Hare today gone tomorrow

[boyo 1,398]

cracking photos mate you can use that camera ok thats for sure .get some more up over xmas if you got time real enjoyable .

[stevethefish 80]

Thanks mate I will try to get some more, its heaving with them around here, on a hare shoot day they can shoot up to 500, that puts the boot in for the "scarce" mongers. Cant see why they can't be hunted with dogs, whats the difference between hares and rabbits other than hares have a better chance, not much but a bit.<img src="http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif" class="bbc_emoticon" alt="">

Edited December 21, 2010 by stevethefish

[moonlighter 1,164]

I wonder how they will fair in this cold weather if it keeps as it is?? its got to kill a few off im sure. its been below freezing now for about a month!!

[Richie10 345]

Lovely pics mate, Some think that this beautiful athlete will soon be extinct.. Would be so sad to see the complete loss of the brown hare.

 

The only people that think that are the armchair conservationists. Groups like the Hare Preservation Society.

They all believe that we shouldn't hunt the Hare even though it was brought to the UK for that purpose.

They only thing that will bring it's downfall is farming.

They may be common in places but they are very scarce in my area and getting scarcer.

What's this about them being introduced for hunting . Plenty of evidence that the Brown hare has been here since prehistoric times .

Some folk like to claim the Romans introduced em on the basis of what they think Caesar wrote .

What Caesar actually wrote was that the Britons were fond of making pets of their (wild )hares in the manner that was also the custom in Rome. The Romans introduced neither the brown hare or the leporium (scews spellin). They were already here.

 

 

Can be said of many mammals in the UK. Roe are very rare where I am but abundant about 20 miles up the road.

It is said that the Hare didn't reach Britiain before it was cut off from the continent by the channel.

Not seen anywhere written differently that they were not introduced to the UK, only the Mountain hare being native. Very much like many species of our Deer.

[stevethefish 80]

I suppose it does not matter if they originated from here, they are here in abundance and here to stay, they will increase in numbers of that I am sure. I see hundreds each week, they often tease my dogs just the other side of the kennel in the field, you would think they would run miles at the sight of a dog, guess they dont know what they are anymore.

[comanche 3,038]

Lovely pics mate, Some think that this beautiful athlete will soon be extinct.. Would be so sad to see the complete loss of the brown hare.

 

The only people that think that are the armchair conservationists. Groups like the Hare Preservation Society.

They all believe that we shouldn't hunt the Hare even though it was brought to the UK for that purpose.

They only thing that will bring it's downfall is farming.

They may be common in places but they are very scarce in my area and getting scarcer.

What's this about them being introduced for hunting . Plenty of evidence that the Brown hare has been here since prehistoric times .

Some folk like to claim the Romans introduced em on the basis of what they think Caesar wrote .

What Caesar actually wrote was that the Britons were fond of making pets of their (wild )hares in the manner that was also the custom in Rome. The Romans introduced neither the brown hare or the leporium (scews spellin). They were already here.

 

 

Can be said of many mammals in the UK. Roe are very rare where I am but abundant about 20 miles up the road.

It is said that the Hare didn't reach Britiain before it was cut off from the continent by the channel.

Not seen anywhere written differently that they were not introduced to the UK, only the Mountain hare being native. Very much like many species of our Deer.

 

The remains of Brown hares have been found in sufficient numbers in prehistoric deposits

(remember the hare is not a burrowing animal so such evidence can be considered reliable ) to include them as a native species . (Freethy , Rackham)That's just off the top of me head.

It's is strange that in some places there are enough to shoot several hundred every year yet in other places they are like ghosts. Years ago I remember going to the Midlands with a mate who was buying a dog . The vendor just would not believe that where we lived there were no( "Honest mate we don't mean ,not many hares . We mean NO hares .") hares and that even if we travelled 20 miles to what looks like brilliant hare country it would be rare thing to see one .

You can sort of see why they have been worshiped throughout history . On a basic level where they are common they must have provided a reliable source of food and fur . On another level they have provided sport and on yet another their atheletic prowess and survival skills have also been coupled to tales of the supernatural and witch craft .

We saw our first one locally for years last weekend -probably brought off the Downs into the coverts by the hard weather. It quite made our day .