota come from Harding County, Jackson County and Charles Mix County. Next come Custer County (2) and Bennett County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cochise County | Arizona | 67 | 6.8% |
| 2 | Gaines County | Texas | 23 | 2.3% |
| 3 | Lubbock County | Texas | 19 | 1.9% |
| 4 | Ellis County | Kansas | 17 | 1.7% |
| 5 | Meade County | Kansas | 16 | 1.6% |
| 6 | Trego County | Kansas | 15 | 1.5% |
| 7 | Cimarron County | Oklahoma | 15 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Cleveland County | Oklahoma | 14 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Morton County | Kansas | 13 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Weld County | Colorado | 12 | 1.2% |
| 11 | Hidalgo County | New Mexico | 12 | 1.2% |
| 12 | Coke County | Texas | 11 | 1.1% |
| 13 | El Paso County | Colorado | 10 | 1.0% |
| 14 | Hudspeth County | Texas | 10 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Andrews County | Texas | 10 | 1.0% |
How recent are the plains hog-nosed snake records?
The plains hog-nosed snake record leans on older material: only 8% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1963. The oldest dated record is from 1856; the busiest year was 1942, with 41 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 4 | 0.4% |
| 1870s | 7 | 0.8% |
| 1880s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1890s | 8 | 0.9% |
| 1900s | 9 | 1.0% |
| 1910s | 9 | 1.0% |
| 1920s | 79 | 8.7% |
| 1930s | 92 | 10.1% |
| 1940s | 105 | 11.5% |
| 1950s | 78 | 8.6% |
| 1960s | 144 | 15.8% |
| 1970s | 87 | 9.6% |
| 1980s | 63 | 6.9% |
| 1990s | 50 | 5.5% |
| 2000s | 68 | 7.5% |
| 2010s | 54 | 5.9% |
| 2020s | 52 | 5.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 109 counties where the plains hog-nosed snake is most recorded, 80 are also top counties for the gopher snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the prairie rattlesnake.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Gopher snake | 80 |
| Prairie rattlesnake venomous | 49 |
| Coachwhip | 44 |
| Glossy snake | 40 |
| Long-nosed snake | 35 |
| Plains garter snake | 31 |
| Eastern racer | 30 |
| Plains black-headed snake | 30 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Ring-necked snake, Northern water snake and Eastern racer.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.