I want to try and give snowshoe hares a try this winter... where is the best place to go in michigan...???????
ttt
Don't Snowshoe Hares live at 9,000 ft. I know that they are found in Colorado, and other state with large mountain chains.
they may live at 9000 feet....but they also live in the cedar and spruce swamps of northern michigan.... I hunt cotton tails heavy in lower michigan..but would like to head north and chases some snowshoes.
I did some reading, and never mind. interesting fact: Because the hare reproduces quickly, population densities can range from 1 to 10,000 hares per square mile.
They, like everything else, are cyclical and can be heavy or light depending on the year? I did a lot of shoe hunting back in the day around the Houghton Lake area on state land with great success but you never know. Gotta get out and pound the cedars.
Bob Urban
Drummond Island Steve!! I have heard that is where most people in the state go to hunt them!! I will do some looking around and see what else I can find out.
Don't know if its a "honey hole" but we have a lot of them near my place in the UP; Luce County.
any of the swamps and low lands of the NLP have pockets of them. But once you cross the bridge, you'll find a lot more of them.
A friend and I hunted a chuck of public land on the north/west side of Higgins off Military Road and kicked out a few last year.
I'll 2nd Drummomd Island. When I was a kid my uncle and aunt hunted them religiously thru the Cedar Swamps of Chippewa County in the U.P. They use to fill the freezer with em every winter.
Steve,
We use to have a bunch up in Indian River. We've had some family land up that way for 25 years now, and have taken a few over that time. I can't say that I ever just went out for them, kind of just stumbled across them while coming out of the deer woods. One thing we do have is an abundance of cedar swamps!
im not afraid to cross the bridge either...im gonna find some snow shoes this winter....anyone else it on this trek????
I am with ya Steve. Let's make a plan and run with it.
Depending on when you go, I may partake in this adventure.
im thinking a weekend in january ...gotta let the deer season get over...sounds like it would be a good warm up for our annual bunny hunt in february....do we need to have beagles for these hares..or can we just stomp thru the cedar swamps and hope to get lucky??? you guys start tossing up some ideas and areas for possiblities...
I know I'll be in TX the weekends of 1/12 & 1/19 so That cuts me out of a large part of the month.
I've always hunted them by tracking and stalking but that is kind of dependant on fresh snowfall.
EDIT: Jan as a whole is always a bad month for me so don't go out of your way to plan around my dates.
I'm there! just let me know when..
I'm in fellas...always wanted to do that. I would love to hunt with some good dogs. I think ol' Whitebuffalo has got one...
jason...does have a nice dog...but old rosie might have some problems if the snow is deep...we'll be hunting with beagles in february the first saturday after valentines... i think its the 18th.... love to have you steveo...it will be in st johns, mi this year... Whitebuffalo and I will post more info and start sending out emails and pms the beginning of february..Should we make this snowshoe tromp in the northern lower or are we gonna head to the u.p.?????
i just wanted to make it clear that the snowshoe hunt is seperate from the valentines hunt....just didnt want anyone to think they were one in the same...
Man I am all for it but I dont know where to go other that Drummond. I have never heard of anybody hunting hares without dogs here in Michigan. I have a lab but I dont think the rabbits would stand a chance!! I am just along for the ride on this one you let me know when and where and I will make it work.
Used to be alot of them around here 20 years ago, swamps and Christmas tree farms. Your lucky if you find a track now. Too many Yotes, coon and big birds.
Back then after a dusting of snow we would follow their track and pop 'em with a 22 pistol. Was a real hoot with my old beagle.
Eric
You don't need a dog; you look for orange snow; and then start looking for big black eyes.
Snowshoes have a 'if I don't move they won't see me' belief system. If they are sitting in a dark bush; they are pretty obvious. I used to stalk them anywhere the snow started turning orange. I did a lot of showshoe hunting around the Charlevoix area- out towards where there was at the time a neuclear power plant. There was a state park; closed in the winter by virtue of snow; Farragut state park? That held a lot of bunnies too. I have hunting dogs; and there are snowshoe hares and cottontails here up high; and jackrabbits and snowshoes and cottontails down low. Here when your into the low flat country; dogs are kinda fun to have; but they will kick up a dozen to a hundred bunnies in a very short time; as in a hundred yards sometimes- and they have a hard time staying on one particular bunny.
I use rubber blunts; and black shafted arrows with black feathers. The neon colored fletches glow under the snow.
I have found the best way to keep arrows in your quiver is to shoot; and if you miss just walk over and get your arrow. Even if I have a second shot; if the bunny moves; I get my arrow first.
Bunnies fried and dipped in ranch dressing .......yum. :)
If you get a melt and the snow leaves; the bunnies still think they are invisible.. heh heh heh..
yep..i shot a snow shoe..that was half white up north one season...he thought i couldnt see him..but there was no snow on the ground..i popped him at about 10 yds with a .22....when you say the snow is orange...im guessing your talking about their urine???
I'd love to come up and hunt them too. If you want company, let me know your schedule. If I can work it out, I'd like to try it too.
john..sent you a pm...steve
yes- rabbit urine is orange; and when your in a good rabbit area; the snow will be very orange everywhere.
Brian,
You out west guys crack me up ;) . There is NOTHING in Michgan, with 3/4 to one million nimrods tromping thru the woods that has a sit around and stay alive philosophy! Our deer are hyper, our rabbits are jumpy, and our grouse do not stand around looking at you while you shoot arrow after arrow at them...they flush a LONG way out unless you find a 6 month old bird.
Apparently the ferry to Drummond runs year round. Sounds like an interesting trip dogs or not.
yep steveo is right on... our animals are used to being hunted and are pretty excitable... but, at the same time ive had a number of shots at cottontails sitting tight under cover, brush piles, pine trees etc..problem is..i cant ever seem to get a arrow in to them thru the brush... i used to hunt the same way with my compound..Whitebuffalo and i started doing mini drives on rabbits last year.. we went thru one piece of cover and were pushing the rabbits right to each other..it worked out great ..we had 7 shots... 2 of them we missed while they were sitting and the other 5 were on the move..you talk about a great time! My son and i do the same thing in thickets and have a blast.
I'd like to try drummond also..sounds like a blast..
Hey, just thaught that this native Yooper could give you guys soem helpfull info. Any swamp area in the U.P. will hold Snowshoe Hares, buy the way up here we call them bunnies. We only seem to have cotton tail rabbits around the cities, not in the woods. I have hunted bunnies for over 20 years and the most effective way is with a good hound and a shotgun. The most effective way with a stick bow is to still hunt them. It is fun to shoot at a streaking bunny running from my beagle, but not all that effective with my longbow. The best time of year to hunt them with a bow is early November. This time of year they are white and hopefully there is no snow. They will sit really tight and if you are quiet you can sneak up pretty close before the take off. Good luck.
Clem...thanks bud...maybe you can join us chasing them once we put this "bunny" tromp together.... we call the cottontails down here bunnies also..we'll keep this thread going and hopefully come up with a place to hunt after deer season..