Its short legs, stocky body and bushy tail are covered with thick brown fur, which can have a reddish or yellowish cast. It has a distinctive flat head, and its face can show small areas of pale white. With an average life span of four to five years, the woodchuck is very active on sunny days and can be seen feeding on grasses, clover and alfalfa all over southern Canada and the eastern United States. In Oklahoma, you are most likely to see one in the extreme northeastern corner, within a few hundred feet of its burrow. A prolific digger, the groundhog can create a new burrow overnight.
Burrows are recognizable from the large mound of dirt that surrounds the main entrance.
To keep its home from flooding, the woodchuck usually digs at an angle about five feet deep, then tunnels back up about two feet before excavating the actual burrow. From there, it usually digs a 30-foot tunnel, with one or two escape tunnels and two side chambers. One chamber is used entirely for waste disposal. Once filled, the animal will seal the chamber and build another. It uses the second chamber for sleeping, hibernation and nesting.