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Outdoor Life published a first-person account of a snowshoe hare hunt with hounds in northern Michigan, describing how hunters use the dogs’ pursuit to anticipate where hares may cross. The report also outlines the species’ range and how young forest growth can support hare populations; it does not announce a new hunting rule or conservation finding.
Outdoor Life published a first-person report on snowshoe hare hunting with beagles in northern Michigan, describing how hunters position themselves along likely routes as hounds follow a hare’s scent. The article also explains how forest age and understory growth affect hare habitat, giving readers both a field account and practical ecological context for the winter hunt.
The report follows the writer and three hunting partners, including experienced hare hunter Ralph Holsinger, as they hunt along a fire lane bordered by young jack-pine woods and a cedar swamp. The hunters spread out along the opening while a pack of beagles worked through the snow. The writer describes adjusting position based on the dogs’ sounds and the direction of the chase, but says two hares slipped past before another hunter, Joe Covert, shot one.
Holsinger, whom the report says has pursued snowshoe hares for 50 years, advises that hares do not always follow predictable routes. The account presents reading the terrain and listening to the hounds as central parts of the hunt, while also showing that hunters can misjudge where a hare will emerge. The dogs named in the report include Squeaky, Rambo, Shane, Twinkie, Candy and John.
The article identifies the snowshoe hare, also called the varying hare, as a North American species that turns white in winter. It says the animal’s range includes Canada, Alaska and the northern tier of U.S. states, as well as some mountainous areas farther south. The report says 20 U.S. states have hare hunting seasons, but does not list them or provide current season dates or local regulations.
Young Forests Shape Hare Habitat
The report links the possibility of finding hares to forest structure, not simply snowfall. Young conifer growth can provide food and cover, while a maturing forest with less understory may offer less suitable habitat. That means the landscape’s history and condition can influence where hunters encounter hares, as well as where the animals can find shelter.
Outdoor Life quotes Ben Tullar, a wildlife biologist with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, describing how abandoned farmland may develop into hare habitat as conifers grow before hardwoods take over. Tullar’s account gives readers a habitat explanation beyond the hunt itself. It is specific to the succession pattern he describes and should not be read as a measurement of hare numbers across all regions.
For readers interested in hunting, the story also shows the method’s reliance on coordination and judgment: hunters spread out, track the hounds’ changing calls and adjust to terrain. The article is a field report, not a statewide population survey or a guide to legal requirements. Anyone planning a hunt would need to check the rules for the relevant state and season.
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How Forest Growth Changes Cover
The article says snowshoe hares use areas with suitable food and shelter, and that their numbers can vary with habitat availability. It describes recently disturbed land, including areas affected by logging or fire, as capable of supporting new growth that hares use for a period. As forests mature and hardwoods overtake conifers, dense low vegetation may decline.
Tullar’s example from northern New York estimates that an abandoned pasture may support a huntable hare population after five to 15 years of growth, with suitable conditions lasting another five to 15 years before hardwoods dominate. Those ranges are his quoted example, not a universal timeline. The report also notes that hare populations fluctuate, but supplies no population counts, survey period or regional comparison.
The hunting scene itself took place in northern Michigan the previous February. The article’s October publication date is not evidence of a new season opening or a change in wildlife policy. Its focus is the experience of hunting with hounds and the habitat conditions that can make a location productive.
“Hares rarely do what they are supposed to do.”
— Ralph Holsinger, a hare hunter quoted in the Outdoor Life report
Local Seasons and Hare Counts
The report does not provide current hunting dates, bag limits, licensing rules or the full list of states with hare seasons. Those details vary by jurisdiction and are not established by the article; hunters should consult the relevant wildlife agency before going afield.
It also offers no recent population estimate for northern Michigan or the broader region. Its discussion of population swings and habitat change is general, while Tullar’s quoted timeline concerns an example from northern New York. The article does not establish whether hare numbers in the locations described are currently increasing or declining.
The report recounts a hunt rather than a controlled study, so its observations about dog work, likely routes and habitat are grounded in the participants’ experience. It does not quantify how often hunters succeed with this method or compare it with other approaches.
Check Local Rules Before Hunting
The report does not announce a follow-up study, policy decision or upcoming event. For readers considering a snowshoe hare hunt, the next practical step is to check their state or provincial wildlife agency’s current season dates, licensing requirements and harvest limits. Regulations can differ by location and may change between seasons.
Readers interested in the habitat discussion can look for local wildlife-agency surveys or forestry information for the area they plan to visit. The Outdoor Life account provides a description of one hunt and a biologist’s regional example, but does not supply local population data. Any broader conclusion about current hare abundance would require more recent, location-specific evidence.
Key Questions
What does the Outdoor Life report describe?
It recounts a snowshoe hare hunt with beagles in northern Michigan, focusing on how the hunters positioned themselves and interpreted the hounds’ calls.
Where do snowshoe hares live?
The report describes their range as including Canada, Alaska and the northern tier of U.S. states, along with some mountainous regions farther south.
How does forest growth affect hare habitat?
The article says young conifer growth can provide food and cover. As forests mature and the understory declines, conditions may become less suitable for hares.
Does the report give current hunting rules?
No. It does not list season dates, bag limits or licensing requirements. Hunters should check the current regulations issued by the wildlife agency for their location.
Source: rss
