The groundhog makes his den in open fields and along the edges of woodlands or hedgerows.  Preferring well-drained soil, they may make separate dens for the summer and the winter.   These burrows can be as long as 50 feet with many levels, many rooms, and many exits.  In building these elaborate homes, they may move 700 pounds of soil.  To keep the burrow warm, vegetation is packed to block or filter certain openings.  While they are hibernating, other animals may move into unoccupied rooms, such as opossums, rabbits, skunks, and racoons.  Once abandoned, the dens are reused by foxes, otters, chipmunks, and weasels.

These funny creatures are native to the eastern and central United States northward across Canada and into Alaska.

The groundhog is herbivorous, feasting on wild grasses, berries, herbs, weeds, and other vegetation.  The full grown groundhog will eat over a pound of food each day. They do not store food for their hibernation, rather they double their weight and sleep it off with a slowed metabolism.

Groundhogs often wait until their second year to mate.  Mating season begins early in March, when they will usually form a mated pair (although some may be a mated thruple with 2 females and one male).  The He-chuck will leave the den as the due date nears.

Gestation will last a month, with a typical 31 to 32 day gestation period.   Her littler runs from 3-5 pups, although there may be as few as 1 and as many as 9.  This will be her only litter for the year.

Predators include:  wolves, cougars, coyotes, badgers, bobcats, and foxes.  They can be pursued by humans and domesticated dogs when living in yards and farms.