Not all of us have the opportunity to hunt hares with a hound dog, and you can’t always hunt with it everywhere, especially in the steppe regions of our Motherland. However, there are several completely reliable ways to get a scythe without dogs.
Hunting from the approach
Hunting from the approach is carried out, as a rule, either or after there has been no powder for a very long time, as a result of which there is an endless interweaving of old and fresh ones (many traces), which makes it difficult to track down the animal.
Conditions for hunting hare from the approach
This hunt requires three conditions:
- high hare numbers;
- knowledge of the habits and habitats of hares;
- good physical preparation of the hunter;
- ability to shoot.
Where there are few hares, hunting from the approach turns into a hopeless walk through the fields, and when time passes, kilometers of meadows remain behind, but there is still no hare, and the hope of raising it gradually fades away. In places with limited visibility (in the forest, bushes, weeds), even if there are a lot of hares, the situation is not so good: you can simply not notice the animals carefully getting up from their beds and secretly running away and you can go the whole day without shooting, in this case it helps a group of friends (3-4 hunters) who go around places with limited visibility from the sides.
Hares rest for the day in places where they themselves will be reliably covered, and the approach of danger is easy to notice. such places are the edges of ditches among fields overgrown with weeds, “flaws” left after plowing, that is, areas untouched by the plow near large stones, near telegraph poles or supports of high-voltage lines, individual bushes, and in clearings, piles of brushwood and tops of felled trees, thickets willows, old buildings, ravines overgrown with bushes.
Not always and not in every such shelter lies a hare. Dozens of them are empty, and only a few of them contain those whom we so passionately dream of finding. This is why approach hunting requires physical endurance from us. You always have to walk through rough terrain (arable fields, hummocks, littered clearings), and even with an abundance of hares, you usually walk more than one or two kilometers before you pick up a scythe. Slowly, always keeping an eye on your surroundings, you need to walk from one place promising hope to another, we walk constantly ready to shoot, since a hare can appear at any moment either far away or right from under your feet. He either turns out to be all in sight, then immediately sneaks behind some bush and you have to shoot offhand and in a limited space, which is why the hunter must strive and have good shooting skills.
The most favorable days for approach hunting are days with calm, dry or frosty weather, that is, weather in which hares willingly leave their shelters, and do not lie in them until the last opportunity, when the hunter almost steps on them. The latter is usually observed in warm, damp, and windy weather. In places where hares are hunted a lot, they become so cautious that it is only possible to approach them for a shot in bad weather.
Most often, the object of hunting from the approach is the hare - a permanent inhabitant of less open spaces, but in large fresh clearings, where the young growth has not yet thickened, you can also hunt hare. When hunting from the approach, it is very rarely possible to see a hare lying down, but there are times when this becomes quite possible. The vagaries of the weather from time to time play a cruel joke on hares, especially the hare. It consists in the following.
Autumn was short and already in the middle or end of October the snow began to flutter. The fields and forest clearings were dusted. It seems that winter has already arrived. Hares intensively change their summer coats for winter ones. And suddenly it starts to get warmer, it rains, the snow melts, but the hare remains white. On the blackened ground, among the fallen grasses and bare bushes, they can be seen from afar. True, some cunning hares settle down to lie down near birch stumps, fallen birches and other white objects, but this does not save them much - they are still easy to spot. The same thing happens when there is simply a prolonged snowless autumn: the hare hare have moulted, but there is no snow. This is where another exciting hare hunt becomes possible, the wildcat hunt.
Hunting for the Uzerka
A hunter moves through the forest or clearing, carefully looking at his surroundings. Everything that turns white on the ground could be a hare, but it could also be a piece of paper, a piece of birch bark, and who knows what else. It is difficult to see the animal, especially in the bushes. It is not advisable to approach and check: the hare can instantly scurry into the thicket. Hare or not a hare, this question always haunts the hunter in this hunt.
What a joy it is to see how ears suddenly rise and fall over an unknown and doubtful whitish spot, and painful doubts are dispelled. And, on the contrary, what a disappointment when you realize that instead of a hare, the wind is blowing a piece of newspaper that you just wanted to shoot at. But all this is not enough. Even if there is no doubt and the hunter is 100% sure that he sees a hare, the matter is not over yet. Most often, under the described conditions, it is possible to notice a lying white hare at a fairly large distance. Fears that the hare might get up and leave without a shot keep you from trying to get closer to it. Hence the long shots and frequent unfortunate misses. A roosting hare usually lies in a hole, a ditch, or between hummocks. It is often obscured by branches and soil, which together largely protects it from shot impacts. In general, “missing” a white hare when hunting for a whitefish is a common thing.
You can hunt in almost any weather, since hares, apparently feeling their white coat, lie tightly even on frosty days. But the watch is especially good for a hunter when, after heavy rain, drops of water (drops) fall heavily and loudly from branches heavy with moisture. Hares really do not like drops and therefore leave their favorite thickets, getting out to the edges, clearings and fields adjacent to the forest. Here, in an open place, hares lie down, which makes it very easy to find them and shoot at them. It is more difficult to spot a hare who has molted into his winter attire even in the absence of snow, because he does not become white, but only slightly lighter.
The hunt for the Uzerka does not last long. Most often, it is possible for only two or three days, but this short duration only adds sportiness and excitement to it. The falling snow puts an end to it and at the same time opens up a new opportunity for him to hunt a hare - to engage in tracking.
Hunting for hares by tracking
This method of hunting comes down to finding a fresh trail (malik), following it to the hare's resting place, picking it up and trying to take it with a well-aimed shot. As with approach hunting, you need more or less open land, good physical fitness and the ability to shoot. However, two more conditions are also necessary - the hunter’s ability to understand all the intricacies of hare tracks and the ability to be attentive. As for the number of hares, it may not be very high. Each hare runs a lot during the night, and finding its tracks is much easier than finding the owner of the tracks.
It is advisable to track only the fresh morning trail, or at least the night trail left by the hare when it leaves the den and goes to feed at night. To distinguish such a track from older ones and to trace it to the resting place among a mass of other hare tracks, a lot of experience is needed, but sometimes this is not enough. Therefore, tracking should be carried out either after powder, or after strong drifting snow covers old tracks. If the snowfall or drifting snow ends in the evening, then the tracks found the next day will be very long and the entire path covered by the hare from evening to morning will look equally fresh. Once at its beginning, you can walk more than one kilometer to the place where the hare settled down to lie down. If it snowed at night, then the later it stopped, the shorter the tracks of the hares will be, since only those tracks that remain after the end of the snowfall will be visible. There are “dead powders” in which the snow flying until the morning completely covers all traces. If you manage to come across a trail, it means that the hare is nearby and you need to be ready to meet him.
So, fresh powder fell out. Hunter in areas where you are most likely to find traces of a hare (edges of winter fields, former vegetable gardens, plantings of fruit trees). When the trail is found, the process of tracking, which is most interesting for the hunter, begins. The hare constantly, and especially when going to bed, resorts to all sorts of tricks - just to confuse the trail. Then, having reached some place, he turns back along his trail, so that he can then throw himself to the side with a huge jump, and even so that the jump lands behind a bush, into hummocks, dense thicket, in a word, to where the landing site will be hidden. It repeatedly goes out onto a well-traveled road, walks along it and then folds, hiding its tracks where the snow has been blown away by the wind or covered with crust.
Understanding all these tricks is not so easy, especially if, while following the trail of a hare, we trampled on its tracks. Therefore, you always need to walk a little away from the trail and at the same time not forgetting to look around: those who do not take their eyes off the prints of the hare’s paws almost always miss the rise of the hare. The hare very often, having made a loop, returns to where he went earlier and settles down to lie close to his trail. The hunter sees the line of the trail going forward and thinks that it is still a long way to the resting place, but the hare is already nearby, watches his pursuer and, having let him pass, runs away unnoticed. So any place near the track that is suitable for a hare’s hiding place should be the object of vigilant attention. Having reached the place of the hare's fat, where the tracks are intertwined into an illegible ball, there is not the slightest point in disassembling and nursing all these bindings. It is much better to simply walk around the area in a circle, find the exit trail and continue tracking along it. This will significantly reduce hunting time.
But the confusion of fat is left behind. The trail went more or less straight, and now, finally, the animal’s first attempt to confuse the trail is visible, a “double”, “triple” or simply a deviation away from the original direction of the move. Sometimes after the first discount the hare lies down here, but more often he repeats his tricks many times. As soon as the hare begins to cheat, you should stop and look where the trail goes, to see if there is anything nearby that could attract the hare seeking refuge. Only after doing this and making sure that there are no such shelters can you continue tracking. The hare can rise at any moment and more often than not where its tracks seem to lead. It is very rare to see a hare, and even more so a hare, lying down; usually you notice them after they have run away from the hunter. There is one very important pattern: in warm, mild weather, and even when there is wind, hares come close, but in cold weather they stand far away. Where hares are little bothered by hunters, a hare that leaves without a shot and even an unsuccessfully shot one soon lies down again. After letting him lie down (preferably 2-3 hours), you can target him again and approach him for a shot. Where there are many hunters, the raised animal does not lie down soon (especially the hare) and rarely allows itself to be approached again.
Among other things, tracking hunting is useful because it is with it that we learn a lot about the hare. The snow cover clearly records and gives us many features of its behavior, habits and habits. Therefore, those hunters who have done a lot of tracking find it much easier to find hidden hares even without snow or choose the most reliable hole and direction of the hare when hunting from under hound dogs.
Cartridges for a hare
What ammo is best for hare? What shot number is appropriate for this hunt? There is no clear answer. But there are recommendations. For example, for a hare in the forest you can use a smaller shot from No. 3 to No. 1, but for a hare in the field, from the approach or by tracking, it is better to take a larger shot No. 1 - No. 0.
Russian hunters have long been especially fond of hunting hares, because they are widespread in forests throughout almost the entire country. As a rule, beginners believe that hunting a hare is much easier than challenging a boar or a wolf, but in reality this is not at all the case. The hunter will need certain knowledge and skills, as well as stamina and attention.
Peculiarities of behavior of hares
The caution of these animals is one of the main problems when hunting a hare. Professionals act as carefully as possible, approaching only from the leeward side, otherwise the animal will most likely sense the approaching danger. The fact is that hares often rest on their beds with their muzzles turned against the wind so that the wind does not blow against their fur.
These animals are excellent at confusing their own tracks and throwing off their pursuers. Having caught the hare by surprise, the hunter must shoot for sure, because he most likely will not have a second chance. When a hare runs away, it can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h and calmly get lost in the forest.
Types and habitat of hares
There are two main types of hares living in Russia - hare and white hare. The former prefer to live in areas with complex terrain, places with small ravines and tall grass. Often the hare can be found in an open field. Snowshoe hares prefer wooded areas, as there is a lot of vegetation in the forest and it is easier to hide or escape.
Some people mistakenly believe that during the winter hare hunting season it is easier to catch a hare than a hare. In reality, the gray or white color of the fur coat is not of fundamental importance, because both species are capable of burying themselves deeply in the snow if desired, leaving only their nose visible.
Necessary equipment and preparation
Of course, the hunter will need to acquire weapons and ammunition. Experienced hunters advise choosing shotguns with 12, 16 or 20 gauge. If the choice fell on a weapon with the largest caliber, then it is best to load it with magnum cartridges. To increase your effectiveness, you should learn the basics of how to hunt a hare with a semi-automatic weapon, because many beginners hastily, out of surprise, shoot a doublet at a hare that appears right in front of them. Usually, after such a shot, all that remains is to watch as the animal rushes as fast as it can across the field.
By the way, the size of the caliber in hare hunting is not so critical. It is possible to mortally wound an animal with fairly modest calibers, so the use of large shot is not at all necessary. You should always follow all safety measures, especially when hunting hare in the forest in winter. In a semi-enclosed area, you should shoot from a position below human height, and also be sure to track the movements of your comrades in arms and hunting dogs so that they do not end up in the line of fire immediately at the moment of the shot.
Main types of hunting
Depending on experience, personal preferences, financial capabilities, seasonality, terrain and other factors, the priority is a specific type of hare hunting: from the approach, tracking in the fall, with hounds.
Hunting with hounds
One of the most poetic types of hunting. The bottom line is that the dogs drive the hare from its bed straight towards the hunter. With such a hunt, the level of physical fitness is important - you will have to run a lot through forests and fields.
The best time to hunt with hounds is early in the morning, when the dogs can easily follow fresh tracks. The hunter encourages the hounds with his voice to search for hares, and he himself, alone or with his comrades, slowly moves after them in anticipation of a loud bark, which will mean the successful discovery of a hare's bed.
Tracking in autumn
Relevant in the presence of the first snow and drifting snow. The hunter easily finds fresh tracks and traces. In this case, you need to take into account morning or night tracks; following older ones does not make much sense. You can learn how to find a hare’s bed in this way only with experience, by tracking the animal’s ornate wanderings.
Every hare knows how to confuse their tracks and use cunning - this fact should never be overlooked. When looking for an animal's shelter, it is best to walk next to the tracks, looking at the horizon. It happens that a hare returns in its own old tracks and looks for a new shelter or bed in an area that has already been previously explored.
Hunting from the approach
This type involves a measured and leisurely process of tracking a hare. The hunter carefully approaches the animal, which immediately gets up and begins to run away. As a rule, the hunter does not have much time to make the right shot before the animal disappears from sight.
During the long autumn and late onset of winter, hunting a hare from the approach brings the best results, because hare and hare already have time to go through the molting period and become clearly visible in predominantly monochromatic terrain.
Experienced hunters undoubtedly know some tricks and techniques that will help make it easier for beginners on their first hare hunt. Among the recommendations, professionals especially highlight the following:
- Shooting at a distance of more than 50 meters rarely makes sense.
- The first shot usually decides everything, because the second one almost never succeeds.
- The best weather for hunting hares is a frost of about 15 degrees.
- You need to wait for the hare calmly, without unnecessary movements.
- To warm up, it is enough to relax and tense your muscles without giving away your location.
- Hares often show their main activity late at night and lie down during the day.
- To wait for game, you should take a chair. You won't be able to sit on a rock or snag for a long time, as your back will get very tired.
- Warm clothing will help you avoid freezing ahead of time and feel comfortable at all stages of the hunt.
The main thing to remember is that not every hunt is successful. This rule is true even for seasoned hunters. A gradual gain of experience and proper adherence to advice will help you not only achieve success, but also enjoy the hunting process itself.
Around the second half of summer, avid hunters increasingly begin to think about their guns, because the hare hunting season is approaching. It would seem that everything has been known about hares for a long time, however, for the hunt to be successful, you need to know some of its secrets and features. Before going on a hike, it is necessary to study the intricacies of the hare’s character, since these animals are shy and attentive and getting them is not as easy as it seems at first glance.
Hare: description and habits
The hare belongs to the phylum of mammals, order Lagomorpha, genus of hares. In no case should hares be classified as rodents, and they are not that harmless. If these animals sense danger, they can be very aggressive and can provide worthy resistance to the one who attacked them. For a very long time, hares have been a popular trophy among hunters because their meat is very tasty and their fur is warm and beautiful.
Hares have a slender body, the length of which can reach 70 cm, and the weight can reach up to 7 kg. A distinctive feature of hares is their ears, which can reach 15 cm in length. The ears are the hare’s main assistant. Due to their large size, the hearing of these animals is very well developed, much stronger than vision and smell. The hind legs have rather long feet, which are more powerful than the front ones. This allows hares to quickly disappear from sight if threatened. Their speed can reach 80 km/h.
And hunters should also know that while moving, hares can change the direction of their run and jump in different directions, which allows them to hide from the threat. Hares also run very well uphill, but they fly head over heels downhill. The color of the skin varies: reddish-gray, brown, brown, white. It depends on the breed of the hare.
There are several types of hunting, depending on the time of year and other factors.
The hare hunting season opens in September and lasts until early March. In summer, hunting hares is prohibited. The animals feed their offspring in the summer, so if the mother hare is shot, the entire brood will die. Winter hare hunting is the most common option.
Winter hunting
Equipment
The first thing you need to take care of before hunting a hare in winter without a dog is equipment. Clothes must be very warm, because the hunter needs to sit motionless for a long time, waiting for the game to appear. At the same time, clothing should not restrict movement, much less interfere with the hunter’s control of the gun. You can solve this problem by putting some of your equipment in a backpack, and when the need arises, warm yourself up. In order to protect your lower back from the cold, you can choose overalls.
In addition to clothes, the backpack must contain:
- first aid kit;
- thermos;
- flashlight;
- folding chair;
- newspaper and fire starter (if necessary).
For a successful hunt, you need to meet some requirements:
- It is better to come to the place where the hares fatten very early, even before light, and find shelter in advance. It could be a snowdrift or a hole in the snow.
- Clothes should not interfere with movement.
- You cannot smoke, make noise, or move suddenly in the shelter.
- The gun rises only when the animal has already begun to eat complementary food (apple tree branches, cabbage, hay).
Place and time
Many hunters who have no experience shoot at their shadows instead of animals. To prevent this from happening, you need to remember that the silhouette of a hare is always lighter than its shadow.
You also need to be careful when choosing a place for shelter. Ideally, when the trail of a hare goes towards the shelter. Then his shadow will not interfere with making a successful shot.
When shooting a hare in the back, it is better to aim at the front of the body. If he senses danger and begins to run, then shots are fired at the tips of the ears. If the animal is in panic and runs towards the hunter, then the shot is made in the front paws.
The ideal time to hunt a hare is in the morning, at dawn. At this time, hares like to go out to feed without feeling a sense of danger. Early in the morning you can start monitoring the animal. In this case, you need to be as inconspicuous as possible. If possible, it is better to hide behind a tree, bush or snowdrift.
Pay attention to the weather; in snowfall, hares become more cautious, so it is quite difficult to get a successful shot.
If you still decide to hunt during a snowfall, then the best place to look for a hare will be plowing. In other cases, you can safely look for hares in the fields.
Weapon Selection
For a successful hunt, you need to choose the right weapon. Don't forget that before purchasing a gun, you must first purchase a license for it. Most often in our case, we buy a light double-barreled shotgun of 12-16 caliber or an air gun for hare hunting. But this gun will only allow you to fire a light shot, and the animal most often does not die from one shot, and as a result, a lot of time will be wasted “finishing off” the animal.
The advantage of such a gun is that it is very light. And the hunter happens to spend a very large amount of time hunting.
Air rifles are gaining more and more popularity among hunters for their accuracy and speed. And these characteristics are ideally suited for hunting agile and fast animals. The air gun will be ideal for novice hunters, as it has a standard sight.
You can arrange a hare hunt with a bow. According to its characteristics, this weapon is quite suitable for hare hunting.
Types of winter hare hunting
There are several types of hare hunting without a dog. How to hunt a hare in winter, each hunter will decide for himself, choosing the best method for himself.
From the approach
The essence of hunting a hare from the approach is that the territory is first carefully studied. That is, you need to understand how to find a hare. During this you should always be ready to take a shot, as the animal may appear at the most unexpected moment. If the animal throws itself at your feet, then you should not shoot.
The secret is that the hunter must imagine that he is throwing a cigarette before the shot. This moment is enough for the animal to run away to an ideal distance of 20-30 m.
Another secret of approach hunting is this. The hunter, in search of prey, walks purposefully and rarely stops. A hare, if it sees a person nearby, will not immediately run, but will first hide and lie motionless. If you stop every 50 m, this will scare the animal and it will start to run. The animal thinks that its hiding place has been found, which means it needs to escape.
Trailing
The meaning of such a hunt is that the hare is followed by tracks to its resting place. Therefore, it is simply necessary to be able to untangle the traces of these animals. The ideal time for hare tracking is around 4 am. At this time the tracks will be the freshest.
The hares confuse their tracks twice and then rest. If the trail is too confusing, you can go around a circle approximately 500 m in diameter. This way you can find a leading trail, and at the same time bypass possible hiding places of the animal.
The point of hunting with tracking is that during the day the animal usually moves along one route from its resting place to its fattening site. After the hare track is found, you need to determine its nature and direction.
By distinguishing tracks from each other, you can understand how to track a hare:
- fatty (remains during feeding);
- rutting (traces from running);
- undercarriage (usual calm movement of the animal).
If a fat trail is found, then the running trail is looked for next - this is how the tracks lead to the path of the place where the animal is resting. When searching for this place, you need to walk next to the hare's tracks so as not to trample them. The animal can jump out of cover at any moment, and then a shot is fired immediately. Tracking a hare alone is almost impossible. This needs to be done by two or three people.
From a sit-down
Hunting from ambush for a hare is ideal for late winter, when the snow layer is as thick as possible. At this time, it is very difficult for hares to find food and they gain courage and come closer to human houses. It is better to go around the hunting area in advance to think through the ambush strategy.
You can pre-arrange a place for an ambush. It could be:
- Rectangles are cut out of the snow in the shape of bricks and a shelter similar to a snowdrift is built.
- The tent is white.
- A stack of straw or hay (if this is possible due to freezing).
Hares really like hay, so they often come to the haystacks to eat. An advantageous position in this case would be a place on the side of the hare path. In a camouflage robe, you can sit on a folding chair and wait for the beast. Natural shelter will be enough.
To successfully hunt a hare in ambush, you should also take into account the lifestyle of the long-eared animal. Therefore, night will be the most successful time. An indisputable fact wins here - in the light of the moon a hare can be seen just as well as during the day.
The hare is predominantly nocturnal, so as soon as it begins to get dark, he gets up from his bed. Hitting a hare can last until the morning. All hunters share the hunt over three nights. On the first night they look for traces, on the second night they check whether the hare really goes to this place to feed, and on the third night they hunt. You can use bait - complementary food for animals.
It is better to always have a thermos, a flashlight and a chair with you. Full moon hunting is ideal because the moon illuminates the entire area perfectly. The hunter clearly sees both the front sight on the gun and the prey.
Night hunt
Hunting a hare at night involves being motionless most of the time, so such a quality as perseverance is the key to a successful hunt. The disadvantage of night light is that you can confuse the hare itself with its shadow, but how to get around this factor was written above.
Autumn hunt
You can also hunt hares in the fall. To do this, you need to know about such a distinctive feature of their behavior as the fact that in dry autumn they prefer to move by crossing to the banks of different bodies of water, hiding in bushes and thickets of grass. If autumn is damp, then it is better to look for hares along the edges of coniferous forests. During leaf fall, hares can also be found at the edges of the forest, because the rustling of leaves in the forest is very alarming and frightening to them. If the animal gets scared, it will quickly run, make several or one circle and return to the same place.
Let's look at how to hunt a hare in the fall.
From the approach
The point is that the hunter moves very slowly and looks for where the animal is hiding. Hunting a hare from the approach is ideal in windy and wet weather, because in this case the hunter’s movements are very difficult to hear. You need to move against the wind, otherwise he can smell the person.
You need to be on alert and ready to shoot at all times.
Out of hiding
This method is suitable if a place is found where hares gather in groups of several to feed in fields or vegetable gardens. At night, an ambush is also being prepared and hares are expected to appear.
Driven hunt
This method is best used if the company has an experienced huntsman or hunter. Discipline will be required from all participants. Each hunter takes his place, and a group of beaters noisily runs across the territory and drives the hares towards the hunters.
With headlight
Hunting hare with a headlight is another interesting option. At night, hares go out to feed in the field. They usually stop to lie down about 50 m from the field, possibly in the forest. At night, when suddenly illuminated by a headlight, the animal goes blind, and the hunter has a few seconds to make a shot. Afterwards, the game will abruptly take off and run, but along the line of illumination of the headlight, which will add several more opportunities to make shots.
Hunting with a dog
If we talk about choosing a dog for hunting a hare, then they mainly use hounds that know the tracks of hares and follow them well. Dogs vocalize if they come across a trail. Thus, the hunter knows by sound where the dog is. Running away from the dog, the hare makes a circle and returns to the same place where the hunter is waiting for him. Hare hunting with dogs can be considered the most popular, as it involves excitement and movement.
Breed selection
To hunt with a dog, you need to make the right choice. There are several dog breeds that have a high chance of success.
Of course, the best breed for hunting a hare with dogs is a hound, but you can still choose which breed. In our country, the most famous are three breeds of hounds: Russian hound, Russian piebald hound, Estonian hound and other species.
Let's take a closer look at the breeds:
- Estonian hound. Its main difference is that it is small in height, up to half a meter, and this is a big disadvantage when hunting in the snow. This breed is popular in countries with mild climates. And her advantage can be considered that she can easily live in an apartment.
- Anglo-Russian or Russian hound. These two breeds are almost identical in character traits. The Anglo-Russian hound is smaller in size, so it is less likely to knock off its paws when running. And Russian hounds have a more subtle sense of smell, so they often work on one type of animal. Russian hounds are more careful, although much depends on which kennel the puppy was taken from. Hunting with Russian hounds is the choice of most hunters.
- Greyhound dogs. A distinctive feature of these dogs is that when chasing an animal, they do not make a sound and their hunting goals are slightly different. The greyhound works for the hunter, which is why such hunting is often called “lazy”.
- Coping breeds. Many hunters choose this breed for its anger. That is, during a hunt, the dog, having discovered a hare, takes a stance and waits for a command, and the hunter at this time must shoot.
- Likes. Hunting a hare with a husky is advantageous because, when trained, it can very quickly find the prey by smell and “drive” it under the hunter’s bullet.
In order for hare hunting with hunting dogs to bring true pleasure, the dogs need to be trained.
Dog training
Hounds undergo very strict training, although if you use the dog only for hunting hares, then the training will not be so difficult. It is important to teach the dog that if during a hunt, for example, he sees a fox, then his attention does not switch to a new animal.
During training, you must let the dog taste the hare so that it develops an interest in this animal. If the dog is not interested, the hare will easily slow down the pace of pursuit and she will get tired of the hunting process itself.
Searching for game: what a hunter should do
If you hunt with dogs, then there are rules for where it is better to look for animals. There is no point in looking for hares in the same places, because hares constantly change where they lie and feed. In wet times, it is better to look for hares on the hills, and in dry times - in the lowlands.
With dogs, the ideal time for hunting is the first snow or black trail. Hunting for a hare during the first snow consists of the fact that at such a time the alarmed animal runs around its resting place, and at this time the hunter fires a shot.
Another way is when the dog finds a place to lie down (in late autumn or during a thaw). The animal lies tightly pressed to the ground, and the hunter can calmly approach within shooting distance.
With the first snow, it will be easier for dogs to find animal tracks, which will increase the chances of a successful hunt. Hare hunting dogs will become indispensable assistants in any weather.
The main thing is to obtain a hare hunting license before starting the hunting process, so as not to be fined for illegal actions.
Video
You will find the secrets of successful tracking from an experienced hunter in our video.
Hunting is a favorite pastime for many men. But to become a really good hunter, you need to know some secrets and features. This article will allow you to learn about the main secrets of hare hunting. Before you go hunting, you need to study all the habits of hares, since these animals are very shy, and catching them is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.
Hunting is a favorite pastime for many men. But to become a really good hunter, you need to know some secrets and features. This article will allow you to learn about the main secrets. Before you go hunting, you need to study all the habits of hares, since these animals are very shy, and catching them is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.
Hares are very cowardly and cautious animals, and also very fast. Due to the fact that they have rather large ears, they are able to hear any, even the slightest rustle in the forest.
In addition, hares can easily confuse their own tracks so that a novice hunter is unlikely to be able to track the animal the first time. Even experienced hunters cannot always quickly untangle hare loops.
The favorite habitat of hares is forests, as well as open areas with complex terrain, with thick and tall grass and small ravines. Animals like to arrange their roosts in such places, and hunters are able to find prey faster by preying on such places. As a rule, the hare hunt begins. This period is the most successful and there is a high probability of quickly finding the animal.
A little about hares
There are two breeds of hares - hare and hare. Only experienced professional hunters are able to distinguish the tracks of a hare from a hare. The hare's paw is more elongated, while the hare's, spoiled, is rounded.
Traces: on the left of a hare, on the right and below - of a hare
It is also worth considering the fact that while running, hares extend their hind legs higher than their front legs, which is why they manage to confuse the tracks and lead the hunter in a completely different direction.
You can meet brown hares mainly in fields, steppes, and meadows. They love mostly flat terrain. White hares, on the contrary, are more willing to settle in forests where there is a lot of vegetation and they can easily camouflage themselves. These two types of hares still have one common feature - they are able to bury themselves completely in the snow, so that only their nose is visible.
Hunters prefer to hunt hare, since it is much more difficult to catch hare; it confuses its tracks more thoroughly.
For a hare hunt to be successful, the hunter must be patient. This activity is suitable for hardy people who are ready to spend several hours on their feet. In case you are just a novice hunter, before heading into the forest.
It is imperative to have warm and comfortable clothes with you, which should also be functional.
If you don't manage to catch the hare the first time, don't be upset. Enjoy the hunting process itself, gain experience and skills.
Features of winter hare hunting
Winter means searching for an animal using a fresh footprint left in the snow. This hunting process is most effective when the first snow falls, on which the hare's tracks are best visible. If you find fresh tracks (clear and not crushed by snow), then with a high probability you can find where the animal has settled down. During the search, the most important thing is not to scare off the hare. If you find a nest, it is important to know how to approach it correctly. Hares usually sit with their muzzles turned towards the wind so that it does not blow against their fur.
Therefore, you need to approach the bed against the wind so that the animal does not see you and run away.
Tracking a hare is not so easy, and when running it can reach speeds of up to sixty kilometers per hour. So, having missed the animal once, you are unlikely to be able to catch it again.
Types of hare hunting
Collective. Before you go hunting with friends, you should study the area and decide on a direction. The distance between hunters should be between fifteen and thirty meters. Thus, a hare can be detected faster, since it can get up from its bed and give itself away. usually before dusk.
Hunting with a dog. The purpose of this method of hunting is to lead it towards the hunters. This method of catching a hare is not so common, since you have to run a lot through forests and fields and it is not a fact that you will be able to make a successful shot and return home with the prey.
Hunting with tracking. We have already mentioned this method. The main thing here is to untangle the hare's tracks and discover the place of the bedding. This method, it is worth noting, is very exciting. Sometimes the hare confuses its tracks so much that it is impossible to find the animal’s location. This method of hunting is suitable for experienced hunters who, over many years of practice, have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge.
At the beginning of winter, it is best to hunt a hare with a dog. The reason for this is the low level of snow cover, which perfectly absorbs the odors of various animals. and lead you to the hare's lying area.
When hunting with a dog, be extremely careful not to accidentally shoot it.
If you decide to go hunting with your friends, then the main rule in this case is. Do not come within one meter of another person. Also be extremely careful when shooting. To lure the animal, you can use various treats in the form of carrots, cabbage leaves, clover and many other goodies.
It is important to know that at dawn, hares like to go out to feed without much fear. Therefore, if you decide to spy on an animal, then it is better to do it at such an early time. Don't forget to take care of your appearance. Try to be as invisible as possible. If you find an animal, try to be motionless, if possible, hide behind a tree, large bush or any other secluded place so as not to scare off the hare.
Sunny and calm weather is not the best time to go hare hunting. And the most unfavorable weather for such activities is rainy weather, since it is at such times that hares become more cautious and timid, and it is almost impossible to make an accurate shot during the rain.
If you nevertheless decide to hunt a hare in rainy weather, then we recommend that you look for the animal in the plowed land. It feels great in wet stubble.
The best time to shoot is when the hare stands on its hind legs. It is important for the hunter to have time to shoot at this moment. The main thing is not to scare off the animal, especially if you are hunting in creaky snow. Any careless movement and all surveillance will be in vain; the hare will run away upon hearing the slightest rustle.
How to untangle hare tracks
As a rule, hares go out to feed at night or early in the morning, so it is advisable to start hunting them at this time. During the daytime, hares usually sleep, but before they climb into their bed, they carefully confuse their tracks.
To discover the location of a hare, you need to not follow all the tracks, but look for a fork. Experienced trappers are able to quickly untangle hare tracks, despite the many loops.
Hares confuse their tracks in different ways, but the entrance to the nest is not so difficult to detect. As a rule, the tracks leading to the hare's habitat look like uniform dents, not chaotic. If you find tracks that repeat every three meters, then you are probably on the right track.
In frosty weather, catching a hare is quite difficult. During this period, the animal practically does not let anyone near it. Also, a windy day will not be very successful for hunting, since the snow may simply cover up the hare’s tracks and it will be difficult for you to discover where the animal is hiding.
If you managed to raise the hare, but accidentally scared him away and were unable to fire a shot, then next time we advise you to return to the same place. There is a high probability of finding this slant again, since hares very rarely change their roosting places.
How to target a hare
In the case of a group hunt, it is important to choose the right location. Remember that the hare always runs diagonally from the field and leaves the territory only through a corner.
That is why try to stand on the corner of the field to be able to catch the hare.
If you take a lying position, and the hare runs straight at you, you should not stand up suddenly and scare the animal. Let him come as close to you as possible. When the hare sees you, he will run in the opposite direction, and then you can shoot after him, it is important not to miss.
If a hare runs away from you, aim for its ears, and if the animal runs straight at you, aim for its front paws.
Before you go hunting, carefully study the area where eared animals live. Learn to recognize hare burrows - they have special edges.
If you decide to go hunting in the fall, then in this case it is better to use. Remember that during this period of the year it can be quite difficult to detect the animal, since it has a gray-brown color and blends in with the surrounding foliage. When approach hunting, you should carefully study those places that hares usually love very much - these are various areas with dense vegetation, small ravines, open areas with difficult terrain.
Use our tips and you can return. Learn the habits of a hare, learn how to shoot accurately and be patient before you go hunting.
The hare hunting season begins in November and lasts until early January. The hare is a very cunning and fast animal, so for a successful hunt you should gain experience, because this animal is capable of deceiving even experienced, professional hunters.
Video: Hunting a hare in winter
Video about Hare Hunting with hounds
Hunting for hare or hare is a sporting and gambling hobby that helps you actively relax in nature and maintain good physical shape. Knowing how to hunt a hare, you can spend your free time profitably and provide yourself with dietary meat and fluffy fur. The hare is quite widespread and is hunted often and everywhere. Another important factor is that when hunting this animal, as a rule, no additional permission is required, with the exception of a noose for a white hare.
Hare as a hunting object
There are several species in the hare family, the main ones - the hare and the hare - differ from each other in habitat, lifestyle and some biological characteristics. When choosing a way to catch a hare, you need to understand what its habitat is. White hare - lives in the forest, where he finds food for himself: grass, sedge, tree leaves, twigs, tree bark. The hare is the largest representative of the family; it leads a sedentary life in open places: fields, meadows, and steppes. Hunting for hare, as an inhabitant of open spaces, is of greater interest. Looking for food, it often runs into gardens, where it gnaws the bark of fruit trees, eats cereals and digs up winter seedlings in winter, causing significant damage.
You need to choose how to hunt a hare based on your capabilities, preferences and weather conditions. Hunting is divided into kinds:
- from the approach– requires knowledge of the terrain and the ability to travel off-road for a long time;
- on the Uzerka– late autumn, when the animal, which has lightened for winter, is clearly visible;
- trailing– in the footsteps of a hare, after freshly fallen snow;
- from hiding- at night, on the full moon;
- paddock– one group of hunters drives the prey towards another;
- with dogs– the most spectacular and exciting types of hunting.
If there is no gun and hunting dogs, then various devices, both factory-made and home-made, are used to hunt hare or hare. However, it is necessary to take into account changes in legislative acts that may impose restrictions on the use of certain methods of hunting and trapping. The best traps for hare are snares and snares.
Hare hunting with hounds and greyhounds
Hunting for hare is in itself a very exciting activity. The hare is a cunning, fast and cautious animal, so it is often difficult to approach it with a gun at the optimal distance for a shot. In this case, our friends – dogs – come to the rescue. For this purpose, the following breeds are used: hounds - Anglo-Russian, Russian piebald, Estonian and greyhounds - Russian canine, Hortaya, greyhound.
The peculiarity of hare hunting with hounds is that the hunter needs to constantly interact with the dogs: click and encourage. The hound's job is to pick up the hare and drive it out into the open, after which it's up to the hunter. The advantage of dogs of this breed is that they can pursue prey for a long time. And thanks to their relatively small size, these dogs are easier to maintain and transport.
In addition to hunting a hare with hounds, catching a hare with other dogs - greyhounds - is no less interesting. This is a single catcher, but for real hunting it is advisable to have at least a small pack of 2-3 dogs. Unlike hounds, hunting a hare with greyhounds has its own characteristics: the dogs chase the prey silently, and when they catch it, they grab it and strangle it without damaging the skin. Another nuance - as a rule, fishing is carried out without the use of weapons: this breed is itself a “running gun”. Essentially, a greyhound dog frees the hunter from many actions, which is why hare hunting with greyhounds is called “royal” or “lazy”. A limitation for such a hunt is unfavorable weather conditions for dogs.
In addition to the methods listed above, hunting for hare or hare can be combined - with the simultaneous involvement of different hunting dogs. In this case, the hounds chase the hare along the scent and drive it out to the hunters, who are waiting for the prey with the greyhounds. The hunter either shoots or releases the greyhounds: if they miss or are wounded, the dogs will quickly catch up and take the animal.
Although hunting hares with hounds and greyhounds is much more productive, it is not always and not possible everywhere. However, hare fishing with dogs is still popular and in demand at different times of the year. This fishing without weapons is allowed from September 1, and with weapons - from September 15.
Features of hare hunting in winter
With snow falling comes a difficult, but most interesting time for hunting animals. By this time, the hare becomes significantly lighter, but never becomes completely white, making it quite visible in the snow. Therefore, hunting a hare in winter, when it also leaves noticeable tracks on the snow cover, is especially interesting. However, it is necessary to prepare equipment for it more carefully so that it is not only comfortable, but also designed for cold weather.
You need to follow the trail of a hare in the snow to the side so as not to trample the path. The animal often uses various tricks to confuse pursuers:
- Returns to the path and changes direction.
- Makes loops of different sizes in the snow.
- Returns for the day following in the footsteps of other hares.
Knowing the habits of the animal at this time, it is easy to construct an algorithm for how to catch a hare at this time. Winter roosts are often located near food sources. While the snow cover is low and loose, the hare feeds on winter crops. On a snow-covered field, an animal's bed can be identified by a mound of discarded snow. When there is an abundance of high crust, it moves to gardens, forest belts and to the edges of forests. It is easiest to track him early in the morning, in the powder, when the hare trail is clearly visible. During the cold winter season, the following methods of hunting animals are mainly practiced:
- roundup or drive;
- with hound dogs;
- various traps.
A roundup or drive in winter differs little from this method of extraction at other times of the year. But hunting a hare in winter with dogs has some limitations: heavy snowfall, frosts below 20 degrees, the presence of crust, ice and too deep snow are unfavorable for the successful work of hunting dogs. The most common hunting for a hare in winter is with hounds, which, due to their constitution, move more easily through the snow than other hunting dogs. To achieve success in winter, you need to prepare your dog well. Ideal conditions for hunting hare in winter with hounds are wet weather in the morning, with a small amount of freshly fallen snow.
How to put loops on hares?
Hunting a hare with snares or snares is especially successful in the snow in late autumn or winter. During the day, the animal moves along one route: from its resting place to its feeding place. Well-trodden hare paths that stand out in the snow are an ideal place for setting traps.
The simplest catching device - a hare noose - is not allowed everywhere, but only in certain regions. In addition, there is a standard for the technical characteristics of popular traps: it is allowed to use loops made of single-core wire with a thickness of up to 0.8 mm and a length of up to 80 cm, with a loop opening up to a diameter of 24 cm.
Loops for hares are made from various materials: hemp, bast, horse mane, soft metal wire, or thick nylon cord. We must not forget that the loop should have the same smell familiar to the animal as the surrounding objects. When the necessary material is available, it is easy to figure out How do loop on hare:
- Twist a ~7 mm ring on one side of the wire.
- Thread the other end of the wire into it.
- You will get a loop with a circumference of about 20 cm.
When making a loop for a hare, it is necessary to take into account that it is advisable to install at least 7 such devices, keeping a distance between them of about 4 meters - therefore, it is advisable to make the required number of devices at once.
Some important points in the question how to put loops on a hare:
- it is mandatory to camouflage the trap with natural materials (foliage, branches);
- maintaining the distance of the loop from the ground or snow cover: from 5 to 10 cm;
- Snares are not placed in areas where hunting with dogs is possible.
When the hare traps are made, all that remains is to choose a place and place them. Typically, installation is carried out on paths that run through dense bushes and small trees. If this happens in winter, then a snare on a ski track parallel to the path will not interfere.
Installation of traps for hares
Another trap for a hare is a trap, which, unlike a noose, is allowed in most regions. When catching animals, crushing, hanging, tracking or pinching traps are used. The first - using a heavy stone - is the most traumatic and spoils the animal’s skin. The second is similar to a loop trap.
When installing a hanging trap on a hare, the loop is attached to a branch at the height of the animal's head. Its free end is fixed to a young tree or strong branch, to the end of which a bar with a notch is wound. The branch is bent to the ground and attached to a similar bar fixed in the ground. As soon as the animal gets into the loop, it knocks down the block - the trap for the hare is triggered - the branch straightens, and the prey hangs in the loop.
