Groundhog facts; The tree that helps wildlife in winter; Critical tip to save your spring turkey hunt

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks or "whistlepigs,"are the largest members of the squirrel family. They are found across North America, they can weigh up to 13 pounds, are excellent swimmers and tree climbers, and use loud, high-pitched whistles to warn of danger.

They are herbivores So their diet mainly consists of vegetation (grasses, berries, bark). According to US Fish and Wildlife they will occasionally be spotted snacking on insects, bird eggs and other tiny critters as well. Their teeth grow continuously, requiring them to constantly grind them down.
They have 2 layers of fur! One is the undercoat a dense layer and the longer outer coat that gives them kind of a frosty appearance. They have strong, curved claws for digging.
Their dens are called burrows and they can be up to 30 feet long
Predators: Their primary predators include foxes, coyotes, hawks, owls, and bears.

It's not just squirrels that rely on conifers in the winter. White-tailed deer use the cover to conserve energy during deep-snow periods. Turkey, pheasant, grouse and songbirds rely on these trees for shelter, nesting and food as well.
According to MN DNR Forestry specialist Troy Holcomb, planting more conifers is good for the land and wildlife. "Of the more than 17 million acres of forested land in the state, nearly half is private woodlands. How woodlands connect with surrounding forests can help or hinder wildlife movement and access to winter cover." he said.
Did you know that many states offer resources such as seedlings through their state nursery programs and help for landowners to develop woodland stewardship plans.

DON'T BLOW YOUR SPRING TURKEY HUNT BEFORE YOU GET STARTED! An article by Joe Martino from Outdoor News has one important tip you NEVER want to do according to the author, "Under no circumstance should you ever use a turkey call in the wild unless you are actually hunting and intent on killing a turkey. Every time you do, you run the risk of educating the birds in your area. Let’s say you are out scouting and just cannot resist giving a few yelps to see if anything responds. Whether a gobbler does or does not fire back, if he heard it and comes in to investigate, or worse yet, notices you, then you have pretty much just eliminated that bird from your hit list because the odds are long that he will readily come into a call again." Joe said.