Snowshoe Hare Hunting Workshop Coming Soon

Snowshoe hare hunting has been a favorite small game sport of mine for many years. These rabbits are big and a real challenge to hunt, especially in winter when their fur turns white to blend in with the snow coverage. Although you can hunt them without the use of a dog, having a well trained beagle makes the hunt more efficient. Snowshoe hare season runs from October 1 through March 31 in New Hampshire.

For those who haven’t tried hunting snowshoe hare, a free snowshoe hare hunting workshop is being offered at New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Owl Brook Education Center, located in Holderness, N.H. The workshop will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 23,2010. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register for the course, call the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center at (603) 536-3954. 

At the workshop, Edward Vien and Larry Williams, President and Treasurer of the New Hampshire Beagle Club and Volunteer Hunter Education instructors; along with Bob Drozdowski, past president of the N.H. Beagle Club, and Larry’s son Thomas Williams, will introduce participants to one of New Hampshire’s finest small-game hunting experiences, hare hunting with beagles.

The workshop will cover topics such as snowshoe hare, where to find them, equipment needs, dogs and their needs and training, safety considerations, where to find information on hare and rabbit hunting, and clubs in New Hampshire that focus on dogs and hare hunting. The instructors have many years of experience and a true passion for their sport. 

Participants should bring warm outdoor clothing and be prepared to go outside. The first portion of the workshop takes place in the classroom, and then the class moves outside, where the dogs will show their stuff. For the outdoor portion of the class, you’ll need to dress warmly and wear proper footgear (bring snowshoes if you have them). Note that this workshop does not include a lunch. 

Snowshoe hare have large hind feet, both front and hind are heavily furred in winter. Their toes spread out like a “snowshoe” enabling them to hop about in deep snow. Both sexes look similar, although females are slightly larger. They are also called “varying hare” because they molt from soft brown in summer to mostly white in winter. The color change is stimulated by the change in day length. It take about 10 weeks in the fall and spring. Their droppings, or “scat” resemble flattened brown pellets. 

In summer, they eat clover, grass, dandelions, berries and ferns. In winter, they eat twigs, buds, tender bark of shrubs and trees, and stems of bushes and saplings, including aspen, alder, spruce, fir, hen-dock, birch, willow and pine. Lowland spruce-fir forests with dense softwood and a mix of hardwoods are ideal habitat. They may also be found in cut-over areas including clear-cuts, blowdowns and burns. In southern New Hampshire, they occupy old fields interspersed

with pine juniper and hardwoods. They avoid open areas. Snowshoe hare are active year-round, mostly at dawn, dusk, or at night. They seek cover next to a ledge or large rock, or under tree roots, in hollow logs or fallen trees. 

Snowshoe hare are a challenge to hunt but also provide an excellent and tasty meal on the table. They can be prepared and cooked in a great variety of ways. They even make a great stew. For some good recipes, go to Google and type in: recepies for snowshoe hare. At any rate, if you are new and inexperienced to snowshoe hare hunting, be sure to sign up for the free course at the Owl Brook Education Center. You’ll be glad you did.

Bob Harris can be reached via e-mail at: outwriter2@aol.com

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