Any jack rabbits left?
- Thread starter Gohome2
- Start date
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
They are out there but you have to look long and hard for sign, best off not to walk blind.
- Location
- scotland, ontario
I see 1 or 2 a year and I hunt that area hard. Not worth the effort for jacks alone.
I saw one just the other day in a museum... Stuffed. Ive lived in Alliston for 47 yrs. On the farm we would see em ALL the time. I live in the country still and have seen 1 in 7 yrs. From what I see they have been replaced with yotes. Im out often for bush mutts and I never see jack tracks. I wouldnt have the heart to shoot one now. It might be the last one.
That is sad. I think I will have get the 243win out and see about those coyotes. Could be a good excuse to get a new scope. I suppose that cotton tails and snow shoes are still around. Definately have to get some excercise.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
Yes thats what they are referring to. Only true Jacks in Canada are the ones you guys have out west. The ones they have in southern ontario are european hares.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've seen some photos on here, of the Brown Hares you have in parts of Ontario (south-west/west near Kenora guys?) They are every bit as big as the whitetailed jackrabbits of our Canadian prairies.
european hare
European Hare
Lepus europaeus
The European Hare is the largest of the Ontario hares and
rabbits. Native to Europe, the species was introduced to
Ontario from a stock of nine animals brought from Germany
to Brantford in 1912. The species was well adapted to the
new environment and spread throughout southern Ontario as
far east as Gananoque by the 1950s and north to Ottawa by
1961 (Dean and de Vos, 1965).
The European Hare is most common in the southwestern
part of the province where there is an abundance of its
preferred habitat: open fields bordered by woodlots or fence
rows. It is a popular small game species.
.. Judith Eger That is where we use to hunt around Brantford.
European Hare
Lepus europaeus
The European Hare is the largest of the Ontario hares and
rabbits. Native to Europe, the species was introduced to
Ontario from a stock of nine animals brought from Germany
to Brantford in 1912. The species was well adapted to the
new environment and spread throughout southern Ontario as
far east as Gananoque by the 1950s and north to Ottawa by
1961 (Dean and de Vos, 1965).
The European Hare is most common in the southwestern
part of the province where there is an abundance of its
preferred habitat: open fields bordered by woodlots or fence
rows. It is a popular small game species.
.. Judith Eger That is where we use to hunt around Brantford.
The european hare that we had in Ontario apprears to be a prettier rabbit than the western Jack rabbit. They appear to be in the same weight class. The european hare had some real smarts and were a lot of fun to hunt. It was my dads favourite and he took it serious.
JimboJones
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Brantford, Ontario
Have been out around Oakland, Scotland and Vanessa a few times before the new year. A friend of a friend has permision to hunt a few farms in that area. Mostly out for ducks and geese but always do a stroll for hares if there's no action at the pond. Last time out we walked a farm for 4 hours, only saw 2 and they found thiers holes before either of us got a shot. Every other time nothing, saw a lot of coyote tracks though. Might have something to do with it.
If you have permission from some other landowners in the area give me a PM. I can give my buds a call and maybe between the group of us with more land to cover we might have more luck.
If you have permission from some other landowners in the area give me a PM. I can give my buds a call and maybe between the group of us with more land to cover we might have more luck.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
I have harvested both and actually the European Hare from what I remember is slightly larger than the western jacks, however if memory serves the western ones turn white in winter like a varying hare(snowshoe) do they not? It has been almost 30 years since I killed either and I havent set foot on the prairies since Mar 2007 when I was working on the Red River floodway in Winnipeg and I remember seeing two on the jobsite one morning in January at -30 and if I recall they were both white. It was pretty exciting to me to see them as I hadnt seen any in years having not been on the prairies since the late 80's and I remember thinking Wow, I forgot how big those beggars are.....and #$%^ where is my .22??
"...replaced with yotes..." Yep. Suspect Wiley has put a serious dent in the small game populations in general. There's a politician down Windsor way who wants the Province to enact and pay for a $200 bounty on coyotes. Apparently, the sheep farmers are being hit hard.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Spank, you are exactly right, the whitetailed jackrabbit changes color much like our snowshoehares everyone is very familiar with. In Alberta, they (jackrabbits) range just to Edmonton and not further north than that place, I myself believe. I did not know European hares grow a bit larger than jackrabbits, but maybe it's been way too long since I've been to Germany or south-western Ontario. IIRC, areas like the Okanagon Valley/Summerland in BC is the only Canadian province with the protected blacktail jackrabbit as they are associated fauna for the northern tip of the Great American Desert (??)
Funny thing, sometimes when I hunted areas just south of Moose Jaw, and occassionally, one would spot a black (or dark brownish) colored bunny, as big as a jackrabbit, that never turned white in the winter months. Has anyone else seen/heard of melanisic (?) phase jackrabbits?
I remember a friend zapping a small brown colored rabbit in the dead of winter in Saskatchewan. He told me that it was a Nutall's
cottontail (or American) rabbit.
It was true rabbit, that does not change color with the seasons, unlike hares of many subspecies.
It's very interesting hearing of everyone's differing experiences all concerning "rabbit hunting" in spacious wild Canada. I like hearing of other's small game hunts and comparing notes!
PS: How about some true northerner posting some recent pics of those giant size Arctic hares! There's ONE BIG bunny!
Cheers.....
Funny thing, sometimes when I hunted areas just south of Moose Jaw, and occassionally, one would spot a black (or dark brownish) colored bunny, as big as a jackrabbit, that never turned white in the winter months. Has anyone else seen/heard of melanisic (?) phase jackrabbits?
I remember a friend zapping a small brown colored rabbit in the dead of winter in Saskatchewan. He told me that it was a Nutall's
cottontail (or American) rabbit.
It was true rabbit, that does not change color with the seasons, unlike hares of many subspecies.
It's very interesting hearing of everyone's differing experiences all concerning "rabbit hunting" in spacious wild Canada. I like hearing of other's small game hunts and comparing notes!
PS: How about some true northerner posting some recent pics of those giant size Arctic hares! There's ONE BIG bunny!
Cheers.....
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Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
I have never actually weighed a Jack from down here, but I am guessing that a large male can weigh up to 12lbs and average over 8lbs. Hanging stretched out from back foot to front foot measure up to 3 feet in length, never ever shorter than 2ft.
Challenging to hunt as they are much smarter than you give them credit for, have very keen senses (they will wind you, they have extreme hearing and excellent eye sight even in low light at great distances).
They prefer to live in the largest of wide open farm fields and will often get up and flush at extreme distances, it is nothing for them to run 5km...nothing. They can cover plenty of ground at night, one Jack can lay down a load of tracks covering many blocks leaving you scratching your head..
They can startle you when they decide to bolt, often from completely covered snow drifts or covered digs with no sign, leaving you fumbling for your safety and then...miss miss miss....chase for 3km....miss miss....chase for 1km....BANG...4 foot flop, 3 foot flop...flop flop, dead....WOOOWHO!
They are very big with plenty of meat, the best being the back straps, rear legs need marination and slow cooking.
I am a fan of hunting them as it provides exercise and precise long range shooting.
They are some of the largest "small game", but behave like small "big game"...........and can reach speeds over 70km/hr which is incredible to witness up close.
Challenging to hunt as they are much smarter than you give them credit for, have very keen senses (they will wind you, they have extreme hearing and excellent eye sight even in low light at great distances).
They prefer to live in the largest of wide open farm fields and will often get up and flush at extreme distances, it is nothing for them to run 5km...nothing. They can cover plenty of ground at night, one Jack can lay down a load of tracks covering many blocks leaving you scratching your head..
They can startle you when they decide to bolt, often from completely covered snow drifts or covered digs with no sign, leaving you fumbling for your safety and then...miss miss miss....chase for 3km....miss miss....chase for 1km....BANG...4 foot flop, 3 foot flop...flop flop, dead....WOOOWHO!
They are very big with plenty of meat, the best being the back straps, rear legs need marination and slow cooking.
I am a fan of hunting them as it provides exercise and precise long range shooting.
They are some of the largest "small game", but behave like small "big game"...........and can reach speeds over 70km/hr which is incredible to witness up close.
