Yesterday morning, while letting our Lab out for her morning business, she spotted something and tore off across the backyard. I looked over in the direction she was running, and a groundhog was standing up beside the log pile along the tree line, in the snow!

It's about the third time I've seen a hog in the snow, both other times from a treestand while deer hunting. The hogs were in the woods, not in fields. This one was right on the edge of the woods as well.

We've had some unseasonably warm weather (40s last week...), but not quite enough to bring stuff out of hibernation. And it's been in the teens and 20's the past few days, with snow.

I have heard that occassionally hibernating animals will wake up and come out for a short stroll. I guess they're right....

The males will visit the dens of the females this time of year and impregnate them, so that when spring arrives there is a new litter of pups about to be born.

Sneak up on 'em while they're sleeping, huh?

It's common to see prairie dogs in the snow too.

About the only thing it takes is sunshine, less wind also helps but, they'll come out in the wind too. but, not as much when it's real cold and windy. They do know where to stay warm.

Sure can see the red mist on the white stuff clearly too.

George