Elliots recent image of the Brown Hare prompts me to write the following. I hope it is of use but it is just my own observations, certainly not a scientific study.
During the last 4 years, when I lived on the farm in Lancashire, I spent a great deal of time studying, and trying to photograph Brown Hares. Although February and March were quite good months for catching sight of them boxing, the fights never lasted very long before one of the participants made off. June, however, was a far more successful month for capturing them with camera, and that was when I achieved most of my images of them boxing and chasing one another. They seem to keep to much smaller areas at this time, and I would regularly see the same ones at the same place several days together.
I also found that a few days reconnoitring with the binoculars finding which areas had the most animals in, was extremely useful and a good guide as to where best to set up hides.
So if you didn’t catch them boxing in March, don’t despair, there is still time!
I believe they box all year,Just famous as mad as march hares
Posted by BRIANPHIPPS on April 13, 2006 at 5:25 PM
I agree with Philip, I`ve never done a great deal of hare photography in March, always leave it until around the June time, earlier mornings mean you can be out and know one will be around and by the time you`ve finished people will just about getting up
Regards
Brian
Posted by Major Gilbert on April 13, 2006 at 6:39 PM
One of the problems I have found this year is that during March we have suffered badly from biting cold winds, even when there has been any light.
It seems to me that as a result Hares become very inactive full stop.
Major
Posted by John Chapman on April 14, 2006 at 5:15 AM
Hi Philip
thanks for sharing the information.
John
Aberdeen
Posted by Elliott Neep on April 14, 2006 at 7:42 AM
Hi Phil,
Thanks very much for the tip. Will certainly be back in June. Most of the time that I saw them in March and Early April they were cowering in furrows trying to escape the wind. I have had they box all year (the female beating of persistent suitors) but always reckoned on March/April being the best time as they were easier to spot, thanks largely due to the low level of crops in the fields. Thanks for the enlightenment.
One good thing about farmers having continual crop rotation, farming different crops througout the year, is that somewhere at some stage there is always freshly turned fields and short crops.
Discussion
5 repliesDuring the last 4 years, when I lived on the farm in Lancashire, I spent a great deal of time studying, and trying to photograph Brown Hares. Although February and March were quite good months for catching sight of them boxing, the fights never lasted very long before one of the participants made off. June, however, was a far more successful month for capturing them with camera, and that was when I achieved most of my images of them boxing and chasing one another. They seem to keep to much smaller areas at this time, and I would regularly see the same ones at the same place several days together.
I also found that a few days reconnoitring with the binoculars finding which areas had the most animals in, was extremely useful and a good guide as to where best to set up hides.
So if you didn’t catch them boxing in March, don’t despair, there is still time!
Best wishes
Phil
Regards
Brian
It seems to me that as a result Hares become very inactive full stop.
Major
thanks for sharing the information.
John
Aberdeen
Thanks very much for the tip. Will certainly be back in June. Most of the time that I saw them in March and Early April they were cowering in furrows trying to escape the wind. I have had they box all year (the female beating of persistent suitors) but always reckoned on March/April being the best time as they were easier to spot, thanks largely due to the low level of crops in the fields. Thanks for the enlightenment.
One good thing about farmers having continual crop rotation, farming different crops througout the year, is that somewhere at some stage there is always freshly turned fields and short crops.
Good hunting for all!
Ell