Groundhogs burrow into the ground, slipping there, hibernating and rearing young. They can move up to 35 cubic feet of soil when digging their burrows. That, in and of itself, can be destructive, depending upon where they decide to put the burrow. Groundhogs do go into a true hibernation state.
Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, United States. This location is one of Gran Torino filming locations. This is where Walt and Tao come to shop together for tools. This location is important in the movie as this is where a strong relationship grows between Walt and Tao.
The movie was filmed in Winnetka, Illinois, O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Miami, and New York City (which was star Culkin's hometown at the time). The exterior of Duncan's Toy Chest in New York City was filmed outside of the Rookery Building in downtown Chicago.