reedbradshaw Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 as above can you shoot hares this time of year ? if not, why not ? theres a few on the farm ( about 20 ) the farmer said i can shoot them if i like but hes not bothered either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavman Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 its leagal all year I dont out of choice, nice animal poor to eat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I shoot them all year round because that's what most local farmers want, for two reasons, one they eat crops, five hares are reputed to eat as much as one sheep, and two, if you have no hares on your land, you have no coursers on your land either. Given a choice, personally, I would rather see then running about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I'm guessing your ground is a bit like ours Bob and you have plenty of Hares. This pretty much governs whether to shoot or not, you want a decent population but not too many so as to cause significant crop damage. I shoot some mostly to keep the farmer happy and usually during the normal game season. Though there isn't any set season on hares I don't like to shoot them during the summer and prefer to giver them a chance to breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 its leagal all year I dont out of choice, nice animal poor to eat I take issue with this... it is fantastic to eat!!!! I guess it is all down to personal taste. Careful what you read about legal to shoot ....... open and farm land has different rules, I am told some counties you cannot shoot them at all but never seen this conclusively. I guess that as you stated farm land it is "enclosed" which makes a big difference. Personnally I'd let them breed now.....then shoot much later in the year. I try to keep an eye on numbers and make sure I leave some to breed for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 To prevent coursers, you either need to shoot every single hare, or none of them. Too many hares confuses the dogs, and cocks up the coursers' sport. Leaving just a few hares is exactly what the coursers want. I shot every hare on one farm, and then had an attack of conscience. Hares are magnificent animals, and the sound of a wounded hare is enough to put some people off shooting them altogether. I only shoot them now when instructed to. And they taste great, jugged or otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 They have young ATM, and unless you have 20-30 in a field then I would leave well alone until the stubbles arrive, then get yourself a young one, MMmmmmm tasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salisburykeeper Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I find by far the best way to keep hares down is to shave them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I don't shoot hares, out of choice, and they do no damage here so they're not a pest or problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I'm guessing your ground is a bit like ours Bob and you have plenty of Hares. This pretty much governs whether to shoot or not, you want a decent population but not too many so as to cause significant crop damage. I shoot some mostly to keep the farmer happy and usually during the normal game season. Though there isn't any set season on hares I don't like to shoot them during the summer and prefer to giver them a chance to breed. Yes, there is no shortage in this area, and some farms do not want them shot, personally I would rather see them running around also, to me they a part of country life, but you have to go along with the owners wishes, or somebody else will. At this time of the year they are doing a lot of damage to young peas, and there is no way to keep them off other than shooting. I shot fourteen on a eighteen acre field in two hours last year, that amount in that small an area can not be good either for the crops or the hares. Something that has always puzzled me is why hares are always on some fields and never on others, whatever crops are on them, anybody any ideas on this one? The old "South facing slope" theory does not hold up either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 I've noticed they like certain fields and certain areas of a field regardless of crop. feeding is another issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 We have tons of hares up here. In fact, they are my main shooting on an evening basis. I've gotten somewhere between 15 and 20 since the end of February shooting 2 fields that are ~3/4 mile apart. Right now the farmer has sprouts and peas in that are 2-4" high. The damage from the hares is pretty bad. There are a few select spots where the hares come out into the field and the damage radiates from those points. I watched one hare terrorize a full line of sprouts a few evenings ago because I didn't have a backstop behind it (it eventually moved a few feet right and died instantly). Even after shooting as many as I have, I can go back night after night and more will have replaced them. When I look through the fields between my two on the way home there are 6-10 more every night in the open. Plus, most of the fields are 2'-3' deep with wheat right now so you can't see most of the hares. I have no problems shooting them for the farmer when I can see first hand the damage they cause and how many there are. Only one has gone to 'waste' (i.e. left in the field) and that was one I hit with the 223 and damaged more meat than not. The fox got him that night as it was gone the next evening. Incidentally, most all of the hares I shoot are males so I'm certain there are plenty of females and young still out there. They are okay to eat. I have been using lamb hotpot recipies to good effect. Just don't over cook and they are good. As to what fields where and when, I liken them to brown trout. In a stream there are certain preferred holding areas. When one fish vacates an area another will move in. In my fields, there are 3-4 spots where they come out time and time again. I suspect these spots are where they can see the best. One thing I've learned about hares (as opposed to rabbits) is that they like wide open spaces and to use their sight as their defense. When they see you they pretend like nothing is happening. If you start moving closer they will hunker down. Once you get too close they take off. The particular ranges depend on how pressured the hares are and how much room they have. The ones I'm after are getting wise to shooting pressure and don't let you get too close. Once they do run they go a long way before they stop. Used to be they would run 50 yd and stop. The ones that did that aren't running anymore. Thanks Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 We have tons of hares up here. In fact, they are my main shooting on an evening basis. I've gotten somewhere between 15 and 20 since the end of February shooting 2 fields that are ~3/4 mile apart. Right now the farmer has sprouts and peas in that are 2-4" high. The damage from the hares is pretty bad. There are a few select spots where the hares come out into the field and the damage radiates from those points. I watched one hare terrorize a full line of sprouts a few evenings ago because I didn't have a backstop behind it (it eventually moved a few feet right and died instantly). Even after shooting as many as I have, I can go back night after night and more will have replaced them. When I look through the fields between my two on the way home there are 6-10 more every night in the open. Plus, most of the fields are 2'-3' deep with wheat right now so you can't see most of the hares. I have no problems shooting them for the farmer when I can see first hand the damage they cause and how many there are. Only one has gone to 'waste' (i.e. left in the field) and that was one I hit with the 223 and damaged more meat than not. The fox got him that night as it was gone the next evening. Incidentally, most all of the hares I shoot are males so I'm certain there are plenty of females and young still out there. They are okay to eat. I have been using lamb hotpot recipies to good effect. Just don't over cook and they are good. As to what fields where and when, I liken them to brown trout. In a stream there are certain preferred holding areas. When one fish vacates an area another will move in. In my fields, there are 3-4 spots where they come out time and time again. I suspect these spots are where they can see the best. One thing I've learned about hares (as opposed to rabbits) is that they like wide open spaces and to use their sight as their defense. When they see you they pretend like nothing is happening. If you start moving closer they will hunker down. Once you get too close they take off. The particular ranges depend on how pressured the hares are and how much room they have. The ones I'm after are getting wise to shooting pressure and don't let you get too close. Once they do run they go a long way before they stop. Used to be they would run 50 yd and stop. The ones that did that aren't running anymore. Thanks Rick Same here Bloody hundreds of them. Get them shot! Jonno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 That 'hare hotpot' sounds a cracker, Rick - I'm going to give that a whirl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Absolutely gorgeous in a casserole done in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours. Marinade the meat first. Most anything will do, cola, ginger ale, diluted orange squash are good. Red wine is a bit strong but white wine isn't bad. Whisky is awful as a marinade but good with the cola or ginger ale that isn't used. Saddle is best and reeeeeely nice BBQ'd I'm not keen on shooting hares at this time of year but if the farmer wants them gone waddyagonnadoo. As previously mentioned, no hares = no dog men = crops not churned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Some say it's bad luck to shoot hares - old tales of witches familiars (cats or hares etc). Also, the big old ones are tough as old boots. If you don't shoot one clean, the noise it makes is something to put you off doing it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 baldrick, I grabbed a packet of coleman's lamb hotpot mix. Marinade overnight with some olive oil and whatever seasonings you like. Then drop it in the slow cooker. The best one was done on low while I was at work (about 8-9 hours) but I bet a 4 hour cook on high would be better. I did one overnight on very low (cooked about 16 hours) and while the meat fell off of the bone in the pot, it was too soft. Now that it is summer I'll start making pulled BBQ hare similar to a pulled pork sandwich. I love BBQ flavored meat of any kind so hare is next on the menu. Thanks Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 very short down here 1 or 2 about so dont shoot them at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 its leagal all year I dont out of choice, nice animal poor to eat It is probably the best game other than venison that is available for the table Pavman. I will give Mrs P a reciepe that can't fail mate. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedbradshaw Posted May 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Im so glad you have all said i can shoot them, i was shooting the other day and i seen a rustle in long grass about 20 yards away bolt away from me. All i could see was the tail end of what i thought was a rabbit. pulled the trigger and it ended up being a hare. It didnt go to waste and i felt so guilty as i thought you couldnt shoot them at the time ( before the PW police start im sure it was a rabbit at the time, it was a split second decision in long grass ! ) but now i know you can the weight is off my mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Im so glad you have all said i can shoot them, i was shooting the other day and i seen a rustle in long grass about 20 yards away bolt away from me. All i could see was the tail end of what i thought was a rabbit. pulled the trigger and it ended up being a hare. It didnt go to waste and i felt so guilty as i thought you couldnt shoot them at the time ( before the PW police start im sure it was a rabbit at the time, it was a split second decision in long grass ! ) but now i know you can the weight is off my mind You may get a bashing for this, but in all honesty these things do happen. I take it you've not been shooting long? In time you'll learn what is what when running, they are very different Never fire before identifying the quarry. It sounds like you figured it was a rabbit before shooting which is good (kind of). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PUSC Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 hi there just wondered. im from somerset and a friend has asked me to supply hmi a couple of Hare for a dinner party need around 4. i know its illegal to sell them at this time of year from the basc guide but its fine to shoot them in somerset right? the other thing is whereabouts would som1 be able to suggest i ask for permission as he wants them for friday :S many thanks for your help. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart92 Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 i shoot hares by barns with a .410 couse they get in to the grain,, just got one question- could they be shot with a fac air rifle (before anwsering please count to ten and take a deep breath lol) stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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