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Hi out there , ive had a pretty good first season hunting for squrriels and cottontails this year and was just wondering about the snowshoes and what there range is. I guess i mean what is the furthest south in ontario you have seen these guys. IWhen i was young we would get them in powassan every winter( lots of fun). Now i want to hunt them again but live in southern ontario. Any help would be appreciated.
:fish:
We have them in the Southern Bruce County area
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10 years ago we used to shoot them a hour north of kw now they seem to be very rare. I have not seen one in several years now. I ve heard for decent hunting number you have to go pretty far north now
Seen snowshoe tracks In south simcoe
From K-W heading north I'd expect to find cotton tails till at least Shelburne north of there expect to find snowshoes.
I use to live in KW and I would head to Luther Marsh, its a GRCA property and you pay a day pass to go in, I have shot a few snoeshows in there, lots of guys hunt them with beagles, that being said it is a heavily hunted property
Gadshill swamp has snowshoes. It's just north of Stratford.
Doesn't cottontail taste better than snowshoe (or varying hare)? I seem to recall getting both during one hunting trip, and noticing that the cottontail was much better tasting. If so, maybe you should just stick with the cottontails and count yourself lucky.
Anyways, all I see regularly around Ottawa is varying hare (unfortunately).
I would agree with you given the choice would take cotton tails over snowshoes hands down.Quote:
Originally Posted by rf2
I have never had a bad tasting snowshoe, people just don't know how to cook them. The flesh of a hare is tougher then a cotton tail and thats why cotton tail taste better. That said, Hares should not be cook the same as a cotton tail theyshould be slow cooked to tenderize it or done cacciatori in wine. some times i even boil it first for two hours then slow cook it. Hope this helps in cooking wise. As for how south to find would be outskirts of Orangeville, Shelburn, grey county, dufferin county, Simcoe county and anything north of that. But populations vary more North more rabbits, look for the right habitat and you will find them. Now is the time look for there tracks to locate them Good luck
Diet of the bunny dictates the flavour. If you got to boil something for 2 hours before cooking it or simmer it in wine and tomato sauce would not be my preferred quarry. hard to beat a clover and crop feed cottontail to a cedar swamp hare.Quote:
Originally Posted by tom gobble
Yes thanks for the info , my assumptions where right. Pretty much gotta go up luther marsh way. I did that last weekend but the weather was not the best so i left early. i did see lots of sign though. Yes i do like cottontail meat better then snowshoe just wanted to try something different. Always had good memories hunting the hares and once i find a good spot would like to take my pa with me to repay him for all the times he took me out with his club. Maybe the snowshoe hares are moving farhter north because we dont get the snow we used to get, and F*g coyotes.lol
That's an interesting and plausible theory. Have you ever hunted varying hare when they have changed to white, but there is no snow on the ground? It's so easy that it barely feels like hunting.