Shooting Hares

[saab6110]

I’ve been asked by asked by the farmer to thin out a few hares for him as they are causing quite a bit of damage. I have been out tonight and stopped counting at 14 plus in one field.

If I am to take a few away I have never cooked hare so can anyone suggest the best option for them?

Thanks

[fabarm gamma boy]

look up a recipe for jugged hare! blummin lovely! basicly casserole it but get a eggcup full of the hares blood put it to one side! when the casserole is cooked and ready to serve add the blood and mix it in it will thicken it up! trust me its lovely

atb

fabarm

[aldivalloch]

There is no close season for the brown hare in England, but this is the breeding season and so if I were in your shoes I would explain to the farmer that it runs contrary to sporting principles to kill them at this time of year. They can be thinned out in autumn and winter. Do you really want to be shooting pregnant does, or does with young at foot which will starve to death if they lose their mothers?

 

What is it they are causing so much damage to? I'm always slightly chary of farmers who ask for various species to be controlled "because they're causing damage". I shoot for one who certainly has a rabbit problem, but he also complains about - and wishes destruction upon - brown hares; rooks; crows; ravens; black-backed gulls, both lesser and greater; herring gulls; greylag and pinkfeet geese; seals (yes, really!); indeed just about anything that comes near his land. Granted, the geese are destructive; the impact from every thing else is negligible.

 

I apply two criteria when faced with requests - 1) is it justifiable, and 2) is it legal. The first is about satisfying my conscience, the second about avoiding prosecution and keeping my certificates.

Edited April 26, 2013 by aldivalloch

[Dekers]

There is no close season for the brown hare in England, but this is the breeding season and so if I were in your shoes I would explain to the farmer that it runs contrary to sporting principles to kill them at this time of year. They can be thinned out in autumn and winter. Do you really want to be shooting pregnant does, or does with young at foot which will starve to death if they lose their mothers?

 

What is it they are causing so much damage to? I'm always slightly chary of farmers who ask for various species to be controlled "because they're causing damage". I shoot for one who certainly has a rabbit problem, but he also complains about - and wishes destruction upon - brown hares; rooks; crows; ravens; black-backed gulls, both lesser and greater; herring gulls; greylag and pinkfeet geese; seals (yes, really!); indeed just about anything that comes near his land. Granted, the geese are destructive; the impact from every thing else is negligible.

 

I apply two criteria when faced with requests - 1) is it justifiable, and 2) is it legal. The first is about satisfying my conscience, the second about avoiding prosecution and keeping my certificates.

 

 

Ok, I have no criticism of YOUR sporting principles, each to their own, but I'm simply not following that, rabbits breed non stop between about Feb-Nov, in some areas all year, do you NEVER shoot any out of principle?

Edited April 27, 2013 by Dekers

[Kes]

I thought the first post very sensible and considered - Dekers your reply is a touch confrontational - does anyone not shoot pigeon in spring or summer ?

Rabbits are best killed before they can breed and no doubt the OP knows this - the odd one in season is quite normal for most shooters and necessary to keep farmers happy.

[Amazed]

I try and leave them be untill the later part of the year. It does sound like you have quite a few should be a bumper harvest for you then

[Dekers]

I thought the first post very sensible and considered - Dekers your reply is a touch confrontational - does anyone not shoot pigeon in spring or summer ?

Rabbits are best killed before they can breed and no doubt the OP knows this - the odd one in season is quite normal for most shooters and necessary to keep farmers happy.

 

 

It's not meant to be confrontational at all, its a simple question, one which you have expanded on.

 

It's the same sort of principle that I am faced with when I have to remove a wasp nest (many of which pose no threat to anyone), possibly killing thousands of wasps, loads of eggs and loads of larvae, to be greeted with VERY happy clients, yet when the subject of 1 deer crops up they go all daft, selective principles, never did understand it and likely never will.

 

The response is almost always... But that's different!

 

Like I also said............. Ok, I have no criticism of YOUR sporting principles, each to their own.

 

Edited April 27, 2013 by Dekers

[Scully]

If they're causing damage,then it's pest control.Pest control is pest control,pure and simple.I shoot rabbits all year round,and branchers(unfledged Rooks)) at their most defenceless,purely because it's most effective at that time.

You first need to weigh up if they really are doing any damage,and if not,will the landowner see it from your point of view or get someone else to do it.

[fenboy]

Ok, I have no criticism of YOUR sporting principles, each to their own, but I'm simply not following that, rabbits breed not stop between about Feb-Nov, in some areas all year, do you NEVER shoot any out of principle?

 

And that is the difference , rabbits will breed most of the year , Hare's do not , rabbits can have several young , hares do not .

Shooting them in the breeding season is really going to harm numbers long term and as one of our countrys most beautiful animals I think the deserve a little more respect.

 

If they need controlling then have a word with the farmer and ask if you can do it after the end of August , that way if you shoot more than you want to eat at least you can sell them , its illegal to sell them during the breeding season.

[karpman]

Trying to explain to the farmer that what he perceives as a problem at the moment should be allowed to multiply seems a bit futile to me to be honest.

 

Karpman

[Dekers]

And that is the difference , rabbits will breed most of the year , Hare's do not , rabbits can have several young , hares do not .

Shooting them in the breeding season is really going to harm numbers long term and as one of our countrys most beautiful animals I think the deserve a little more respect.

 

If they need controlling then have a word with the farmer and ask if you can do it after the end of August , that way if you shoot more than you want to eat at least you can sell them , its illegal to sell them during the breeding season.

 

 

Please everyone, I'm really not trying to start something here but like I said, I'm just not understanding some principles!

 

What is the difference? "IF" they need controlling NO farmer is going to thank you for suggesting you do it later in the year after they have made a mess of your crops!

 

As a "guide" the rabbit can have up to 7 litters a year with up to 7 young in each, the Hare will have 3 litters with 4 per litter! Remember Hare are much bigger than rabbits, and eat far more, so a simple numbers game isn't really the issue!

 

I think the Fox is one of our countries most beautiful animals and tends to only breed once a year (sometimes twice), do I leave them in the breeding season, of course not, if I shoot an expectant vixen am I upset, not a bit?

 

[demonwolf444]

Casserole them, if you have any younger one's ive done them in a masala sauce before and it was great, ( the patak things, marinade them and they come out very well spiced and tender! ) The AGA book apparantly has a good jugged hare recipie but ive not yet used it.

[deershooter]

Up until three years ago when the farm changed hands I used to spend 3-4 nights a week in May thinning out hares in Lincolnshire who were eating the tops out of sugar beet it was nothing to shoot 250 300 hares in a month the best was 89 on one field in one night for 100 shots

 

Deershooter

[CharlieT]

What is the difference? "IF" they need controlling NO farmer is going to thank you for suggesting you do it later in the year after they have made a mess of your crops!

 

As a "guide" the rabbit can have up to 7 litters a year with up to 7 young in each, the Hare will have 3 litters with 4 per litter! Remember Hare are much bigger than rabbits, and eat far more, so a simple numbers game isn't really the issue!

 

 

And just to get a little perspective on the damage they can do, 3 hares eat the same amount as one sheep and 15 hares eat as much as one cow.

 

Therefore the 14 hares the OP saw in one field is the equivalent of 5 sheep or one cow grazzing away every day. Not an insignificant loss.

[fenboy]

And just to get a little perspective on the damage they can do, 3 hares eat the same amount as one sheep and 15 hares eat as much as one cow.

 

Therefore the 14 hares the OP saw in one field is the equivalent of 5 sheep or one cow grazzing away every day. Not an insignificant loss.

 

And this information comes from ??

[CharlieT]

And this information comes from ??

Me !!

[fenboy]

Well it must be correct then

[CharlieT]

Well it must be correct then

Well if you must know it's a simple calculation of livestock stocking rates and dry matter consumption.

 

A Brown Hare for example is calculated thus. Liveweight raised to the power of 9,75 to obtain metabolic rate, then intake calculated as kilo of dry matter per kilo of metabolic rate. Which equals 0.167 x -0.044.

 

From this you will see that a fully grown Brown Hare = .3 and an average Scotish Mule = 1, therefore by simply multiplying rural livestock units one calculates how many sheep = one cow and thus how many hares = one cow.

 

Simple really.

[fenboy]

Yep simply ********

[castletyne]

 

 

I’ve been asked by asked by the farmer to thin out a few hares for him as they are causing quite a bit of damage. I have been out tonight and stopped counting at 14 plus in one field.

 

If I am to take a few away I have never cooked hare so can anyone suggest the best option for them?

 

Thanks

 

 

Have a look on BASC site they have a few recipes on there

 

Hares always cause quite a stir, and some go wobbly at the knees at the very mention of them

 

Its not ilegal and the land owner has asked you to thin them out so go for it

Edited April 27, 2013 by castletyne

[aldivalloch]

Please everyone, I'm really not trying to start something here but like I said, I'm just not understanding some principles!

 

What is the difference? "IF" they need controlling NO farmer is going to thank you for suggesting you do it later in the year after they have made a mess of your crops!

 

As a "guide" the rabbit can have up to 7 litters a year with up to 7 young in each, the Hare will have 3 litters with 4 per litter! Remember Hare are much bigger than rabbits, and eat far more, so a simple numbers game isn't really the issue!

 

I think the Fox is one of our countries most beautiful animals and tends to only breed once a year (sometimes twice), do I leave them in the breeding season, of course not, if I shoot an expectant vixen am I upset, not a bit?

 

Let it be clearly stated that I didn't think you were being confrontational, Dekers! I appreciate your viewpoint and it has made me think about where my principles, or ethics, or whatever they are, have come from.

 

I have to confess to never having been much more than a pothunter - that is, I've always shot and fished primarily to fill the drawers in the freezer. I guess that allows me latitude to take a different standpoint from people for whom control of various species is a professional duty, or a requirement of their permission to shoot. I stress that it's just a different standpoint - not a better one, or a more moral one.

 

There's also the habitude factor - where I spent my younger days it was the norm to be allowed to shoot only pigeons and rabbits, as a lot of the farmland was part of shooting estates. The landlord and his guests took care of the game, and that included the hares, which were thinned out by means of organised shoots in the back-end of the year. Maybe that's why I still see them as having a different status from rabbits.

 

This established practice of shooting them in autumn and winter has now been formalised by the introduction here of close seasons for both the mountain hare and the brown hare. The former can't be killed between 1st March and 31st July; the latter can't be killed between 1st February and 30th September. I'm talking Scotland, by the way - the legislation is the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

 

It's my view that the imposition of these close seasons is a very positive thing - they're bound to allow the hare population to build up to record numbers, so once Scotland has gained independence I'm going to make my living by selling hare safaris to you rich chaps over the border. All you'll need is your passports and your .17HMRs. 704 yard shot, anyone?

[highseas]

It's not meant to be confrontational at all, its a simple question, one which you have expanded on.

 

It's the same sort of principle that I am faced with when I have to remove a wasp nest (many of which pose no threat to anyone), possibly killing thousands of wasps, loads of eggs and loads of larvae, to be greeted with VERY happy clients, yet when the subject of 1 deer crops up they go all daft, selective principles, never did understand it and likely never will.

 

The response is almost always... But that's different!

 

Like I also said............. Ok, I have no criticism of YOUR sporting principles, each to their own.

 

 

one of the best posts ive ever read on pw and too true

[Dekers]

Let it be clearly stated that I didn't think you were being confrontational, Dekers! I appreciate your viewpoint and it has made me think about where my principles, or ethics, or whatever they are, have come from.

 

I have to confess to never having been much more than a pothunter - that is, I've always shot and fished primarily to fill the drawers in the freezer. I guess that allows me latitude to take a different standpoint from people for whom control of various species is a professional duty, or a requirement of their permission to shoot. I stress that it's just a different standpoint - not a better one, or a more moral one.

 

There's also the habitude factor - where I spent my younger days it was the norm to be allowed to shoot only pigeons and rabbits, as a lot of the farmland was part of shooting estates. The landlord and his guests took care of the game, and that included the hares, which were thinned out by means of organised shoots in the back-end of the year. Maybe that's why I still see them as having a different status from rabbits.

 

This established practice of shooting them in autumn and winter has now been formalised by the introduction here of close seasons for both the mountain hare and the brown hare. The former can't be killed between 1st March and 31st July; the latter can't be killed between 1st February and 30th September. I'm talking Scotland, by the way - the legislation is the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

 

It's my view that the imposition of these close seasons is a very positive thing - they're bound to allow the hare population to build up to record numbers, so once Scotland has gained independence I'm going to make my living by selling hare safaris to you rich chaps over the border. All you'll need is your passports and your .17HMRs. 704 yard shot, anyone?

[the pigeon man]

 

And that is the difference , rabbits will breed most of the year , Hare's do not , rabbits can have several young , hares do not .

Shooting them in the breeding season is really going to harm numbers long term and as one of our countrys most beautiful animals I think the deserve a little more respect.

 

If they need controlling then have a word with the farmer and ask if you can do it after the end of August , that way if you shoot more than you want to eat at least you can sell them , its illegal to sell them during the breeding season.

Can also tell the farmer to plant his crops later on to

[Cranfield]

Its an age old "dilemna" and occurs in any pest control activity.

Do you shoot vermin in their breeding season (whenever that is).

Pigeons and rabbits especially are extending their breeding season to nearly all year long.

I have seen young from both in January and February.

 

If the law permits and it is necessary for crop protection, then there can be no real objection.

If its something that you personally don't want to do, then don't do it, but I don't think its fair to criticise those that do..

 

With hares there is also the "game" question, which introduces a "sporting" element to the equation.

In my area hares are not plentiful and are revered, none of my farmers would allow hares shot on their land.

Less than 10 miles away they are considered vermin among the fruit orchards and other arable fields.

Here they are lamped to reduce their numbers.

The numbers and landowners attitude to hares obviously varies all over the country and even in areas of the same county.

 

I think there are enough "safe" areas in the country to ensure the survival of the brown hare in good national numbers.