Winter before last, I lived in a house that had a HUGE white oak at the back of the back yard. That fall, the tree dropped piles of acorns. One morning I noticed a big fat ground hog out there eating acorns. He was back that evening.... and every morning and evening for weeks after, stocking up his belly with those acorns for his hibernation to come. I think he made a den under the shed that was back there, because I never saw him far away from the tree and if anything spooked him, he would run under it. That was the first time I had seen one for more than a mad dash somewhere. It was fun to watch him. I used my binoculars to watch him, because he would run if he saw me move outside, no matter how slow or careful I went.