The last time the groundhog saw his shadow - 2007, and it has only happened 15 times.

Snow and cold are getting old, so I say the little rodent needs to be put on notice - notice of an open hunting season.

In my quest for knowledge I have learned some interesting things about the seasonal predictor. I have decided to share a few of them.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck - the groundhog was originally referred to as the woodchuck. The tongue twister came as a result of the obvious, groundhogs don't chuck any wood because they are a lowly groundhog with a catchy name.

In the 1740's the woodchuck was called the groundhog because it was considered an 'earth pig'.

Punxsutawney Phil may be popular to the nation, however, Staten Island has it's own famous earth pig - the lesser known 'Chuck' or formally known as Charles G. Hogg. The New York figure had 15 minutes of International fame after snapping at the mayor who was luring Chuck from his hole. (Insert joke here).

To repel a groundhog, use pepper spray or a commercial repellent. Shake-Away is a small critter remover that uses the scent of a fox to keep the little burrowers away. I'm not sure what a fox smells like because I have never gotten close enough to a fox to smell it.

PETA also puts their two cents in. The animal rights group says they should give the groundhog a holiday and replace him with an electronic version. Yes, because something unnatural is far better for the environment. PETA claims that putting Phil on display forces him, or rather, denies him the right to hibernation.

Hibernating or not, I still believe that the furry critter would make a fantastic hat that would help keep ears warm in the extended season.