How do they make the groundhog come out, and where is he coming out of, anyway?

They tell Phil there’s chick groundhogs ready and waiting and he ambles out. If that doesn’t work they threaten him with watching a Maple Leaf game.
@Seelix Are you really not familiar with woodchucks?

The groundhog emerges from its burrow.

It comes out to look for food.

They threaten it with Bill Murray.

You really don’t want to know.

It involves inner tubes and panty hose. I’m going to say more than that.

I just don’t get it. How do they make him come out? It can’t be for food, unless they’re baiting him. I want to know specifically how they make the groundhog make his February 2 appearance.

Phil’s in a box. They reach in and pull him out.

@Seelix I was telling you the literal truth. The groundhog comes out of his burrow every day to hunt for food. That is why he also comes out on Feb 2. Then if he sees his shadow etc.

Groundhogs hibernate in the winter. They normally wouldn’t come out by themselves.

Hmm. Well, this is rather anticlimactic, isn’t it? I was hoping for some kind of exciting story.

They live in burrows underground. They dig several tunnels and each tunnel has multiple outlets. They’re a real pain for farmers because they prefer hay fields over uncleared uncultivated land. They built a fake burrow for Phil and haul him out by the neck.

@Adirondackwannabe – I think I grew up too far north for woodchucks. I don’t remember ever seeing one, except in Hamilton, ON. Beavers, yes, but no woodchucks/groundhogs.

I guess it only makes sense that “famous” groundhogs like Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie don’t live in the wild.

@Seelix They live on grass so it makes sense they couldn’t live too far north.