This page is a translation of Nebraska Chapter 10: Nongame Species In Need Of Conservation (Effective 06/04/2025)

Release of Reptiles and Amphibians - It shall be unlawful to release into the wild any live reptile or amphibian after such animal has been transported from one location to another over a distance exceeding 100 yards without the authorization of the Commission.  

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Species with no take:

It shall be unlawful for any person to take, possess, transport, export, process, sell or offer for sale, or ship nongame wildlife in need of conservation unless authorized to do so by the Commission under the authority of a scientific collection permit.

 

These include: 

Smallmouthed Salamander ~ Ambystoma texanum   

American Toad ~ Anaxyrus americanus 

Plains Narrowmouth Toad ~ Gastrophryne olivacea 

Common Five-lined Skink ~ Plestiodon fasciatus   

Great Plains Skink ~ Plestiodon obsoletus   

Sagebrush Lizard ~ Sceloporus graciosus  

Slender Glass Lizard ~ Ophisaurus attenuatus   

Greater Short-horned Lizard ~ Phrynosoma hernandesi   

Western Worm Snake ~ Carphophis vermis   

Timber Rattlesnake ~ Crotalus horridus   

 

Prairie Kingsnake ~ Lampropeltis calligaster   

Speckled Kingsnake ~ Lampropeltis holbrooki   

Glossy Snake ~ Arizona elegans   

Smooth Green snake ~ Opheodrys vernalis   

Graham’s Crayfish Snake ~ Regina grahamii   

Plains Black-headed Snake ~ Tantilla nigriceps   

Western Ribbon snake ~ Thamnophis proximus 

Red-bellied Snake ~ Storeria occipitomaculata  

Eastern Copperhead ~ Agkistrodon contortrix   

Western Terrestrial Gartersnake ~ Thamnophis elegans 

Blanding’s Turtle ~ Emydoidea blandingii   

Diamondback Water Snake ~ Nerodia rhombifer

Bait Species:

In-state transport, possession, processing, sale or offer of sale of the following species will be permitted in accordance with 37-4,105 and 37-4,106, and the regulations defined for bait and baitfish species in NAC 164, Fisheries Regulations.  

 

These Include: 

Plains Leopard Frog ~ Lithobates blairi  

 Northern Leopard Frog ~ Lithobates pipiens

Species with Take Up to 10 Individuals:

Take of individuals from the wild within Nebraska and associated in-state transport, possession, or processing will be permitted with a bag and possession limit of ten (10) individuals per species, or products derived from ten (10) individuals per species.  

 

These include: 

Blanchard's Cricket Frog ~ Acris blanchardi   

Boreal Chorus Frog ~ Pseudacris maculata   

Great Plains Toad ~ Anaxyrus cognatus   

Woodhouse’s Toad ~ Anaxyrus woodhousii   

Plains Spadefoot ~ Spea bombifrons 

Six-lined Racerunner ~ Aspidoscelis sexlineata   

Northern Prairie Lizard ~ Sceloporus consobrinus   

North American Racer ~ Coluber constrictor

Prairie Rattlesnake ~ Crotalus viridis   

Ring-necked Snake ~ Diadophis punctatus   

Northern Water Snake ~ Nerodia sipedon   

Bullsnake ~ Pituophis catenifer   

Plains Gartersnake ~ Thamnophis radix   

Common Garter snake ~ Thamnophis sirtalis   

Painted Turtle ~ Chrysemys picta   

False Map Turtle ~ Graptemys pseudogeographica

Species with Take Up to 3 Individuals:

Take of individuals from the wild in Nebraska, and associated in-state transport, possession, or processing will be permitted for the following species with a bag and possession limit of three (3) individuals per species, or products derived from three (3) individuals per species.

 

This includes:

Cope's Gray Treefrog ~ Hyla chrysoscelis 

Gray Treefrog ~ Hyla versicolr   

Northern Prairie Skink ~ Plestiodon septentrionalis   

Many-lined Skink ~ Plestiodon multivirgatus   

Common Lesser Earless Lizard ~ Holbrookia maculata   

Great Plains Rat Snake ~ Pantherophis emoryi   

Western Black Ratsnake ~ Pantherophis obsoleta   

Western Fox Snake ~ Pantherophis ramspotti 

Plains Hog-nosed Snake ~ Heterodon nasicus

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake ~ Heterodon platirhinos   

Western Milksnake ~ Lampropeltis gentilis 

Coachwhip Snake ~ Coluber flagellum   

Dekay’s Brown Snake ~ Storeria dekayi   

Lined Snake ~ Tropidoclonion lineatum   

Yellow Mud Turtle ~ Kinosternon flavescens   

Ornate Box Turtle ~ Terrapene ornata   

Smooth Softshell ~ Apalone mutica   

Spiny Softshell ~ Apalone spinifera   

Red-Eared Slider Turtle ~ Trachemys scripta