Many reptile species are rarely encountered and are thus assumed to be rare in the absence of evidence to the contrary. The sharp-tailed snake (Contia tenuis) is a species about which little is known due to its secretive behavior. This species has been classified as “Vulnerable” in Oregon based on scant data about its distribution and status. We searched extensively for published and unpublished records of its occurrence and conducted field searches for the species to clarify its current distribution and status in Oregon. The information reported here expands the known range and increases the number of reported sightings of this species by almost a factor of ten. We conclude that, contrary to some reports, C. tenuis is not rare in Oregon. The secretive behavior of C. tenuis may have resulted in the species being unnecessarily listed as “vulnerable” as it appears to be more widespread than previously thought.