Gopher snake
Not venomous. It eats rodents and is often killed by mistake for a rattlesnake.
- Lives in
- 22 states
- Size
- 36–72 in
- Open US records
- 19,218
- Group
- Snake
How to identify it
- Tan with dark brown blotches, a lot like a rattlesnake
- Narrow head and round pupils
- Pointed tail with no rattle
- Hisses loudly and shakes its tail when scared
Size: 36–72 in (total length). Habitat: Grassland, farms and desert across the West and Great Plains.
Also called bullsnake, bull snake, pine snake.
Where it lives
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
When it is out
Look-alikes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Western rattlesnake: dangerous
State by state
| State | Status | Open records | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Lives here | 9,711 | 58 |
| Arizona | Lives here | 1,783 | 15 |
| Texas | Lives here | 1,625 | 160 |
| New Mexico | Lives here | 779 | 32 |
| Kansas | Lives here | 760 | 96 |
| Colorado | Lives here | 758 | 41 |
| Utah | Lives here | 596 | 27 |
| Oregon | Lives here | 583 | 28 |
| Nevada | Lives here | 516 | 17 |
| Nebraska | Lives here | 391 | 53 |
| Oklahoma | Lives here | 327 | 53 |
| Washington | Lives here | 265 | 22 |
| South Dakota | Lives here | 191 | 33 |
| Illinois | Lives here | 181 | 7 |
| Idaho | Lives here | 161 | 23 |
| Montana | Lives here | 151 | 30 |
| Wyoming | Lives here | 125 | 15 |
| Minnesota | Lives here | 105 | 9 |
| Iowa | Lives here | 74 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | Lives here | 42 | 4 |
| North Dakota | Lives here | 34 | 7 |
| Indiana | Lives here | 32 | 4 |
| Missouri | Rare records | 23 | 1 |
| Florida | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
| Georgia | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
| Hawaii | Rare records | 1 | 0 |
| New Jersey | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
| Tennessee | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
States not listed have no open records and are outside the range.
Questions
Where does the gopher snake live?
In 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Rare records also come from Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri, New Jersey and Tennessee.
Is the gopher snake dangerous?
Harmless. Not venomous. It eats rodents and is often killed by mistake for a rattlesnake.
How do you identify a gopher snake?
Tan with dark brown blotches, a lot like a rattlesnake. Narrow head and round pupils. Pointed tail with no rattle.
When is the gopher snake most active?
Most open US records fall in April to June, September.