Groundhog ready for forecast

For some Groundhog Day is a reoccurring movie with Bill Murray caught it a seemingly endless time loop, but for the rest of us every year on Feb. 2, a little furry weather forecaster exits his burrow and surveys the conditions to determine if we will see an early end to winter, or if we have six more weeks to suffer!

While the groundhog may not have as large of a following as David Payne, he might be as accurate, when it comes to his predictions!

The most famous of these prognosticators is Punxsutawney Phil, world famous weather predictor from Gobbler’s Knob. If you’ve ever seen the movie Groundhog Day, you know the scene. This is not a new occurrence, as Phil (or at least one of his relatives) has been making a spring prediction since 1887. Since that time, Phil has not shined in his predictions, being only correct half of the time.

According to the History Channel, Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be.

Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal–the hedgehog–as a means of predicting weather. Once they came to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition, known as Candlemas Day, although they switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were plentiful in the Keystone State.

In the U.S. the tradition derives from a Scottish poem:

As the light grows longer; The cold grows stronger

If Candlemas be fair and bright; Winter will have another flight

If Candlemas be cloud and snow Winter will be gone and not come again.

A farmer should on Candlemas day; Have half his corn and half his hay

On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop; You can be sure of a good pea

Without easy access to a groundhog, like Phil (even though groundhogs, or woodchucks are native to Oklahoma) Lawtonians have turned their predicting to Elmo the Elmer Thomas Park prairie dog.

While I choose to listen to Meteorologists at the National Weather Service, or the writers of the Old Farmer’s Almanac for my weather outlook, some would say, they are all about the same!

So, whoever or whatever you choose, keep your fingers crossed that tomorrow will bring a shadowless day, since we are all ready for some warmer weather.

Delta Waterfowl Youth hunt

Young hunters age 8-15 wanting to learn more about waterfowl hunting, conservation and protecting resources are invited to attend the Delta Waterfowl Youth Hunt.

A safety brief will be held Saturday, Jan 25 at the Fletcher Community Center (504 Cole Ave, Fletcher) at 1 p.m.. A parent or guardian must attend to fill out the required paperwork for the youth to hunt.

The hunt will be the following Saturday, Feb. 1. All details will be given at the safety meeting.

For more information visit the SW Oklahoma Delta Waterfowl Facebook page.

Ducks Unlimited Dinner – the Comanche County chapter of DU will hold its annual dinner and fundraiser, Saturday, Feb 15, 6:00pm at the Medicine Park music Hall. Tickets are $50 for single, $80 for couple and youth are $20.

Door prizes, auctions, raffles and a great meal are all included, but the most is helping fund Ducks Unlimited projects, like Hackberry Flat.

To purchase tickets go to https://ducksunlimited.myeventscenter.com or contact Jeremiah 803-818-7486 for more info.

Tax Refund for Wildlife — Oklahomans receiving a refund this tax season can champion the wild by donating all or a portion of their refund to the Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Diversity Program. Tax refund donations can be made on Schedule 511-H of the 2024 state return, which must be filed with the Oklahoma Tax Commission by April 15, 2025.

Income Tax Form 511 is available from the Oklahoma Tax Commission webpage, oklahoma.gov/tax, along with free filing options.