It is illegal to kill or collect this species by law in Iowa. Although eastern hognose snakes are widely distributed in Iowa, they are relatively uncommon in most parts of the state. This is a medium to large Iowa snake that may be 24 to 46 inches long and has a very stout body. It is not considered venomous.
Spotted specimens have a brown or yellow ground color with darker brown or black blotches.
These alternate with smaller dark spots on the sides. The blotches may turn into rings on the tail. There may be red or orange pigment in the skin between the scales, and this pigment may occasionally infringe upon the scales themselves. In some populations, adults are a solid color that may or may not have remnants of blotches. The ground color on solid individuals may be black, gray, or olive.