Ohio's Other Weather Forecasting Animals Take the Spotlight

From a stuffed groundhog to a bass and a hedgehog, these Buckeye State critters are predicting the seasons

Jan. 31, 2026 at 5:47am

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While Buckeye Chuck gets the attention in Ohio on Groundhog Day, the state is home to several other animals that make their own weather predictions, including a stuffed groundhog, an orange cat, a bass, and a hedgehog. These creatures use unique methods like eating food or not seeing their shadows to forecast whether spring will come early or if winter will last longer.

Why it matters

As the annual Groundhog Day tradition continues, these lesser-known Ohio weather forecasters provide a fun and quirky alternative to the famous Punxsutawney Phil. Their predictions highlight the state's diverse array of animals and the creative ways Ohioans celebrate the changing of the seasons.

The details

Wildwood Willie is a stuffed groundhog who hosts an annual Groundhog Day event at Wildwood Preserve Metropark in Toledo, making 11 predictions since 2011. Concord Casimir is an orange cat in Concord Township, Lake County, whose forecast is based on how he eats his pierogi. Benny the Bass makes his prediction at the Winterfest event at Buckeye Lake, with festival organizers dropping live bait into his tank and timing how quickly he eats it. Walnut the Hedgehog makes her predictions at the Boonshoft Discovery Museum in Dayton, claiming to have learned 'the arcane rituals of weather prediction' from Punxsutawney Phil himself.

  • Buckeye Chuck makes his 47th weather forecast on February 2.
  • Wildwood Willie has made 11 predictions since 2011.
  • Concord Casimir has made roughly 8 predictions since 2012.
  • Benny the Bass has made 10 predictions since 2015.
  • Walnut the Hedgehog performs her predictions for 'National Hedgehog Day', a Roman tradition that precedes modern Groundhog Day.

The players

Buckeye Chuck

A groundhog who makes an annual weather forecast on Groundhog Day at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Ohio.

Wildwood Willie

A stuffed groundhog who hosts an annual Groundhog Day event at Wildwood Preserve Metropark in Toledo, Ohio.

Concord Casimir

An orange cat found as a kitten on the steps of Cleveland's St. Casimir Polish Church in 2012, who makes weather predictions based on how he eats his pierogi.

Benny the Bass

A forecasting fish that makes predictions during Winterfest at Buckeye Lake, with festival organizers dropping live bait into his tank and timing how quickly he eats it.

Walnut the Hedgehog

A hedgehog who makes weather predictions at the Boonshoft Discovery Museum in Dayton, Ohio, claiming to have learned 'the arcane rituals of weather prediction' from Punxsutawney Phil.

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What they’re saying

“I pour a bunch of minnows into this big tank with a live bass. Then people chant, 'Take the bait, spring can't wait.' The bass has three minutes to eat a minnow. If he does, it's an early spring. If he doesn't, it's six more weeks of winter.”

— Mike Fornataro, Winterfest chair

The takeaway

While Buckeye Chuck may be Ohio's most famous weather forecasting animal, these quirky critters provide a unique and entertaining alternative to the traditional Groundhog Day predictions. Their diverse methods and local followings showcase the creative ways Ohioans celebrate the changing of the seasons.