Groundhog Day’s surprising 3000-year-old origins

[oldbrownhat]

The US tradition of the groundhog Punxutawney Phil emerging on 2 February to herald spring has fascinating origins – and creature parallels across Europe.

BBC article here.

...In Northern Italy, the final three days of January are known as "the days of the female blackbird" (I giorni della Merla). According to a rural archaic legend, the blackbird was once white (and beautiful and arrogant), and she told January that she didn’t suffer the cold. So January sent her extra harsh days...​

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I awoke at 0200 this morning and stumbled into the reloading room. On a shelf above my loading bench reside a inexpensive badge, it is an International NO emblazoned on a Ground Hog! I affixed the badge to my night shirt. I am now prepared for whatever February 2nd brings! I have done this every February 2nd since 1985 when a now long-gone gun shop in Gahanna, Ohio sold these badges for $1.

In my research, I found out the reason ground hogs come out at this time of year. The true reason is ROMANCE. The males awake with the need to breed burning within them and come out looking for female company: "They go a courting!" Since the females (we call them Sows in our neighborhood) will still be hibernating for the next month or so, they are always willing!

A ground hogs in the course of a growing season can by themselves rob a farmer of 50 bushels of soybeans! As well as other crops and the grasses in a pasture. They are rodents and literally breed like rabbits! The dig burrows that can undermine barns and houses. They are a huge potential for financial disaster! By whatever legal means you can, Shoot on sight!

May you find your marmots in the mortuary!

Ivan

 

[WardenRoss]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bku3eABMzzk[/ame]

 

[Heinz]

Go Ivan! The thing that used to really perturb me about whistle pigs, when I had a home garden in Ohio, was they would wait till the veggies were almost perfectly ripe, and then raid the night before you were ready to pick. They are good tree climbers but I have never seen how they climb down. The young ones are pretty good eating when slow cooked, much like pork

 

[quikdraw67]

Supposed to be an early spring, since Phil didn't see his shadow.

Let's hope!

 

[Breakaway500]

All I think when seeing a groundhog is... BANG!

 

[Golddollar]

Go Ivan! The thing that used to really perturb me about whistle pigs, when I had a home garden in Ohio, was they would wait till the veggies were almost perfectly ripe, and then raid the night before you were ready to pick. They are good tree climbers but I have never seen how they climb down. The young ones are pretty good eating when slow cooked, much like pork

That just shows that groundhogs have good taste.

 

[Golddollar]

In preparation for Groundhog Day in 1997, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club commissioned the Smith & Wesson Custom Shop to produce a Punxsutawney Phil Commemorative Model 629. It's special features include an engraving of Punxsutawney Phil on the side plate, the date February 2, 1997 on the underlug, and the words "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" in script on the barrel, which necessitated the use of the 8 3/8 inch barrel. The finish is bright stainless and the gun comes in a beautiful engraved wooden box. Only 41 of these were made.

 

[djohns6]

I always thought the whole Groundhog Day thing was silly . Another excuse to dress up funny and drink ..

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Go Ivan! The thing that used to really perturb me about whistle pigs, when I had a home garden in Ohio, was they would wait till the veggies were almost perfectly ripe, and then raid the night before you were ready to pick. They are good tree climbers but I have never seen how they climb down. The young ones are pretty good eating when slow cooked, much like pork

While in our family's woods in Spring of 1988 with my oldest 2 sons (at ages 9 and 7), we were scouting a good Memorial Day camping spot. I heard a racket in the tree limbs and a ground hog, was leaping from tree to tree. For every horizontal foot he would fall two feet vertically! The last leap was a 18" dead tree about 6 feet from his last perch. He hit the tree and the bark he hoped to hold on to came off... along with him! He fell about 20 to 25 feet and landed with a graceful thud! He picked himself up and shook himself and looked at us with a "What the heck happened?" look and dove in a nearby hole. That's how ground hogs, woodchucks, or whistle pigs climb out of a tree, at least the only one I ever saw!

That area where it happened is a wide ledge on a steep hillside, The boys and camped there the year before, however the area is too lumpy for any tent bigger than a pup tent. My brother and I were after a ground hog in the Summer of 1967 and spent all day at the same spot trying to dig that a hog out! The two dogs and us each took turns. After several hours we were close enough to use our weapon! It was one of those 18" long Arisaka bayonets! We stuck him a time or two and he decided to come out and fight! Dumb move, the dogs took him out in a minute or two. We were too tired to fill in the trenches we had dug! And in hindsight I'd say we did more damage than that ground hog ever did!

That was just one of the ways country boys stayed out of trouble, until my brother discovered girls! And most girls don't like ground hog hunting, so my brother to a 15-year break. I went through that phase too but it only lasted 2 years, until I found a girl that appreciated the joys of a dead ground hog! I've kept her and had the next generation of ground hog destroyers! At age 15, number 3 son killed 4 ground hogs in the Summer of 1999, without the use of a gun or dog! He would run them down and smash them with rocks. (scarry kid!)

Ivan

 

[jeffrefrig]

I always thought the whole Groundhog Day thing was silly . Another excuse to dress up funny and drink ..

That would be like golf, too!
I've always thought the celebration up there was silly, but that's their big claim of fame. PITA is trying to stop this annual celebration, but that groundhog probably eats better than me.

 

[Golddollar]

I always thought the whole Groundhog Day thing was silly . Another excuse to dress up funny and drink ..

And your point is???

 

[robvious]

I always enjoy ground hog.. we call it sausage...

 

[Protocall_Design]

How did that gun end up as #84 if only 41 were made???

 

[oldbrownhat]

In preparation for Groundhog Day in 1997, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club commissioned the Smith & Wesson Custom Shop to produce a Punxsutawney Phil Commemorative Model 629.... Only 41 of these were made.

Well, that would answer the inevitable question about "What's the best caliber for groundhog?" Clearly not .44 mag.

 

[Golddollar]

How did that gun end up as #84 if only 41 were made???

The Groundhog Club had previously started issuing a series of commemorative knives. It was possible to get the knives numbered with the same number in order to create a set. So I got my #84 on the gun to keep it matched with the knives.

 

[CH4]

In preparation for Groundhog Day in 1997, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club commissioned the Smith & Wesson Custom Shop to produce a Punxsutawney Phil Commemorative Model 629. It's special features include an engraving of Punxsutawney Phil on the side plate, the date February 2, 1997 on the underlug, and the words "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" in script on the barrel, which necessitated the use of the 8 3/8 in barrel. The finish is bright stainless and the gun comes in a beautiful engraved wooden box. Only 41 of these were made.

Although flashy, I think a commemorative Remington in 22-250 would have been more appropriate.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Another excuse to dress up funny and drink ..

How is that a bad thing?

I do it every day.

 

[Bald1]

I remember well the first woodchuck I shot. I was about 6 yrs old and squirrel hunting with my dad. We were in the woods about 30-40 yds from field edge. My dad spotted a Chuck and handed me my Winchester .22. It was mine but I wasn’t aloud to carry it yet. As I took a rest off side of a tree I remember him saying “ gotta shoot him in the head with a .22 or he might make it back to his hole”.

 

[dave1918a2]

How is that a bad thing?

I do it every day.

My sentiments exactly!!