Gopher snakes continue to grow throughout their lives, their rate of growth slows significantly once they're 3 years old. Adults graduate to hunting larger prey, voles, squirrels, rabbits and gophers. In the wild, Pacific gopher snakes spend as much as 90 percent of their time underground. They often follow the runways of burrowing animals to capture them in their tunnels. They are active during the day but become nocturnal in the hot summer months and hibernate through the winter in communal burrows. Given their relatively long life spans of between 12 and 15 years, Pacific gopher snakes can reach lengths exceeding 7 feet. They average around 5 feet. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/species/reptiles/#snakes is a great resource for snakes in Oregon.