Improving Snowshoe Hare hunting technique

[tomfumb]

I've had moderate success with Snowshoe Hare (1 hare in 2 trips) and I'm hoping to improve my technique before I head out again. I'm in WMU 6-8 (Smithers) so finding suitable spots to hunt isn't a problem. I'm more concerned with the particulars of my technique and any tips would be very much appreciated.

My favourite spot is around a deactivated FSR that hasn't grown in yet. On the morning that I got my hare I spent around an hour slowly and chaotically making my way through the forest parallel to the road: stopping, staring, and changing direction. Despite finding a lot of tracks (though no well worn runs) all I saw was squirrels. I ran out of time and headed to the road to walk out. While thoughtlessly glancing to the side of the road I spotted my hare - just sat there out in the open. I shot him and ate him two days later in a delicious pie. Thinking about this experience I developed a theory: in crashing through the woods I scared the hare into a bolt, but he stopped when he hit the road as it was too exposed.

My questions:
1) Does this suggest a successful hare hunting strategy? Perhaps I can make my way down the road in circuits - go 200 metres south through the forest, parallel to the road, then 150 metres north up the road and repeat.

2) Much of the advice online involves staring into depressions and brush looking for marble eyes or ear tips, but at what distance should I be focusing? Is it pointless to concentrate on the brush at 5 metres? Do I have any hope of seeing hares in the brush at 30 metres? Next time I head out I'm taking binoculars - not because they're required for the distances I'm working with but because they force a specific focal distance and the naked eye isn't as effective in thick brush.

I'd be very grateful for any input on these questions, or any general advice that I might not have encountered yet. I really like hare pie :D

[Riverratz]

First off, find an area that you know they're hanging out.
No point pounding around on foot where there's no bunnies.
Drive a few roads, look for tracks where they're criss-crossing or you see them darting for the bush.

They love the really thick stuff, easy to hide themselves and tough for predators to get at them with any speed.
They have the edge when in the thick and know instinctively they're vulnerable out in the open.

Good spots are along old roads through old cut blocks where the replanted trees are really close/tight together and haven't been "thinned" yet.
Replanted Pine areas are excellent for this.
Really thick willow/alder runs are also good.
Bunnies bolt when initially confronted but usually stop soon after to see if the pred. is still after them.

Typical is you catch one out on the road just about the same time that he's started running and ducking into the thick stuff.
Guaranteed he's not in there very far. Going into the bush just scares him further back into it and you're waging a losing battle you're not likely to win.
Stand on the road where you saw him and stare into the thick stuff till he makes a little move or you spot his beady little eyes. Patience is king, they're usually closer than what you think.

An old trick from way back my dad taught me some 50 years ago was when you see one running, give a short whistle and they will freeze for a bit out of curiosity.
You have to be quick on the trigger though, they don't stop for long. Aim in his direction as you whistle, as soon as he stops......bang ! Sounds silly, but it works more times than not.

One other suggestion;
If you're driving/walking a road where you actually see them crossing, or there's lots of crossing tracks, odds are they are near by, you just can't see them in the bush.
If they've crossed that road before, they're going to keep crossing it.
Back up a bit and sit tight quietly and wait, prepared for a shot at longer range.
Like most animals, they are nocturnal by nature, best times are the last hour of daylight before dark.

[tomfumb]

Thanks for the tips Riverratz. I was out this morning but didn't see a single hare. However I did see a lynx which, in addition to being the coolest thing that's happened to me in a while, suggests I'm in good hare habitat.

I like the idea of camping out on a well travelled road at dusk - I'll try that this weekend and see how it goes.

Do you have any thoughts on my second question? This is what troubles me the most - I'm spending a lot of time staring into the brush, but I just don't know which area of brush I should focus my efforts on (the near stuff or the far stuff). I don't have enough experience to know how close I can be to a hare before it bolts, so maybe when I'm staring at the stuff 5 metres ahead it's already too late to see what I'm after?

[Riverratz]

How far you can see depends on the type of bush and how thick it is.

When I say Snowshoe Hares like the thick stuff I mean really thick ......... like 5 - 10 year old pine, or alder thickets, so tight you literally can't walk thru it and can't see more than about 3-5 m.
Some areas so thick you have to get down on your knees to see under the branches.
These areas are where they live but they will move in and out of these areas while out foraging, etc.,
An old road that winds it's way thru these thick areas is typically good to hunt because they criss-cross back and forth.
No tracks means no bunnies .......... move on..........unless it's really recent snow that they haven't crossed yet.
Sit back of a positively identified active crossing area about 50 ft. or so, watch and wait.
Hide yourself along side the road or trail, don't stand on the road out in the open.

Areas of high population density will have well used, worn down "runs" that are not hard to find in the snow as they weave thru the thick branches.
Hare move around a lot randomly but are generally creatures of habit and will always re-use those same 'runs' daily as they move in and out of their home area.

Random tracks in the snow here and there suggest a low or smaller transient pop.

Walking through forested areas that have a hare population and give you some visibility out to 50 ft. or so can be productive, but you have to be quick on the draw.
12G. shotgun with #2 or #4 shot, full choke, works good in these situations, which many times are "runnning" shots .......... great fun.

As you're no doubt aware, Hare population is on a 7-10 year cycle which varies by region.
Lynx mirror that cycle as hare are their primary diet.
I'm not sure where in the cycle the population is right now, but trappers in your area will know.

[Singleshotneeded]

All I have to add is they like a bit of elevation, I find better numbers of hares when I've climbed up a fair ways from the valley bottoms. The 12 gauge with full choke is a great way to go, but I've had great luck with #5 and #6 shot high brass...hares aren't very tough to kill, (as long as they're hit), and there's a lot more pellets in the pattern than if you're using #2 or #4. Another advantage is you can use the #5s for long upland bird shots and #6 for average distance shots, and only have to keep two shot sizes in your pack for everything...I often hunt with my over & under...#6 top barrel with modified choke, and #5 bottom barrel with full choke, and change the selector to suit.

[markomoose]

Get Hareassasin in this conversation!He is KING on this topic.Or check out his past posts? Cheers Mark

[barry1974w]

Keep doing what you're doing. In areas with few tracks you probably won't see much, but when you start seeing well used runs slow down and look everywhere you can see. You'll notice as you move through good habitat that you'll cross areas with lots of runs and tracks, then the tracks will thin out a bit, then lots of runs again. As far as I can figure the heavily used areas are one hares core area and where it's most likely to be in daylight. When I'm going hare hunting I sight my 22 in for about 10 yards, that's around the distance I get most of my shots at, but I've shot them as far as seventy yards away (don't ask me how I saw it, but I did), and I shot one about three feet from the muzzle (don't ask how three of us stopping for a break and resting for five minutes didn't see it until we were getting up to leave, but we didn't.....)
When you do shoot them, pay attention to where they are, if you haven't jumped it, it'll probably be on a log or stump, close to the base of a balsam or clump of willows, somewhere where it has a little bit if a view but still feels secure. Once you figure out the type of spot they like, you'll start seeing more. You get used to what you're looking for as well.
Mmmmm rabbit stew..

[Lastcar]

Get Hareassasin in this conversation!He is KING on this topic.Or check out his past posts? Cheers Mark

He sent me some great advice a few years back.

He says the key is learning how to "see" them. Once you figure that out it is just a matter of being where they are.

Says very easy to be where they are and not see them. Which I know, duh. But the real art and where the experience counts is being able to pick them out of the surroundings like second nature.

Kinda like those optical illusions where if you stare at it long enough all of sudden you can see a bicycle amongst all the lines. Said eyes are key. Ears are also good. And I think it was him, if not someone else told me the rump. These are the three things in order that pop out. Apparently. I am still flying by the seat of my pants out there.

Yesterday I went into a new area...figured out pretty quickly I was in a bad area. Nothing for cover. Nice walk anyways. May try off the marsh today lots of cover and plenty of willows.

[marlin3030]

Great advice and thanks. I also love hare hunting and I have found that sunrise and sunset are the best times. I'll have to try my 12 G like you suggested as I have only been using my .22.

[Fosey]

good thread. I live on Western Vancouver Island but love reading about rabbit hunting. I like eating rabbit.

[tomfumb]

Figured I should post back here with my experience to date.

Since starting this thread I've shot five hares in eight trips. I really felt like I was getting into the groove by the last one - I was just scanning an area of fairly thick snow-bent alder and the shape of the hare's rump was immediately obvious at about 20 metres. Despite coming across a healthy number of hares I still haven't found deep-worn runs so I suppose I'm yet to find the mother lode. All I've seen to date is individual or overlaid tracks and sparse yet regular droppings, but I've been told by the local naturalist society that this year is at or near the peak of the hare cycle so there should definitely be more of them somewhere nearby.

I recently decided I would leave my 12ga at home and hunt hares exclusively with my 22lr, for the following reasons:
- Of my five successes three were stationary when I took the shot. The two that were on the run suffered significant damage from the #4 steel shot and seemed to die painfully.
- On one trip I took a buddy along with his 22lr. He scared a hare into a run and all he could do was watch - if he were carrying a shotgun he would have taken the shot at this point - however after about 15 metres the hare just stopped and froze on the spot. It didn't even move when his first shot sailed over its head.
- My Browning BPS isn't the heaviest 12ga out there but it's still quite tiring to lug around through thick bush.

Next time I scare one into a run and all I have is my rifle I'll try Riverratz's suggestion of whistling in the hope of getting it to freeze for a second or two while I line up the shot.

Thanks everyone for the advice

[AgSilver]

Thanks for letting us know. I'm extremely interested in rabbit/hare hunting, from a "tasty meat" perspective. Keep us up to date as I'm dying to find the time to get out there to snag a few!

[boxhitch]

time is never found , it has to be made

old wise guy saying

[boxhitch]

tomfumb, nice follow up post , the rest of the story

[ruger#1]

Get a beagle. My father used them in Nova Scotia. He slayed a lot of rabbits. I used to shoot lots in Clinton and 100 Mile House. Once you find an area. Hunt it before dark. In October they look like ghosts. A little harder to hunt in September. Still lots of fun.