NL·OUTDOORS

Hare today, gone tomorrow: Hunters and biologists are noting low rabbit numbers this season

Snowshoe hares have a lengthy population cycle, but this year seems exceptionally low, writes Outdoors columnist Gord Follett, who digs into what may be happening.

Small game biologist is not alarmed by low numbers

A light brown snowshoe hare sitting on rocks and grass in the woods.
A snowshoe hare near Trepassey on the Southern Shore. (Submitted by Cliff Doran)

Most of us are well aware of the seven-to-11-year population cycle of the snowshoe hare in Newfoundland.

Hunters and trappers in particular also know that our "rabbit," as they are more commonly referred to in these parts, is the primary food of lynx. When rabbit numbers are high, species populations like the lynx start to increase, and when rabbit populations go down, the lynx population also drops.

We're used to seeing this. It's as nature has intended.

So why, many of us are wondering, do rabbit numbers in many parts of the province appear to be exceptionally low this year? And by "low," we're talking about two or three rabbits in 40 snares, or just couple hares in the bag after four experienced hunters and two good beagles searching the woods for seven hours.

Even in previous low years, we'd collect or bag at least three times that number.

Two men holding dead rabbits with a beagle by their side. The man on the right is holding a hunting gun. Both men are wearing camouflage.
Rabbits were much more plentiful in Conception Bay North the last time Gord Follett and his late uncle Walter hunted together in the early 2000s. (Submitted by Jeff Follett)

Now, before some of you jump to the keyboard to let me know there's no shortage in your area, I'm already aware of this— particularly on the west coast of Newfoundlnd, where the population seems to be relatively healthy. And yes, there are often "pockets" of hares to be found even in areas experiencing low numbers overall.

Easy targets without snow?

In early December, Harry Stringer, 72, of Caplin Cove in Trinity Bay made a simple observation on the N.L. Rabbit Snaring Facebook group: "This is the worst year I've seen at the rabbits. Absolutely nothing!"

Stringer has always gotten enough rabbits for family and friends, so he's never even noticed the ups and down of the population cycle.

"But I've never experienced going five or six weeks without getting rabbits like I have this year," he noted. "Maybe it's because they've turned white and there's no snow around here, which makes them easy targets for owls and coyotes. Hopefully, if and when we get snow, things will change."

Many of my own hunting buddies have since echoed these comments and are basically wondering what's happening, with several of them suggesting that the growing — make that, exploding - coyote population is keeping numbers down.

So far this season on the Avalon Peninsula, Tony Vinnicombe and I have hunted parts of eight days with his beagles — good dogs at that — and by Christmas we had harvested a grand total of 10 rabbits.

Keith Wheaton of Glenwood hasn't been having much success, either.

"I have been snaring my whole life and rabbits have been scare the past three or four years in central," he said, adding this year has been the worst yet.

"Forty snares, one rabbit!" he commented on Dec. 14.

An empty rabbit snare in the woods.
Seventy-eight of Keith Wheaton’s 80 snares were empty when he checked them on Dec. 19. One of them is pictured in the centre. (Submitted by Keith Wheaton)

On the morning of Dec. 19, Wheaton told me he was about to head off to check 80 snares in the northwest Gander area and would let me know the results when he returned.

"Two rabbits!" he reported later that afternoon. "I did see good sign of rabbits, though; fresh buttons on the leaves. Definitely no one else in the area rabbit catching. It's weird. It's like they move out...

"That damn brass wire [which trappers are required by law to use] is not helping rabbits, either. I did a study few years back and I was losing as high as 40 per cent of my rabbits because of it. I submitted this to government back then, but no changes."

While chatting with friend Steven Hogan of Northern Bay in early November, he mentioned that rabbits were "practically non-existent around here. I walked five kilometres [with his beagles] the other day and had one start. Three years ago, me and Blue had 200 rabbits."

He added, "The number of coyotes around here would scare you." 

A man wearing a camouflage jacket and holding two beagles. Three dead hares are seen in the bed of the truck behind him.
Steven Hogan of Northern Bay had an unexpected 'banner day' recently with his beagles, Blue and Lita. (Submitted by Steve Hogan)

Despite all these personal experiences and reports, however, there are some hunters and trappers out there who suggest we may be overreacting. I contacted Chris Callahan, the province's small game biologist, who isn't alarmed by the low rabbit numbers.

Callahan said he's heard and seen reports of low densities in some areas across the island, but "it is unlikely this decrease is linked to extreme increases in predation; instead, it seems more likely a temporary low in the population cycle."

"Snowshoe hare, like many small game species, [has a] population cycle typically lasts seven-11 years. While this cycle is generally consistent," he said, "it's not always exact, and in some fragmented habitats, the population may experience low points outside the usual/expected cycle."

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gord Follett

Freelance contributor

Gord Follett is a former editor of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine, former co-host of the Newfoundland Sportsman TV program and best-selling author of Track Shoes & Shotguns. He lives in Mount Pearl.

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