Karen Wils image

ESCANABA — Here’s wishing you a wonderful “woodchuck’s day,” a perfect “whistle pig’s day,” and a great Groundhog Day.

Yes, this roly-poly rodent is in the news again. It is Groundhog Day today.

Out east in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania they call him “Phil.” Canada had an albino weather forecasting groundhog named Wiarton Willie. Michigan puts “Woody” the Woodchuck in the spotlight on February second.

The idea of a rodent predicting spring weather dates way back to pre-Christian rituals and was brought to the U.S by German immigrants.

Falling about half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, by February second most folks are getting tired of cold, gray days.

So why not have a little fun and some wishful thinking with a groundhog or woodchuck as he is known in the U.P.

The woodchuck is the largest member of the squirrel family. He is a ground squirrel. Groundhog and whistle pig are two other names for this animal. In Northern Michigan the woodchuck does not come out of his underground den in early February. He’s hibernating usually under several feet of snow (maybe this year will be an exception).

April is typically the month when this critter is out and about again after a long winters nap. Woodchucks don’t chuck wood. They do not eat trees. The woodchuck got its name from the Algonquin word “Monax” meaning the digger.

Woodchucks are not even very woodsy after all. They prefer open meadows, fields, grassy openings, roadsides, and backyards. They feast on just about anything that’s green. Wild grasses, berries, clover, sorrel, dandelions, grass hoppers and garden veggies are some of their favorite foods.

Ranging in color from rusty brown to charcoal gray, woodchucks with their round heads, chubby middles shoe-button eyes and stubby tails are very cute. I think they often look like little teddy bears perched up on their haunches out across the field.

When they are threatened that’s when they turn into “whistle pigs.” They sure can squeal out a warning when danger is near.

Years ago, woodchucks were a very common critter around our camp area. Today many of the old farm fields are grown over with trees. Back in the olden days woodchucks were hunted for their meat.

In recent years, woodchuck’s numbers are down quite a bit. Predators like the coyote, wolf, bobcat, and foxes are more abundant and they all love the fat little groundhog too.

So as the tradition says, if the groundhog sees his shadow today, he goes back down into his hole and we have six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, spring is supposed to be close at hand.

I guess it doesn’t really matter to me. We are Yoopers. I’d gladly take six more weeks of winter than an early start to the black fly and mosquito’s season.

Happy Groundhog Day to everyone. Think warm thoughts.

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.