Hare question?

[twodogs]

I'm new to the cariboo 2 years ago . I saw my first hare yesterday in my driveway. So my question is . Do they hang around the same general area all the time or do they go some where different? I sure hope this isn't a dumbass question.

[Jagermeister]

Pretty much localized. The numbers may fluctuate over a few years (about 10 year cycle), but they do not migrate even when the snow gets deep.

[Boner]

They really like to chew on thin aspen branches. Something I noticed from working in the oil patch. Knocking down an aspen or two might make them consider staying this winter.

[twodogs]

Thanks for the info. guys. I let my Brittany " Fletcher" out this evening for about an hour. When I looked out the window I saw her playing with something . I called her she didn't want to come in ,but she finally did. When I went out later I saw that she had gotten a different hare. So she is one up on me.

[runorrust]

Any tips on how to find these animals? I see tons of tracks in the snow when I go out but I haven't spotted one yet. Does it tend to be blind luck or is there a trick to it?

[The Dude]

Dogs are the best way, but moving super slowly and observing has worked for me as well. You won't outrun them, so you must outwit them.

[Rich_D]

Find tracks...lots of them
Walk around area with .22 in hand until you see something hop away.
Stop and watch it until it stops moving.
Put .22 bullet through head of sitting duck (or rabbit in this case)

They usually only run a few yards when you scare them up, if you stop quick enough you can generally get a good idea of where it stopped. If not, sneak up in the general direction of where it went, bino's help in this case as you can spot the shapes a little easier.

Found a good area this past weekend while i was deer hunting so I went for a walkthrough in the afternoon since the deer weren't moving at all, the bush was pretty thick so I ended up only getting 1 out of the 3 that I scared up.

I got 3 a few weekends ago in my regular spot, 1 was at less than 10' and I actually missed it first shot....put it over it's head.....he wasnt so lucky on the second though as he just sat there nicely for me.

Rabbit hunting is usually my Dec/Jan fun in the bush but it's hard to pass up a spot where the snow is packed down in bunches.

[Steelpulse]

all the above is great advice but ill chip in
for sure the most important thing is going really slowly, they will seriously sit at your feet not move and you wont see them, thick bunches of grass and any thorny bush with a fallen down tree over the middle are my favorite spots to bump them from, often they will wait until you pass and sneak out behind you, one thing to listen for is a thump, I have found this happens right when they are about to jump out of your feet stop and look down they will be right under you, if they run just watch where they run its usually pretty easy to follow them quite a ways, early morning is the best time. Also walk through the thickest bush you can find they will be in there. when scanning brush for them its the same as deer hunting look for the eyes, ears, half circle shape

[bc_archer]

At the beggining and end of winter the hare are just changing colour or and will contrast with bare ground, February and March are great times to hunt especially on sunny days; look on or near stumps and small log piles. If you are hunting with one or more other hunters find a clearcut with lots of small deciduous saplings & shrubs and look for tracks and de-barked stems, with the first 18"-24" of bark off the trees you see a sea of white stems. Once you find such an area space yourselves out far enough so you can see each other 20-50 yards apart and walk forward abreast of each other in a line. Soon you will bump up a hare, stop and watch where it goes and either shoot it when it stops or call out to your hunting partner on the right or left of you and let them know that it is heading their way. We usually yell "bunny" and then say the hunter's name that it is heading towards and follow-up with a play by play of where the bunny goes and stops etc. This works surprisingly well and does not scare off the hares and is very safe since you are not worried about getting every hare you bump up, letting your partners shoot the ones that run to them. You can use .22 rifle, shotgun and shoot on the run or use a bow which is how we usually hunt them. The eyes are what catches my attention, but the ears are very noticible as well.