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This groundhog now lives under our deck... For a number of reasons, this is not where I really would like her to have her home.

Still, the situation has become quite interesting when we often come face to face.
Although my lifting the camera will generally spook her, she will otherwise usually look me straight in the face (only a handful of feet away) while I talk to her. Some of these conversations have been quite long. But no, of course, she doesn't answer. She just listens to the babbling human. A handful of years ago, I never dreamed that I'd be talking to a groundhog who comes close enough to almost touch. Or that the groundhog would be calmly listening with interest to the sound of my voice. Making eye contact is also an interesting element to our odd wild animal/human relationship. She's not afraid of me or our dogs. However, she doesn't like the sudden movement of the camera. Thus, I have had more personal encounters with this groundhog than I've ever gotten photos of her.

Meanwhile, unlike our next-door neighbor with the deer, this cutie gets no food handouts from me.
I would also greatly appreciate it if she'd leave my deck flowers (not outside yet) alone this Summer!!!

Today, she decided to sunbathe while I already had the camera to my eye and was photographing something else.
Thus, I was able to shoot this capture without having her run from the camera.
She doesn't seem to mind me in general. So, she will come very close.