No matter what month it is, regardless of weather conditions, Maine hunters are in the enviable position of having an open game season available. Throughout the winter, gunning opportunities are a bit lean, but one quarry in particular is abundant, widespread and always challenging. For sheer hunting potential, rabbits are the number one winter game animal in the state.

Bag limits are generous, the season runs six months, from October through March, and no matter where a sportsman lives in Maine there’s probably a dependable rabbit cover within a 15-minute drive. Because of the overlap with fall big game and bird hunting, soon followed by lots of snow and cold weather, the sport of rabbit hunting is often neglected by many outdoorsmen.

Some gunners have had all the hunting they want after the regular autumn seasons wind down, and that’s an unfortunate choice because they are missing out on some of the region’s most fast-paced and consistent shooting. Not to mention an outlet from cabin fever and the chance for some outdoor exercise. If a sportsman could rabbit hunt for only one month, March would be the prime choice. Weather is milder, days are longer, snow cover is shrinking and it’s mating season for the rabbits, so they are moving about even more than normal. Now is a good time to investigate a new sport, or revisit an old one.

The quarry

Maine has two types of rabbits to be hunted: the cottontail, which is smaller and uses burrows for shelter, and the more popular snowshoe rabbit, which just hunker down in hollows, under blowdowns or beneath low limbs and brush for shelter. Snowshoe rabbit is actually a misnomer since these creatures are actually varying hare, a name which comes from their ability to change fur color from summer brown to winter white to obtain the best camouflage for the current conditions.

Snowshoe hare get their descriptive name from their oversized hind feet, which allow them to travel over the lightest snow at lightning speed without breaking through. This ability is a key aspect to their survival from predators, and their challenge as a game animal. An adult hare averages 3 to 31/2 pounds, and few even top the 4-pound mark. Rabbit meat can be prepared in dozens of recipes and is much favored by those who enjoy various types of wild game, and newcomers to the taste are generally pleasantly surprised.

Habitat

Rabbits are found in practically every type of forest intermixed with thick, brushy ground cover. In agricultural country, the small woodlots, fence lines and hedgerows abound with hare. Christmas tree farms are also prime gunning locations, or any other area with young growth, especially small evergreens during the winter months. Swampy edges mixed with alder and small fir trees are good cover, as are fields and pastures abandoned to fill in with second growth.

Snowshoe hare also enjoy areas along the edges of recent clear-cuts. Raspberry bushes, apple trees, poplar stands and hardwood saplings offer food opportunities. Old burnt- over areas, clear-cuts for power lines or pipe lines, and small spruce pine thickets are prime habitat for rabbits as well. Once snow arrives, finding productive rabbit cover is simple. Visit likely areas with the type of brush and trees I’ve mentioned and walk around looking for tracks, trails, dropping and saplings with the bark chewed off. These signs are very obvious even to the novice and the amount of sign will be a good indication of the resident rabbit population in that area.

Going to the dogs

There’s little question that the most exciting and productive method of hare hunting is done with hounds. Some folks use larger breeds like the Walker or bluetick, and even a few basset hounds make good rabbit dogs. Without a doubt, however, the finest breed for Maine hare hunting is the common beagle. Along with their natural trailing instinct, beagles with certain blood lines have been bred and trained for field trials so some top of the line dogs are available to Maine rabbit hunters. Most beagles serve the dual role of full-time house pet and part-time game tracker.

Dogs work well because rabbits are territorial in nature. A snowshoe hare has a home territory, and dislikes leaving it. When a hound is put on a trail, he chases the rabbit, which tends to run in a circular or figure eight pattern that will bring it back to its home area. The hunter picks a spot near the starting point, or an open area where the rabbit will likely pass, and waits for the hounds to drive the quarry past.

It sounds simple, but the thick brush, speed and erratic route of the fleeing hare makes spotting and shooting a real challenge. They change trails, alter direction and do several other tricks to throw off the dogs. I know of one instance where a hunter standing in thick brush, watching an open shooting lane, had a hare come from behind and actually hop right over his feet and escape without a shot being fired. A trio of very confused beagles arrived a half-minute later. That’s the excitement of hare hunting with dogs.

If a hunter chooses not to own a dog, or current housing conditions prevent it, there are plenty of Maine guides who own lots of hounds and hire out for half-day or all-day outings. Perhaps there’s even someone in your local fish and game club, or perhaps a neighbor who owns beagles and would like hunting company. Every sportsman should try hunting hare with hounds at least once, it’s a unique experience.

Walk ’em up

The simplest and most common method of rabbit hunting is to locate a likely hot spot and start walking and looking. One hunter can do it, but with two or three walking abreast, the odds increase. Visual contact between shooters is imperative, so hunter orange hats and jackets are a must so everyone stays in line. Verbal communication also keeps the line moving evenly through the often thick brush, and alerts others when a hare is spotted, which way it’s moving or if it’s holding still, and when shots will be taken.

The trick to consistent success is to move very slowly, stop often, and use your eyes to search under trees and in brush pockets for a rabbit sitting tight. Sometimes the hare will think it’s been spotted when a hunter stops for half a minute and it will make a dash for safety, allowing a clear shot. Don’t look for an entire rabbit – white bunnies on white snow don’t show up well. Seek out a twitching nose, the shiny black eyes or the flick of a darker colored ear as a giveaway.

Occasionally a hunter can serve as a dog. When gunning fence rows, hedge lines between fields and small, thick brush patches, one shooter can be stationed on either side and a third man can bull his way through the thicket flushing rabbit out one side or the other, and hopefully offering one of his partners a shot. Snowshoe hare are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk, and sit quietly in cover the rest of the day. March is the exception to this rule as mating season is in full swing and rabbits move about all day. Pick hunting times dependent on the time of year.

Guns and gear

Any type of .22 rifle is a good rabbit gun, and a low-power scope pinpoints shot placement and limits meat loss. Unless you are a true marksman however, running shots are difficult and most of the bunnies bagged will be stationary. A 12-, 16- or 20-gauge shotgun with an open choke and short barrel will really tumble running hare in dense cover. An ounce and a quarter load of No. 5 or No. 6 lead shot will work well, because although hare aren’t very tough, they are fairly large, and surrounding brush is thick and soaks up some of the shot pattern also. Experienced and adventuresome hunters will chose to hunt hare with handguns, bows or even muzzleloaders.

As mentioned previously, orange outerwear is a must, and the vest or jacket should have a game pocket so hands are kept free to part brush and shoot quickly. Waterproof boots are essential, shooting glasses to protect the eyes from tree limbs are an excellent safety precaution and a set of fingerless gloves keep the hands warm and the fingers agile. Briers and brambles are plentiful, so shun wool pants for jeans or chaps which won’t attract and hold every thistle and burdock you pass.

It is hard to tell how many of today’s ardent sportsmen got their start lugging a single shot .410 or .22 in search of snowshoe hare. Still-hunting patience, marksmanship and sportsmanship are all byproducts of pursuing the state’s most popular small-game quarry, not to mention some great tablefare. March is the last month of rabbit season, but it’s often the best, so call a friend or shanghai a family member and head for the brush. The way the snow is disappearing you won’t even need snowshoes, and the hare already have theirs. Spring is near and this is prime time for the March Hare.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached at graves@polarisumpi.maine.edu