Rabbits are still partly grey in NE Alberta!
- Thread starter Brutus
- Start date
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
Which spots do you guys find the most hares hiding in? Like do you find most of them at the base of a certain tree? Under windfall? Hiding under young pines? Sorry to bother but really need help. I've been crisscrossing and following tracks for days without any success. I'm seeing every kind of sign of hares except the hares themselves!!
I need to figure these things out before my two sons are old enough to accompany me. Can't be made a fool by a bunch of bunnies
I need to figure these things out before my two sons are old enough to accompany me. Can't be made a fool by a bunch of bunnies
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
^Pretty much in the thickest stands of conifer trees, where they have plenty of notice of any two or four legged predator heading thier way through the trees & undergrowth towards thier hiding places. Along with generous overhead branch cover from raptors & owls. Unforuneately right now in NE Alberta, the hard crust of snow gives them lots of pre-warning of your on foot approach. But harvest chances can be significantly increased if you have a hunting partner (or two) as they often hesistate slightly to decide which way is the safest escape route. My recent forays have come up empty handed, with only one sighting on the first go. But I fully expect this harder go, while alone doing this. Slow and easy does it, try 3 step 3, which is taking a few careful steps, stopping, listening for a long time and looking carefully all around you 360 degrees. Maybe even look up the odd time and perhaps a hawk or an owl might betray his interest on some ground prey not far from you. Very often you are bending over or crouching down, to get a rabbit's view of the nearby forest. Movement will be much easier to observe as you will be placing everything you can view on a much flatter plain. Your eyes will be immediately drawn to any visible movement in the forest. This kind of approach is more in step with the natural world and you are letting the more silent forest set your pace of patient hunting habits.
But all is not bad news folks. Once we have our first big melt at plus zero temperatures, a more silent approach will reward you with a heavy harvest bag.
Leveractionjunkie, you are in the right kind of places buddy! If you see thier tracks & rabbit pellets, they are around, but just being wary of you. If the snow is soft where you are at, you'll have much better chances then around here in this part of Alberta. Persistance pays off friend. My only advise to you is to just slow down friend & look/listen more often then your own physical movement. And once you find success more than once or twice, you begin to understand thier habits & eating behaviour. This will make subsequent hunting trips much easier IMO.
I often forego wearing a woolen toque on these rabbit hunts in the thickets, and use a thick neck muffler instead that can cover my ears, as the tree branches often pluck the woolen toque right off my head all too often!
If it's any consilation I've been skunked three times now guys. In absolutely perfect rabbit terrain. But they have the upper hand as they can race across the hard crust of snow that loudly announces my presence in thier domain.
Good luck to both of you guys!
But all is not bad news folks. Once we have our first big melt at plus zero temperatures, a more silent approach will reward you with a heavy harvest bag.
Leveractionjunkie, you are in the right kind of places buddy! If you see thier tracks & rabbit pellets, they are around, but just being wary of you. If the snow is soft where you are at, you'll have much better chances then around here in this part of Alberta. Persistance pays off friend. My only advise to you is to just slow down friend & look/listen more often then your own physical movement. And once you find success more than once or twice, you begin to understand thier habits & eating behaviour. This will make subsequent hunting trips much easier IMO.
I often forego wearing a woolen toque on these rabbit hunts in the thickets, and use a thick neck muffler instead that can cover my ears, as the tree branches often pluck the woolen toque right off my head all too often!
If it's any consilation I've been skunked three times now guys. In absolutely perfect rabbit terrain. But they have the upper hand as they can race across the hard crust of snow that loudly announces my presence in thier domain.
Good luck to both of you guys!
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Which spots do you guys find the most hares hiding in? Like do you find most of them at the base of a certain tree? Under windfall? Hiding under young pines? Sorry to bother but really need help. I've been crisscrossing and following tracks for days without any success. I'm seeing every kind of sign of hares except the hares themselves!!
I need to figure these things out before my two sons are old enough to accompany me. Can't be made a fool by a bunch of bunnies
I find rabbits, like most other critters are most active at dusk and dawn. Sounds like you are in the right places for sure. Try looking for the black in there eyes
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
Thanks for the morale booster Brutus and deerfarmer I appreciate it! I have been experiencing similar conditions to Brutus with a dusting of snow on crusty icy snow. I suppose I will have to slow it down and be extra vigilant.
This is one game animal that has haunted me since youth when all i wanted to do was go "rabbit hunting" but couldn't, then as I got into hunting none of my hunting friends paid hares any mind. So I went deer,moose, elk and grouse hunting and didn't think much of the bunnies for years. Recently though and especially since my first son was born a couple years ago I've been trying to crack the secrets to this small game gold mine. Just no luck so far. I'll keep at it and see how we do though.
I really can't believe how much sign I have seen this winter compared to years previous. I am also really surprised at some of the habitat that I am seeing sign in. Usually I see tracks etc in young densely planted cut blocks and swampy areas. Today for some reason though there was sign in the usual spots as well as down into open douglas fir/ponderosa pine stands on south facing slopes. Not at all where I'd expect to see snowshoe hare tracks, but they were there. They (just tracks-never saw an actual hare) seemed to spend time around wind fallen trees then hop over to young 1-3ft tall seedlings browse then hop to the next. Not too odd in itself but some of this took place in areas much more like southwest U.S. cottontail habitat than typical Hare areas in my mind.
Hope to get out once more before I head back to work next wed and have some pics of success. All the best to others looking for em out there
I appreciate it! I have been experiencing similar conditions to Brutus with a dusting of snow on crusty icy snow. I suppose I will have to slow it down and be extra vigilant. This is one game animal that has haunted me since youth when all i wanted to do was go "rabbit hunting" but couldn't, then as I got into hunting none of my hunting friends paid hares any mind. So I went deer,moose, elk and grouse hunting and didn't think much of the bunnies for years. Recently though and especially since my first son was born a couple years ago I've been trying to crack the secrets to this small game gold mine. Just no luck so far
. I'll keep at it and see how we do though. I really can't believe how much sign I have seen this winter compared to years previous. I am also really surprised at some of the habitat that I am seeing sign in. Usually I see tracks etc in young densely planted cut blocks and swampy areas. Today for some reason though there was sign in the usual spots as well as down into open douglas fir/ponderosa pine stands on south facing slopes. Not at all where I'd expect to see snowshoe hare tracks, but they were there. They (just tracks-never saw an actual hare) seemed to spend time around wind fallen trees then hop over to young 1-3ft tall seedlings browse then hop to the next. Not too odd in itself but some of this took place in areas much more like southwest U.S. cottontail habitat than typical Hare areas in my mind.
Hope to get out once more before I head back to work next wed and have some pics of success
. All the best to others looking for em out there I've only been out once so far this season. Found considerable fresh sign in a thick mixed forest area (aspen, balsam fir, spruce, etc) but didn't manage to spot any hares. I know they were there and probably saw me. I use the exact same techniques Brutus describes, with lots of long pauses and long look-arounds near ground level. My hunting buddy and I plan to get out a time or two in the coming weeks as the temperature here (hopefully) gets at least a little above the -20c mark. Hopefully with two of us we can get them confused and moving. We don't have a crust on the snow here yet, but it is deeper than I've seen in years. Even with snowshoes it's very hard going. I will post after I get out next time. Also planning on taking the .17 out for jacks in the next few weeks.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Well folks, I should have brought the camera today. Maybe I was a bit to pessimitic of my abilities? Sweep number 1 ended up with myself at 55 minutes into it, looking at a rabbit hightailing it away from me along the heavily treed "green jungle"! Well, I've come to the conclusion that if my 52 year old reflexes are not up to it, it's best to pass up the marathon bunnies & search nearby for the hiders. It worked out okay, because I changed direction, started the next sweep, and an hour and 4 minutes into it, on this nasty branch grabbing, cursing myself second sweep (cris-crossing over my first trail btw) I found a familiar tree that is often the location of many a bunny harvest. Just before I got there, I did see this one ghosting around me, staying to the low ground and fallen trees. Now you see him, and now you don't type of thing. I get kind of excited then, because that familiar feeling of that one lethal shot is very soon going to present itself, if you are patient and methodical enough in your approach fellas!
About two minutes later I've stopped and I am searching 360 degrees near this familiar spot. Was rewarded with a curled up bunny off to my left and down very low to the ground, his two ears & the one black eyeball staring at me and standing perfectly still.
I wanted very much to see that eyeball, because a bit ashamedly I fired upon a bit of snow/ice frozen into a bunny shaped snow-man last trip. But today's harvest, was about 12-14 yards away. Typical mid-winter, long range bunny encounter, they are trying to stay well far back from you just at the very far edge of your vision, in an effort to just hide from you as you walk by.
Today this ended a bit better. Flipping cold though! I should have worn the Kombis instead of the softer Hot Paws. Fingertips had mild frostbite. No biggy after 5 minutes in a warm truck. Fairly healthy rabbit, not many parasites. Only one rabbit, but I broke the bad ju-ju folowing me around this favorite hunting spot.
Keep at it friends!
About two minutes later I've stopped and I am searching 360 degrees near this familiar spot. Was rewarded with a curled up bunny off to my left and down very low to the ground, his two ears & the one black eyeball staring at me and standing perfectly still.
I wanted very much to see that eyeball, because a bit ashamedly I fired upon a bit of snow/ice frozen into a bunny shaped snow-man last trip. But today's harvest, was about 12-14 yards away. Typical mid-winter, long range bunny encounter, they are trying to stay well far back from you just at the very far edge of your vision, in an effort to just hide from you as you walk by.
Today this ended a bit better. Flipping cold though! I should have worn the Kombis instead of the softer Hot Paws. Fingertips had mild frostbite. No biggy after 5 minutes in a warm truck. Fairly healthy rabbit, not many parasites. Only one rabbit, but I broke the bad ju-ju folowing me around this favorite hunting spot.
Keep at it friends!
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I ended up getting out for a few hours this past Saturday afternoon. I was in an area of mixed scrubby oak and aspen. I saw a fair bit of fresh sign and one hare that I should have had. I was on a bit of a ridge along a cut through the bush. The ridge put me about 6 feet up from a very thick area with lots of sign. My plan was to stand over this thick area of fresh sign for 10 or 15 minutes and pick it apart with my eyes to try and find a hider. My face was a little cool standing there so I leaned my .22 into the crook of a shrub and got out a balaclava from my shoulder bag. You guessed it.... that's when the bunny broke cover from about 6 or 8 yards away. It broke from some deadfall and thick bush but stopped at about 20-25 yds with a perfect shooting lane. I grabbed my gun as fast as I could but he took off again just as I was getting it to my shoulder. This time he didn't stop within sight. I stayed there for 10 or 15 minutes in the hope he would circle back, but no such luck. I tried another spot close by and saw decent sign, but no more sightings. It was fun, but I should have had him!
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
Well I went out again for a few hrs this morn before I have to go back to work tomorrow. It was a very nice morning -10 at sunrise and about -3 by noon. With the light dusting of snow from overnight my hopes were riding high. There was fresh Hare sign everywhere! Tracks, droppings and seedlings that had been browsed every few yards or so. Unfortunately I saw no Hare, not even a Hare shaped snowman . Most of the sign was in 10-15yr old, dense, cut blocks like this one below. However there was also lots of sign in the dense areas surrounding the blocks and the windfall of dead pines killed by the beatle.
This was common sign throughout these older blocks:
I was begining to think maybe these critters travel into the blocks to feed and then retreat to cover during the day. Then I thought its more likely my clumsy @$$ stumbling around on snowshoes breaking through the ice crust on top of the snow that is scaring them away before I see them. Who knows.
. Most of the sign was in 10-15yr old, dense, cut blocks like this one below. However there was also lots of sign in the dense areas surrounding the blocks and the windfall of dead pines killed by the beatle.
This was common sign throughout these older blocks:
I was begining to think maybe these critters travel into the blocks to feed and then retreat to cover during the day. Then I thought its more likely my clumsy @$$ stumbling around on snowshoes breaking through the ice crust on top of the snow that is scaring them away before I see them. Who knows.
Glad I was able to find this thread again, populated by people who understand my hare hunting addiction.
It's been going pretty good so far this season. 22WMR is working out well. Up to 58 hares, so far. Two Saturdays ago I shot the bag limit for the first time. Hoping for a repeat this Sat.
(Note: all head-shot, they just bled all over each other in my back-pack)
It's been going pretty good so far this season. 22WMR is working out well. Up to 58 hares, so far. Two Saturdays ago I shot the bag limit for the first time. Hoping for a repeat this Sat.
(Note: all head-shot, they just bled all over each other in my back-pack)
Looks like you found a good spot this year.Glad I was able to find this thread again, populated by people who understand my hare hunting addiction.
It's been going pretty good so far this season. 22WMR is working out well. Up to 58 hares, so far. Two Saturdays ago I shot the bag limit for the first time. Hoping for a repeat this Sat.
(Note: all head-shot, they just bled all over each other in my back-pack)
I spent the winter chasing Wiley around to help keep your rabbit population up. LOL
Same spot as last year, and still producing well. I still wouldn't say it is "easy" though. It took me 4.5 hours and 6km of snowshoeing in crappy conditions to get those little bastards.
I have expanded the total area that I hunt at that location considerably. Still lots of room to explore yet.Hey thanks for helping out!
(I really should blow away a few yotes myself, I just have no idea how to find them. Also, we depend on hares for a lot of meals, so I can't be out figuring out how to hunt a non-edible species.)
You could figure on two hungry guys or three that were not real hungry, off each, as far as servings go. One guy could eat a whole one.
The hind legs are the majority, the saddles are pretty good and the fronts are a little light to be a 'one per plate' proposition. When I cut mine up, that s pretty much the divide, six ways, but not exactly equal ways.
Cheers
Trev
The hind legs are the majority, the saddles are pretty good and the fronts are a little light to be a 'one per plate' proposition. When I cut mine up, that s pretty much the divide, six ways, but not exactly equal ways.
Cheers
Trev
Trev is right on the money, as far as portioning the whole hare goes.
I debone all of mine. I get about a pound of meat off each one, give or take. Once deboned, I put all the common cuts together and then portion it up into family-sized portions.
For my family (me, wife, and 2 daughters aged 11 and 12), I get 10 meals out of 10 hares (we only eat game I kill, so we have adapted our meat consumption accordingly):
Last season, I took 68 hares, so ~68lbs of meat. That's about the same amount of meat as you get off a spike buck.
This season, I have 58 so far, and I should be able to take another 30, perhaps more.
(Oh, and I keep all the carcasses after deboning and make stock for soups, stews, etc.)
Here is an older video from last season, where I show how I debone them.
The video is longer than it should be, because I am explaining as I go. After considerable practice, I am down to about 7 or 8 minutes each.
I debone all of mine. I get about a pound of meat off each one, give or take. Once deboned, I put all the common cuts together and then portion it up into family-sized portions.
For my family (me, wife, and 2 daughters aged 11 and 12), I get 10 meals out of 10 hares (we only eat game I kill, so we have adapted our meat consumption accordingly):
Last season, I took 68 hares, so ~68lbs of meat. That's about the same amount of meat as you get off a spike buck.
This season, I have 58 so far, and I should be able to take another 30, perhaps more.
(Oh, and I keep all the carcasses after deboning and make stock for soups, stews, etc.)
Here is an older video from last season, where I show how I debone them.
The video is longer than it should be, because I am explaining as I go. After considerable practice, I am down to about 7 or 8 minutes each.
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Trev is right on the money, as far as portioning the whole hare goes.
I debone all of mine. I get about a pound of meat off each one, give or take. Once deboned, I put all the common cuts together and then portion it up into family-sized portions.
For my family (me, wife, and 2 daughters aged 11 and 12), I get 10 meals out of 10 hares (we only eat game I kill, so we have adapted our meat consumption accordingly):
Last season, I took 68 hares, so ~68lbs of meat. That's about the same amount of meat as you get off a spike buck.
This season, I have 58 so far, and I should be able to take another 30, perhaps more.
(Oh, and I keep all the carcasses after deboning and make stock for soups, stews, etc.)
Here is an older video from last season, where I show how I debone them.
The video is longer than it should be, because I am explaining as I go. After considerable practice, I am down to about 7 or 8 minutes each.
Thanks for the video!
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Thanks very much ironsighter! Your input has put considerable interest into this thread.
Nice haul you got there buddy.
Hello Trevor BTW!
Cheers..........
Update; I was out yesterday again. The hard crunchy snow hereabouts announces to all the forest creatures that a human is nearby.
Two weeks ago wolves took down a doe and her fawn in thier sleeping beds. Hence predator and scavenger attention has been a little too much in this spot. Rabbits are very nervous and tend to run a long ways at the very first sign of danger.
Kind of frustrating.
Nice haul you got there buddy.
Hello Trevor BTW!
Cheers..........
Update; I was out yesterday again. The hard crunchy snow hereabouts announces to all the forest creatures that a human is nearby.
Two weeks ago wolves took down a doe and her fawn in thier sleeping beds. Hence predator and scavenger attention has been a little too much in this spot. Rabbits are very nervous and tend to run a long ways at the very first sign of danger.
Kind of frustrating.
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My pleasure.
Yes, a good haul, but not anywhere near my goal for this season. I didn't get out nearly as much as I had planned. Still 5 weekends left, though.
At some point I will try getting some live hare hunting action on video...
Yes, a good haul, but not anywhere near my goal for this season. I didn't get out nearly as much as I had planned. Still 5 weekends left, though.
At some point I will try getting some live hare hunting action on video...
