Hare Hunting Milestone: Bag Limit!

[hare_assassin]

Yesterday, I finally acheived something that I have been working at for a while; I shot 10 snowshoe hares!

Despite having a pretty bad head cold, I headed up to my spot yesterday. Hare supply in the freezer was getting a bit low and it had been weeks since I went hunting, so I wanted to get as many as I could.

Arrived at the spot and was on the snowshoes (my own) by about 11am. By 4pm, I had 10 of them in the bag. The snow was about a meter deep and the crust was breaking 2 out of 3 steps. It was exhausting, but well worth it.

Now I have to debone them all...



(They were all head-shot. The ones with blood on their torsos were at the bottom of the bag.)

Today is going to be an excellent day for hunting them. Get out there and get some!

[yamadirt 426]

Nice work. Sounds like you have a great spot. Congrats

[SingleShot]

Nice work there! Feeling sick to boot!

[pappy]

I have only ever shot one, I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. It tasted good, it was a little tougher meat than a grouse. Must be fun shooting at fast targets when they make a break for it.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

VERY impressive!!!
I have yet to try to kill one in the winter let alone 10 in one outing!!!
Congrats and Bon Appetite!

SSS

[hare_assassin]

Nice work. Sounds like you have a great spot. Congrats

Thank you! Yes, a very good spot. No matter how many I kill, there are more and more. I expanded my hunting area considerably yesterday and I realize now that the relatively small area that I was always covering in the past was simply a minor pocket in a vast area full of hares.

Nice work there! Feeling sick to boot!

Cheers! I feel even worse today. I guess I'll have to go stack some firewood and do some raking to try to sweat this out of my system.

I have only ever shot one, I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. It tasted good, it was a little tougher meat than a grouse. Must be fun shooting at fast targets when they make a break for it.

It is definitely tougher than grouse, depending on how it is cooked. Braised works best, and slow cooker works really well, of course.

When they make a break for it, I just watch them (I never shoot them on the run, as I am not hunting with a shotgun). I have come to know their patterns and I can anticipate how far they go based on how scared they seem to be. If they are really freaked out and bolting full tilt, they will go a good 40-50m and then turn suddly left or right (mostly left, for some reason) and duck behind cover (or what they think is cover). If they are just a little nervous and are "hopping" rather than bolting, they don't go far at all but they do try to get out of line-of-sight. Either way, I stalk them carefully, always intensely aware of where they went and where they "probably are". 8 times out of ten, I am right and I can find a shooting lane. Other times I'll be plodding along on the snow shoes and then spot one a considerable distance away. A couple of them yesterday were easily 80m, and the .22 magnum with 30 grain V-Max @ 2250fps is like a laser. So much fun! Likewise, 3 of them yesterday were less than 20m, just sitting there, frozen. I almost feel bad shooting them.

VERY impressive!!!
I have yet to try to kill one in the winter let alone 10 in one outing!!!
Congrats and Bon Appetite!

SSS

Thanks! If there is hare habitat in your area, get out there and get some. It is incredibly fun, and the exercise and fresh air alone is reward enough.

[Glenny]

Good day there. Do they make good snaussage?

[hare_assassin]

Nice work. Sounds like you have a great spot. Congrats

Nice work there! Feeling sick to boot!

I have only ever shot one, I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. It tasted good, it was a little tougher meat than a grouse. Must be fun shooting at fast targets when they make a break for it.

Good day there. Do they make good snaussage?

I haven't made sausage with hare meat. In fact I don't make sausage at all. I did grind it once, but typically we just eat it in stews, soups, and especially braised with garlic, herbs, and veggies.

[nature girl]

Do you find them covered in ticks at all. I shot one once and it was covered in ticks and that was it for rabbit hunting for me.

[hare_assassin]

Do you find them covered in ticks at all. I shot one once and it was covered in ticks and that was it for rabbit hunting for me.

No. I've never found ticks on them.