CLASSIC TALE OF ONE FINE HARE.

“the best thing about hunting and fishing,” the old man said, “is that you don’t have to actually do it to enjoy it. You can go to bed every night thinking about how much fun you had twenty years ago and it all comes back clear as moonlight.”--Robert Ruark, once widely read columnist, novelist, big game hunter and author of the novel, The Old Man and the Boy.

CLASSIC TALE OF ONE FINE HARE!

FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY.

The 2006-2007 Snowshoe Hare Season On The Allegheny.

All the Board Members were present on the Allegheny. A snowshoe hare hunt followed by a Board Member dinner meeting that evening.

Joe was home with his new friend Laura. Bill and Ray were on the high plateau with Bill's new video camera. The late Jim Hanson was there and don't forget the High HareMan.

Members of the Board of Directors of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny, Ray (L) and Bill check out Bill's new video camera before a hunt during the 2006-2007 regular hare season on the Allegheny. Little did we know, the camera would capture one hare hunting's most classic videos.

Video: Hare only eight (8) feet away. Taken by Bill Moreland and used with permission.

December 26, 2006, Board Member, Joe, Jr. with Banjo on the Allegheny.

Newest member of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny, Laura H. during 2006 snowshoe hare hunt on the Allegheny.

Jim Hanon, late, during the 2006-2007 Pennsylvania regular snowshoe hare season on the high plateau of the Allegheny.

Board Member Dinner Meeting 12-29-2006. From left to right, with back to camera, Jim Hanson, Joe, Laura, Bill and Ray. Missing are the cook and the High HareMan.

Board Member, Ray, with Wiggles and Speckles on the Allegheny for the 2006-2007 snowshoe hare season.

AND NOW THE VIDEO YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR:
THE HARE KNOWS.
Video taken by Bill Moreland and used with his gracious permission.




And so it was, one of the best days on the Allegheny ever with friends, hounds and the majestic snowshoe hare.

ADVENTURES BEYOND ADVENTURE!

FROM THE WILDS OF PA,

THE ALLEGHENY HIGH PLATEAU and the ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST

WHITE RABBIT HUNTING AT ITS FINEST!

ADVENTURES BEYOND ADVENTURE!

The mountains came alive on the Allegheny in March of 2018. Real winter weather set in which made for some of the finest chasing and observing of the illusive snowshoe hare for 2018 and the winter season.

Mid-March found the majestic snowshoe hare starting its semi-annual molt from white to its brown summer coat.

HERE WE WILL PRESENT OUR BEST VIDEOS AND PHOTOS.

03-17-2018 The illusive varying hare or snowshoe hare seems to be starting his molt.

This hare came down the road at full speed. I thought he was going to run me down.

Video may be enlarged by clicking on the video.

The playback may be slowed or speeded up by using the cog wheel in the bottom right hand corner of the video.

The video below was taken in February 5, of 2018.

In the dark phase, its fur is gray-brown, darker on the rump and down the middle of the back, the throat buffy and the tail dark brown above and white beneath. In autumn, the dark hairs gradually fall out and white hairs replace them. This molt is irregular and might occur in patchwork fashion, but it usually begins on the feet and ears and works upward and toward the rear until the entire pelt is white (except the ear tips, which stay black). A complete change takes about 10 weeks. In spring, another molt occurs. This time, brown hairs replace white, starting with the head and back and ending with the ears and feet by late spring.

Cold temperatures and ground color have nothing to do with the pelt's color change. It results totally from phototropism—in other words, it depends on light. As days get shorter in fall, for instance, a hare's eyes receive light for shorter and shorter periods; this stimulates the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. During molt, the pituitary shuts off pigment production in the new fur, which therefore grows in white. In spring, lengthening days trigger the reverse of this process. The above according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Breeding season for snowshoe hares runs from mid-March through August. Pregnancy lasts 36 days. When labor approaches, female hares become highly aggressive and intolerant of males. They go to a birthing area, where they have prepared an area of packed down grasses. Females give birth to litters of up to 8 young, although the average litter size is usually two to four young. Litters born late in the season tend to be larger than litters born in the spring. Females may have up to four litters a year, depending on environmental conditions. Males and females become mature within a year of their birth. The preceding according to the University of Michigan.

The following two videos were taken on January 20th, 2018 in the laurel patch. The first is of the hare while the second is Sammie pushing the hare along.

A majestic snowshoe hare darts across the skidder trail while trying to escape the wrath of the undaunting beagle pack.

A snowshoe hare leading the hounds on a merry chase on the high plateau of the Allegheny. The hare is molting.

This majestic snowshoe hare was watching us while we were watching him on the Allegheny.

In the swamps of the Allegheny, March 15, 2018.

This following video was taken on one of the best days of chasing the illusive snowshoe hare on the Allegheny during the extreme season of 2018.

The fresh snow on the ground and fresh snowfall throughout the day made the scenting conditions ideal for the beagles. The hounds could not be denied.

The beagles chased the magnificent snowshoe hare for seven (7) hours.

I had to intercept them to make them stop.

The hills came alive with the sounds of beagle music on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2018.

While hunting on Collins Pine Company property, the weather could not have been better. It was a great day on the Allegheny.

2018 was a great year on the Allegheny.

The trusty beagles enjoyed many great chases and the hare watchers enjoyed many "Tally Hos!"

We invite your comments.

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A DAY ON THE ALLEGHENY

           FROM THE 

BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

A DAY ON THE ALLEGHENY

A TALLY HO! and GREETINGS TO ALL.

Yesterday, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, the first full day of spring, brought the invasion of the DuBois Brigade of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny to the Allegheny.

Mentor to the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny, Jim Taylor, along with veteran hare hunters, Jim Jeffers and Marty Rhin joined Captain Kaz and Barbara along with the High HareMan on the high plateau for a day of hare watching.

Although, we managed to get two (2) hares up and one (1) "Tally Ho!" by the Captain, it was not the day we had hoped.

The fresh snows of the "nor'easter" which blew through to our south missed the big woods entirely. We were wishing for some fresh tracking snow which did not prevail.

The snow was old and crusty which made for some poor scenting conditions which hampered both the young hounds and the more veteran.

Speaking of veterans which numbered three (3) from DuBois honored the three regular members who joined them on the high plateau.

A great day and a great visit was enjoyed by all.

The High HareMan will be looking forward to many more days like yesterday.

The High HareMan (R) passing out official 2018 Big Woods Hare Hunter caps to the DuBois Brigade of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny.
From right to left are; Jim Taylor, Jim Jeffers, Marty Rhin and the High HareMan. 

The High HareMan extends his hand of friendship and fellowship to the veteran members.

Above and below: Veteran Hare Hunter and Mentor to the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny, Jim Taylor, watches for the illusive snowshoe hare on the high plateau.

 

HABITAT or RABITAT

"Too Much Old Forest"

HABITAT OR DOLLARS?

by

Joe Ewing

Chief Executive Officer

of the

The March issue of the Pennsylvania Game News includes an article entitled "Too Much Old Forest" by Joe Kosack.

The subtitle reads, "The future of hunting is rooted in younger forest land." 

The sub-subtitle reads,"Many hunters find comfort and familiarity in older stands of Penn's Woods. But they'd likely fine more deer and opportunity [and small game] in younger forests that provide more cover and varied foods. The canopy and ferns of older stands limits understory development and opportunities for wildlife. But the Game Commission and its partners are working to provide wildlife with a better mix of forest age classes."

Why is it always all about deer?
  
Maybe you have read the article. If you have, Good! I feel compelled to comment. Maybe you agree or disagree. You may comment here.

Joe Kosack is currently Associate Editor of Pennsylvania Game News magazine and works for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He has worked for the agency since 1990 as a writer, editor, author, photographer, website content manager, spokesperson and speaker. His hardcover book, The Pennsylvania Game Commission, 1895-1995, 100 Years of Wildlife Conservation, covers the state’s wildlife conservation movement from colonization to the wildlife agency’s centennial.

The Pennsylvania Game News is the official publication of the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). The best part of the Game News is there is no advertising. This fact is very refreshing after watching T.V. and being on the world wide web. Even my snail mail box is full of nothing but advertising. Normally, the Game News is very interesting containing many educational articles and stories. 

Hunting snowshoe hare, eastern cottontail rabbits and maybe even an Appalachian cottontail or aka Allegheny cottontail or two for more than fifty years has given me a sense of entitlement. After all these years I feel entitled to comment.

The title of the article says it all, "Too Much Old Forest" and the sub-subtitle leaves nothing more to be said. 

The article is good news for snowshoe hare and other small game hunters, if it's true. IF the PGC is serious and committed.

Kosack admits the PGC has not been managing commission owned forests properly for a long time. Possibly never. I read an article a while back in which Kosack admitted the PGC has been more interested in timber production than in wildlife. This is a very interesting statement in that I would think a wildlife conservation organization would have it the other way around. Many timber companies employ wildlife biologists to help them manage their timber lands for both trees and wildlife.

For those of you who don't know, the hunters of Pennsylvania own 1.5 million acres. This 1.5 million acres is overseen by the PGC. The Pennsylvania Game Lands contain more acres than the state of Delaware. The entire commonwealth contains 28 million acres.

More trees need cut! The article admits the PGC has not done a very good job at managing the forests.

You need to read the article. As a snowshoe hare hunter or any kind of small game hunter, you need to read the article.

And you can. The magazine is available online. Just go to: http://penngamenews.com/ and if they ask for a password I will gladly give you mine. Broadband Internet access is recommended. My account number is:10EWJO486235 and the password is: pagamenews

I bet you didn't see that one coming.

Happy reading.

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