Jack rabbits in Ontario

[yorgi]

About ten years ago a group of six of us made it out almost every Saturday from December to March, lots and lots of snowshoeing along fencerows.
The numbers back then were quite high, it was a regular occurence to get one jack per person per day. Not even close to seing those numbers ever again.

 

[silverfoxdj]

Are low numbers because of Coyotes etc??

 

[farmer47]

i have seen a couple on the farm in the last few years . my father in the 1950 era would get several in a hunt as there were few predators and lots of cover in fence rows and no end of jacks .i once saw a grass lined nest of baby jacks curled up in the snow in an open field late in the winter . i never shoot jacks as they are rare to see and i keep hoping they will make a comeback but i believe the habitat is gone that is suitable for them to survive .

 

[Dominion Link]

Love the photo Yorgi! Wish the opportunity still existed in my area.... Sounds like there are a few pockets of jacks around. It would be great to see them expand back to the populations we had a few decades back.

 

[brybenn]

I watched a pair today thru my scope while coyote hunting.

 

[Lead Loader]

only seen and shot cotton tails, no jack rabbits yet.

 

[brybenn]

only seen and shot cotton tails, no jack rabbits yet.

When we get snow come down and bring your 22mag. Stalking them on their tracks is a lot of fun

 

[canadian hunter312]

I have shot snowshoes around Guelph, Orangeville, the Muskokas, Kawarthas and in the Ottawa valley. Haven't hunted brantford specifically, but I bet they are around in their preferred habitat. I personally have only seen cottontails around the cities and towns. Not to say that they aren't in the wilder areas, but I have yet to find any.

I spend a lot of time on snowshoes over the winter small game hunting. I have yet to take a jack aka European Hare but I have found a colony near Arthur Ontario. I know they are jacks due to the crazy large tracks in the snow. I know they were hiding inside alder thickets down deep under the snow. I need a dog!!! I have become borderline obsessed with catching up to a Jack. I have found tracks near Orangeville as well.

The only time I have ever seen one was as a kid outside our kitchen window. It stood up on its hind legs and I could not believe how big it was! I thought I was in a dream.

After literally hundreds of days hunting jacks and cottontails in the brantford area south to the lake I have yet to see a single snowshoe or tracks left by one. Also, I haven't seen any sign of one while covering every type of terrain around these parts hunting all kinds of different critters from blackbirds to deer.

If there is a snowshoe around here, he's invisible and hovers over the ground

If you wanna see more jacks spend time glassing fencerows and bushlines. Then either put the sneak on em or bust out the rifle.

 

[liberal-hater]

Very few around Perth County now. In the 1940's-50's my Dad used to shoot 'em out the pick up truck window while on the quiet rural roads, they were so thick.

 

[brody125]

Was walking back through a field a week or so ago and one darted once I got close.
I didn't noticed it until it ran. Made me "jump".
Only one I've seen.

 

[amber2010]

If there's none around they've probably all been eaten by eastern Cougars. LOL.

 

[beretta boy]

If there's none around they've probably all been eaten by eastern Cougars. LOL.

Cougars: You mean they leave the bars and actually go out bunny huntin' ???