Groundhogs Day at Yellow River Game Ranch

Sunday, February 2, 2014

It has become a tradition for a group of families to get up early on Groundhog’s Day and take a trip to the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn to watch General Beauregard Lee make his annual prediction on winter. I have covered the early morning event for the past few years, waking up before the sun rises, this year battling a heavy fog, to see the groundhog and the numerous families and young children gather at his enclosure that comes complete with a southern plantation style house front. Around 7:30 this morning as the haze and fog lingered in the air, Beau, as he is affectionately called, made his appearance and heralded in an early Spring and an end to winter. We shall see how the weather cooperates but the groundhog has had a 93% success rate of correctly predicting the next few weeks. A few hundred people, some as far away as Carrollton, made the trip and then spent the rest of the morning checking out the other animals, goats, alpacas, bears, coyotes, to name just a few, that make the game ranch their home. I am not a morning person and 5 a.m. is very early in the morning. That being said I have enjoyed getting to see Beau for the past five years. The people chant his name as they try and coax him to come outside. A bell is rung and this year even King Carlos and a few knights from Medieval Times came out to watch the show.

Charley Lacey (right) and Vivian Lane hold signs as they and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Charley Lacey (right) and Vivian Lane hold signs as they and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

A stone sign sits in front of General Beauregard Lee's enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

A stone sign sits in front of General Beauregard Lee’s enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Will Tims (center) takes a photo as he and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Will Tims (center) takes a photo as he and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Megan Conley (center) waits for General Beauregard Lee to appear with a crowd of a few hundred at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Megan Conley (center) waits for General Beauregard Lee to appear with a crowd of a few hundred at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Hope Jones (center) holds a sign asking for more snow as she and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Hope Jones (center) holds a sign asking for more snow as she and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Dressed as King Carlos, Charles Groves (right) talks to a few hundred people as they wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Dressed as King Carlos, Charles Groves (right) talks to a few hundred people as they wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Reagan Dailey (right) holds her groundhog stuffed animal as she and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Reagan Dailey (right) holds her groundhog stuffed animal as she and a few hundred people wait for General Beauregard Lee to appear at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

General Beauregard Lee pokes his head out of the front door to his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

General Beauregard Lee pokes his head out of the front door to his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

General Beauregard Lee scampers around his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

General Beauregard Lee scampers around his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

General Beauregard Lee lscampers around his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

General Beauregard Lee lscampers around his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

General Beauregard Lee looks out to the crowd of a few hundred from his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

General Beauregard Lee looks out to the crowd of a few hundred from his enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Angela Nichols (center) carries her son Grey as the crowd of a few hundred disperses from in front of General Beauregard Lee's enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Angela Nichols (center) carries her son Grey as the crowd of a few hundred disperses from in front of General Beauregard Lee’s enclosure at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Kyrie Abell feeds a goat at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Kyrie Abell feeds a goat at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

Jacquelyn Almond (center), her sister Sofia and Kyrie Abell (left) feed a goat at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

Jacquelyn Almond (center), her sister Sofia and Kyrie Abell (left) feed a goat at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

 

An alpaca takes a bite of a carrot at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.

An alpaca takes a bite of a carrot at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn on Sunday, February 2, 2014.