Hare Habitat

[Larry G]

Somebody tell me why they can't live except in certain places like high elevations or something....must be what they eat I guess... also what about the hare found in England... european hare I think.... why can't they survive here. It would be nice to have some of those critters down south.

[NorWester]

You probably do have European Hare, which is essentially a jack rabbit, although I have seen literature that differentiates them from the Black Tailed Jack Rabbit and the White Tailed Jack Rabbit. Snowshoe hare, need snow and deep woods, not sure if it has anything to do with elevation.

[SilverZuk]

It would be nice to have some of those critters down south.

You do - they are called swampers.

[Swampman]

Snowshoe need snow so they don't stick out like a sore thumb. A few years back we didn't get snow until Jan. that spring in March we had a hard time finding any, the predators took a toll on them until the snow came in Jan.

Swamp

[Hare Hawk]

I live right on the border where hare and cottontail split in Wisconsin. When we run snowshoes it's always in a thick cedar swamp or a clear cut that is a couple of years old and the aspen shoots are starting to come up. We will rarely run a cottontail when we are in snowshoe country and vice versa.

You just don't have the habitat down south to sustain snowshoes. Plus I don't think that they would last very long during the winter in Mississippi. It would be as if every rabbit was albino.

I will tell you that the snowshoe population in Wisconsin is very high this year. We killed 10 in 3 hours this past weekend. I've been hunting these areas most of my life and haven't seen this much sign in a long time.

[Swampman]

Hare Hawk,
Thats good news because Dad and I are heading north tonight to the cabin. What general area do you hunt, My cabin is just south of Iron Mountain.

Swamp

[Rabbit Fever]

Swampman, I live in the Eagle River area of WI. Do you hunt up north often? We have alot of snow hanging on the trees now, it,s very hard to hear the hounds when they get out any distance.

[Hare Hawk]

I actually live in Western WI, New Richmond to be exact but we were hunting near my parents home with is just south of Rhinelander. I'm sure that Iron Mountain has a good population though. We were hunting in 14 to 16 inches of snow in the woods. Made for some slow going but the hares were running everywhere. Sometimes snowshoes will run together. Fortunently my 20 gauge has 2 barrels.

[Swampman]

Rabbit Fever,
I try to get up a couple times in late Dec. and then in mid. March. I usually don't go up in Jan. and Feb. because my cabin is a mile off a gravel road and it's a lot of work hauling everything in on foot with all the snow. I haven't been able to get up this season yet until now.

Swamp

[Larry G]

It would be nice to have some of those critters down south.

You do - they are called swampers.

What few swampers we have around here don't give much more sport for the hounds than an ordinary cottontail. Now down in La. or somewhere it might be better. Still from what I hear and read they are not in the class of a snowshoe hare for running or size.

Nor Wester I believe the western blacktail jackrabbit and the European hare are different. Been told efforts to establish the E. hare here failed for some reason.

[golden acres]

I have known hare to survive in running pens in southern Michigan, but most pen owners control predators some how or another

[Larry G]

Found this.... interesting. Had no idea Ca. has snowshoe hare.

http://www.beaglesunlimited.net/rabbith ... fo-USA.htm

[Mark T]

The biggest reason elevation is a consideration is due to the snowfall. We have very few cottontails here. They simply can't go in deep snow. We average 350" of snow a year here. If we have several light winters in a row I may find a few outback in the brush but after 1 hard winter there gone. The hare start turning in November and back in late March. Usually when snow starts and ends. There change is triggered by length of daylight. Another factor could be they do not handle the heat very well at all. You will find if you run them hard in an enclosure when its hot your running will slowly deminish and you may find them dead without a mark on them. They can't handle it. Best is night running or NO running over 80degrees. A cottontail will hole, a hare won't. The hare population in Central NY is not the greatest, but if you find cover you will find the hare. Hemlock, Spruce, Cedar and large tag alder beds are what they really like. Biggest reason is predators. Babies are born in spring in the open, no holes or dens. A wet spring will hurt your running in the winter. Thus this spring/summer was dry it should be a decent winter in most areas. In Maine and VT there are huge tracts of spruce, cedar and balsam and there are huge populations of hare. Cover=Hare. These are a few of my findings over the last 15yrs chasing the ULTIMATE game animal in 4 states!!