Up here in Northern Ontario the season for snowshoe hare goes until really late - June 15th to be precise - and I was wondering if anyone had any tips or strategies for hunting the little jumpers in the spring.
Any general tips for bowhunting snowshoes would be appreciated too - the guys I try to get advice from around here all hunted them with guns only. Thanks!
I hunted them in AK last Oct with my brother with a couple beagles. I had a few shots but didn't get any. I used my Robertson recurve and my BW recurve. Its a blast.
I have found when bow hunting them with dogs you get your best shots if you set up on runways and look for "strays" that the dogs are not trailing. They usually just come hopping through and sometimes even stop in and opening. Find a good thick swamp with a good population of hares and give it a try.
I won't be hunting them with dogs. It'll probably just be me all by my lonesome. :)
I imagine some stalking is in order? What kind of habitat would I find them in?
Sometimes when the snow goes early and the rabbits are still white you can spot them. Look for anywhere the brush has bent over and formed a cubby they can hide under.If theres a lot of rabbits its amazing how many you can find if the conditions are right. Good Luck, Bob
Snowshoes like to hide in the thickest places. Go slow and watch ahead for one to run. They like blowdowns and coniferous trees with branches close to the ground to give them security shelter. Look for their little round eyes as this is a shape that is out of place in most instances. A lot more fun with beagles though! I can't believe your season runs that long. Ours is over in March.
Mike
Persistence will be the best tactic you can use. Other than that here are a couple of thoughts.
Use camo... snow camo or white coveralls will make a BIG difference in how close you get and how many bunnies you see.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Snowbunny2A.jpg)
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/RMBmagazinecoverR.jpg)
If the snow has all melted and the rabbits are still white it's gonna be extra tough. They're vulnerable and they know it.
Early morning and late evening can be VERY good.
Learn to read a rabbit track and get after them right after a fresh snow. Lots of fun and increases chance of finding one.
When tracking snowshoes they will usually do a couple of things that are predictable.
They will circle back to where they were jumped... their home range isn't that big.
As you trail them they will often find a hump of snow, stump or log to sit on and watch their back trail... they'll often use the same place over and over.
If you just can't close the distance while tracking. Put a friend along the course the bunny likes to travel and push him toward your friend.
Or after a couple of times around, reverse direction and come at him from where he is going.
A good pair of binoculars helps a lot.
Hey Jake, where abouts in northern Ontario are you?
Hey Guys, thanks for all the advice. I'm going to try and get out this weekend! The snow's all gone here now. I've got some light tree-bark camo I can wear...don't have any snowcamo yet, although I've been meaning to pick up some white stuff for winter hunts.
To Canadian: I'm in Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island. Not really that far north, but with the long winter we've had here it sure seems north enough!
Well, I got back a little while ago and thought I'd give an update.
No rabbits to be found where I was hunting. I don't think I even saw a track. So the hunt transformed into some roving and stump-shooting, which was really good fun, despite the high winds and unseasonable snowfall.
I'm hoping to get out again sometime and actually see some bunnies, but a day in the woods is never wasted!
Good luck.We've got snowshoes here in our higher areas but never hunted them yet.