MEDIA RELEASE__State Wildlife Officer Jason Porinchok, assigned to Putnam County, received a call about groundhogs that fell into a dry cistern and became trapped. Officer Porinchok advised the caller to place an object in the cistern long enough to reach to the top and leave it overnight. Groundhogs can climb trees and Officer Porinchok expected they could climb out of the cistern on another object. The strategy was successful and the groundhogs escaped unharmed.