Another Groundhog Day Canceled As No Replacement Found For Milltown Mel

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — For the fourth consecutive year, Milltown will not be hosting Groundhog Day.

The organizers of NJ’s popular Groundhog Day, Milltown Wrangler, said they haven’t been able to legally obtain a new groundhog to replace Mel. New Jersey's weather-predicting groundhog, Mel, died in 2022, just before his annual big day.

Since then, the organizers have had issues getting a new critter on board due to state regulations.

“Current law in New Jersey does not allow us to legally obtain a groundhog. Along with State assemblyman Sterley Stanley, we have been working very hard to get that statute changed, but it has not happened yet,” the Milltown Wranglers said.

“Until that change occurs, we cannot continue our annual celebration. Hopefully the necessary legislation will be done in time for us to resume Groundhog Day next year.”

Groundhog Day is traditionally observed on Feb. 2 every year.

Last year, Assembly Stanley (NJ18) introduced legislation that would make it easier for the Milltown Wranglers to legally bring in a groundhog to New Jersey from other states.

The bill establishes an exemption from the ban on the import of woodchucks under certain circumstances, “provided that every effort is made to replace the groundhog with a woodchuck found in the State or imported from a state in which a variant of rabies other than raccoon rabies is not endemic as provided for in the bill.”

Every February, John McNamara, of Bronson & Guthlein Funeral Home in Milltown, takes the groundhog out of his pen and sees whether the animal can predict if spring is coming.

The Milltown Wranglers are hopeful of hosting the ceremony next year.

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