The Brown Hare

[wabbit evaporator]

My family farm arable and beef in East Anglia- over the last few years we have noticed a marked decline in Hare numbers, not just an annual variation but a general trend. In conjunction with a number of other farms and estates in East Anglia we invited the Hare preservation trust to conduct a census over approximately 100,000 acres of farmland. The results are rather disappointing and show a continued decline in numbers (circa. 20% over a 10 yr period).

 

Whilst much of this has to do with changing farming practices (and we amongst others are moving to change this), we have been disappointed to learn that a number of our immediate neighbours still allow Hares to be shot on their ground. It would appear that in some cases where shoot syndicates have taken the sporting rights Hares are often shot (with rifles) as vermin, year round. We are now all moving together (9 farms and estates to date) to prevent this practice from continuing.

 

My reason for posting this is to appeal to the guys on here to think twice before pulling the trigger on Hares. I think it is absolutely vital that as shooters we engage with our responsibilities towards conservation in a responsible and proactive manner. I suspect that UKV members have shooting rights over far in excess of the 100k acres I mentioned earlier. If every one of us bears the continual decline of this indigenous mammal in mind when out shooting, we could genuinely make a difference to its plight.

 

 

 

[DW58]

Hear hear, we have a similar problem here in NE Scotland where Hares, and sadly also Grey Partridges have shown a huge decline in recent years.

[Finman]

I am delighted to hear of such efforts. I really like seeing hares in the fields, we don't have many around here in the Shropshire/Staffordshire borders and I never shoot them. However, it is many a time I heard amongst other shooters their delight for shooting hares whilst out foxing or rabbiting. Perhaps, as a shooting community, we should encourage the preservation of the brown hare, sounds like an excellent initiative. Many congratulations for your efforts and those of your neighbours,

 

best wishes,

 

Finman

[Elwood]

I applaud your efforts, and I hope it works. Here on the South Downs in Sussex we have a very healthy population, but very few are shot, even though it is very condensed with game shoots.

 

I absolutely deplore muppets who shoot Hares for no other reason than they were in front of them.

[DW58]

I absolutely deplore muppets who shoot Hares for no other reason than they were in front of them.

Hear hear!

 

In a shoot I used to be a member of, we had a policy with Hares ... ... "You shoot it, you carry it" ... ... most people only shot a single Hare and learnt the hard way - we grow 'em big here in NE Scotland.

[Akeld]

Have they given a more detailed answer for the decline, and have they given any advice to reverse it? I only ask as it seems a very generic reason for the decline of any species in this Country. Well done for taking the action you are

[oaken]

I know several landowners that actively encourage the shooting of hares on their land, in fact I lost a shoot because I refused to shoot them.

The reason? No hares means no Pikeys!

It's a mad world.

My hat off to anyone encouraging the hare population.

Rup

[wabbit evaporator]

Its really encouraging to see such an enthusiastic response from people- thank you.

 

There is a study currently being conducted using data from our and other census around the country. Essentially though reasons for the long-term ( last 60 years) decline are primarily farming related, intensification being the biggest culprit...... In no particular order:

 

- Winter cropping leading to a lack of food in spring

- Disappearance of the traditional mixed grass meadow

- Removal of hedgerows

- Movement away from hay and haylage to silage (cut at different times when leverets are most likely to be vulnerable)

 

The two PhD students we had on the farm conducting the census (whilst both keen shots themselves) also believe that the traditional February and March Hare shoots have a significant effect on populations where they occur.

 

At home we have moved away from silaging and we cut hay with rear mowers only now. We mainly spring crop anyway due to the ground we are on and in the last 5 years we have planted thousands of metres of mixed hedgerow and woodland.

 

This kind of activity and change in farming practices is well supported by a number of grants and schemes available to the majority of the farming community, it doesn't just have to be done out of the goodness of one's heart, it can make commercial sense too.

[Biathlonjimmy]

I too love to see hares in the field and quite frankly abhor mindless shooting of any creature. In the short term (last three years) I have seen a significant increase in hares in my immediate locality - north of Lincoln. So much so that I was asked specifically to thin the numbers on one farm due to crop damage. I took half a dozen in Jan-Feb time. In March, when the crops were still low enough to see, on the holding, circa 450 acres, I saw 12-14 of an evening. Maybe we are bucking the trend in Lincolnshire? It will be interesting to see what numbers I observe shortly after harvest has finished. ATB, J

[Biathlonjimmy]

Its really encouraging to see such an enthusiastic response from people- thank you.

 

There is a study currently being conducted using data from our and other census around the country. Essentially though reasons for the long-term ( last 60 years) decline are primarily farming related, intensification being the biggest culprit...... In no particular order:

 

- Winter cropping leading to a lack of food in spring

- Disappearance of the traditional mixed grass meadow

- Removal of hedgerows

- Movement away from hay and haylage to silage (cut at different times when leverets are most likely to be vulnerable)

 

The two PhD students we had on the farm conducting the census (whilst both keen shots themselves) also believe that the traditional February and March Hare shoots have a significant effect on populations where they occur.

 

At home we have moved away from silaging and we cut hay with rear mowers only now. We mainly spring crop anyway due to the ground we are on and in the last 5 years we have planted thousands of metres of mixed hedgerow and woodland.

 

This kind of activity and change in farming practices is well supported by a number of grants and schemes available to the majority of the farming community, it doesn't just have to be done out of the goodness of one's heart, it can make commercial sense too.

 

It will be interesting to see what impact the incoming greening obligations on the new Basic Payment Scheme will have on Hare numbers. This coupled with the three crop rule which will affect many farms around me will lead to an increase in spring cropping (winter wheat being defined and a different crop to spring wheat). Also with the increasing problem of Black Grass, ploughing as a method of prevention will be utilised more leading to further spring cropping. Up to 5% of land can be left fallow which should provide further help to increase numbers of Hare, Partridge and more.

[DW58]

The reason? No hares means no Pikeys!

 

Good point - illegal coursing is/or at least was a significant problem here in NE Scotland, although I haven't heard any mention of it lately.

[Finman]

I absolutely deplore muppets who shoot Hares for no other reason than they were in front of them.

 

A such muppet that came lamping with me one night shot a hare with exactly this attitude...I made damn sure he hadn't had an acre of permission to shoot a catapult, let alone a rifle, within 3 months of that episode. One thing, all of us who are involved in shooting, quickly learn is that 'sh1t sticks'...

 

best wishes,

 

Finman

[Paddy_SP]

I'm delighted to say that down here a lot of the farmers would throw you off their land if they saw you shoot a hare. The fox control work we've been doing over the last few years is also paying dividends - across much of the 40,000 or so acres that I cover we're seeing increasing numbers of hares, hedgehogs, skylarks, and so on. Long may it continue!

[Tony.H]

its a sad fact, and i know hares are shot so as to keep the dog lads off of the farms where syndicates are, there is one i know of where over 40 hares where found dumped because they had a purge on them to keep the dog men off, and this as far as i know is a yearly thing.

shooting hares is not very sporting, ive called foxes in using my hand, if i alter the pitch a little i can call hares in and they will come right up to you untill they realise its you and not one of them.

[17 Rem]

There was a very interesting letter in The Times yesterday stating that a study was done in Leicestershire from 1992 to 2000, providing mixed habitat and controlling foxes, resulting in a tenfold increase in hare numbers.

When the fox control stopped, the hare population dropped to close to zero.

[Wiltshire Boy]

We have loads of Hares down here and one or two farms on the chalk downland have done a catch up day with long nets once a year and they then move them to other places that want to increase their populations, a lot have gone to Devon I think.

In any case I never shoot them as they don't fit into any of my 'shootable' categories ie: they are not vermin and I don't like eating them. I also like seeing them about.

On the dog problem we do have issues as a result of the Hare population from time to time but we tend to deal with it by making the ground as inaccessible as possible.

 

cheers

 

Rich

[MJR]

We have seen a healthy increase in hares over our shoot. We only shoot the odd one or two during the shooting season and only then after the shoot captain has asked specifically during the morning briefing if someone wants one. Personally I love to see them about. Unfortunately we have also come to the point where the pickeys are taking an interest and we are coming under pressure to reduce the numbers to stop them dogging them.

[AnthonyR]

On our farm we have seen increasing numbers of hares for the last 5 years, so much so that I am actually considering starting a limited cull, I have seen upwards of 35 in one 30 acre field and this spring they have been hammering the later drilled crops where they were thin due to the wet winter.

 

I put down the increase in population to 2 main factors:

 

We have an extensive Entry Level Scheme in place which provides excellent habitat for breeding/shelter and provides winter food as well. This will have to change when the new rules come in and our existing scheme expires.

 

Secondly five years ago I started really hammering the foxes on a regular basis, nearly tripling the number being shot previously. On another one of our farms where we don't have a shoot and I don't do much fox control at all (ELS is the same on both) and you are lucky to see a hare at all.

[matchking]

We have a lot of hares on one estate we do the foxes on. Numbers are on the up, Not due to farming practices but very heavy predator control ie lamping and trapping. The sooner the government who ever gets in realises the need to control raptors to benifit other animals the better. We loose more leverets to buzzards than anything else. Not very PC subject but one that needs to be addressed and not by the muppets in RSPB OR RSPCA.

Rgds

[Paddy_SP]

Talking of hares being shipped down to Devon - sadly, some of the hounds packs hunt them around here, and it's mostly the hounds-people who brought them in.

[1967spud]

My family farm arable and beef in East Anglia- over the last few years we have noticed a marked decline in Hare numbers, not just an annual variation but a general trend. In conjunction with a number of other farms and estates in East Anglia we invited the Hare preservation trust to conduct a census over approximately 100,000 acres of farmland. The results are rather disappointing and show a continued decline in numbers (circa. 20% over a 10 yr period).

 

Whilst much of this has to do with changing farming practices (and we amongst others are moving to change this), we have been disappointed to learn that a number of our immediate neighbours still allow Hares to be shot on their ground. It would appear that in some cases where shoot syndicates have taken the sporting rights Hares are often shot (with rifles) as vermin, year round. We are now all moving together (9 farms and estates to date) to prevent this practice from continuing.

 

My reason for posting this is to appeal to the guys on here to think twice before pulling the trigger on Hares. I think it is absolutely vital that as shooters we engage with our responsibilities towards conservation in a responsible and proactive manner. I suspect that UKV members have shooting rights over far in excess of the 100k acres I mentioned earlier. If every one of us bears the continual decline of this indigenous mammal in mind when out shooting, we could genuinely make a difference to its plight.

 

 

 

not many here either although more this year

[gaz6br]

Got plenty around here, on most of the farms and estates we do you will see them around

 

Gaz

[MrCetrizine]

There's loads of them here in Lincolnshire. Not epidemic by any means but a good healthy population. I shoot pigeon and game when in season on a few farms. None of the farmers want us to shoot the hares because they don't eat that much compared to rabbits and pigeons that easily outnumber them.

 

Hares are also really useful for flushing birds. A shot in the air gets them running for cover and out pop the ditch chickens.

[Murph]

Good on ye mate. I like to see hares out and about. There's plenty of them around me - the doggy men don't know about them!. Seen 7 in about a 10 acre field one night bunched together. Must have been breeding time. 2 years ago in the really cold winter me and the brother seen one which was pure white from head to foot. One of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen. Meant to be rare for an irish hare to turn white like that. There was a couple of them spotted in county Monaghan just over the border in the Republic of Ireland. I wasn't told it was because of all the snow and really cold weather. I don't think I'll ever see another one. Let a hare conservation group know about it online but never heard back from them.

[JB1]

Plenty around on my perms, I don't shoot them, 2 reason's 1 they don't damage enough crop, grazing on sheep farms I shoot on and

2 I don't eat them. Its interesting to read about a heavily shot Fox population seems to show a decrease in Hare population.

Badgers will also take leverets, I am just really surprised though about the lack of Hare's due to culling Fox.s, can any one enlighten me as to why