If you are hunting the south you are chasing cottontails. If you have trouble obtaining permission for private property try hunting the ditches and right of ways along railway lines. We used to have great success hunting along track edges. In winter once the ground is frozen we would often kick them out of cattail patches and spots with other good heavy cover that offers protection from predators and weather. On sunny days they would often be sitting in the sumac growing on the banks. And they love the overgrown fence lines along the edges of fields along the right of ways also. Do not overlook any brush piles you find and don't be afriad to get on top of those piles and stomp around to get them out from under them. Sometimes you would think there would be nothing left of the pile in a few seconds and wha-la, out would come a bunny.
Now if you're hunting the north you are after varying (snowshoe) hares and they are completely different in their habits. In winter they are eating bark off moose maple and other various small growth trees. They too like cover but usually they like to hide under spruce trees that have branches hanging low to the ground covered in snow. They will get under them and completely out of view of predators and be impervious to weather. I have not had as much luck getting them out from under brush piles but they will be found under blown down evergreens like pine and spruce. On many days they are out and about just sunning or moving to keep warm and when snow is deep they stick pretty much to their little trails they have made so watch the trails they have made as you move along slowly and with snowshoes just look for a small black dot(the eye) you will be amazed how it suddenly appears when you think nothing is there.
Good luck and by the way, cottontails are far superior table fare to snowshoes!
