The US Forest Service is paying nearly $400,000 to find groundhogs

The Deschutes National Forest in Oregon just awarded a contract for groundhog surveys. A private company will now conduct these surveys for nearly $400,000.

This is a routine contract for environmental assessment services. It shows that even for seemingly small tasks like counting groundhogs, government agencies rely on private contractors. The cost reflects the specialized nature of such work and the administrative overhead involved in government procurement.