GHOST CHASERS!! (Lepus Europaeus)

[Fox]

With regards to the jack population I believe it’s the predators are the reason with the low European hare population and not sooo much habitat loss. There are many many areas where the ha it’s hasnt been altered or destroyed where the hare numbers are virtually zero. It’s the same problem everywhere in southern Ontario. There are areas in which I hunt that local farmers hunt coyote and kill sooo many every year and every year the coyote numbers are still rising. It’s a serious problem and threat to all the wildlife not only rabbits and hares. Everywhere I go I notice coyote tracks following the European hare tracks in the snow. So much pressure on them. However the European hare is a resilient animal that somehow manages to hold on it seems but it does need help. It’s like one member said in the previous thread. When he used to go hunting many years ago for the European hare he noticed that there were barely any coyotes around. People would shoot only a handful of coyotes per year. Nowadays groups of coyote hunters are killing over a hundred a year. It’s a problem

I get what you are saying but people are also predators. The number of european hares that you take out reduces the number of european hares out there to reproduce.

You guys talk about the MNR doing things to stop the decline but you can do that yourself.

If you believe it is the coyotes killing them all then stop hunting them and go out and hunt coyotes instead of hares.

Nice shooting and all but blaming the coyotes for reducing the population while you are shooting them is sort of messed up.

[fratri]

I get what you are saying but people are also predators. The number of european hares that you take out reduces the number of european hares out there to reproduce.

You guys talk about the MNR doing things to stop the decline but you can do that yourself.

If you believe it is the coyotes killing them all then stop hunting them and go out and hunt coyotes instead of hares.

Nice shooting and all but blaming the coyotes for reducing the population while you are shooting them is sort of messed up.

Fox....sorry but I think you are way off/out of line with your comment....There is no way that the dozen or two jacks these guys take a year are the cause in the decline in jack population.
Guys keep doing what your doing and best of luck on your next outing....

[Frank16]

I love jack rabbit hunting more than any other hunt out there. Seeing these pics makes me happy and jealous at the same time. I believe the jack rabbit populations are seriously affected by predators and the lack of suitable habitat on farms. We can all do our part to help the jack population, but MNR and the OFAH is our voice. They should be the ones to know that going out and filling a limit of 5 jacks per person is a joke or better yet a limit of three pheasants. The resources are not there for them to study these animals and I partly believe that since it’s not turkey, deer, moose or waterfowl they don’t care. Unfortunately it is what is! If you guys can go out enjoy shooting a few jacks than do it! Love seeing your pics! Maybe this weekend I’ll stop chasing a ghost and actually put a jack on the ground!

[kings of winter]

Thank goodness there are people like Fratri@Frank16 out there because right now I'm absolutely speechless what Fox trot is trying to say!!!!!

[G.S.]

It is clear that most forum members can only wish to join you guys on a hunt! Just have to ignore the noise sometimes...

[jackhunter]

I understand how someone less informed about the cycle and nature of the game population could assume that a natural predator could be the primary reason for such a drastic decline in the overall population of a specific species of animal. What you’re doing, however, is over-simplifying a complex and intricate cycle into a very basic process that places the responsibility of the decreasing numbers of an entire species on “human predators” and their inability to exterminate the hares natural predator (coyote). You’re saying that if we spent more time hunting coyote, and less time hunting the European hare, there wouldn’t be such a decline in population. So, in essence, what you’re saying is that we should focus our time and energy on exterminating the coyote population, so as to increase future populations of the European Hare?

We hunt maybe 6-8 times a season. In stark contrast, the coyote places consistent and relentless pressure on the hare (etc) population, as the hare makes up about 15-40% of the coyotes diet. Simple math and logic dictates that the number of Hare we hunt per season, has absolutely no effect and/or baring on the dwindling number of the European population. If you try to boil down a complex system, in effort to place the onus of the decrease of a population on one thing, all you’re doing is showing how little you know about such an interesting and complex ecosystem. According to your thought process, we should focus on exterminating more of the coyote species in order to ensure the survival of the European Hare population. So we should hunt MORE coyote? Got it ✅
IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU?....
7D69E357-32DC-4213-BB6B-06D1535B685C.jpg
1CDC632F-C8B7-4944-ACDD-F1A64611C6C1.jpg
B26375ED-A650-424D-8634-E9915C8E5998.jpg
Hahaha. I shot these 6 coyotes in one stand!!! From what I understand. Not too many shot 6 in one stand. Within 20 mins. So If you have any more intelligent insights you’d like to share with me or the rest of the forum, please let us know.

[gbk]

There has been posts here before where the coyote problem was discussed far and wide.
Older members must remember them quite WELL..........

In general what i took from the threads is-the more coyotes are killed ,the more litter they have top make up the loss. Something in this ballpark.

Now-if that is true(so far i have no reason to believe it is not)then how on earth MORE hunters killing more coyotes will save the Rabbits-or the deer -or the turkey for instance????

The guys hunting and killing them are doing awesome job doing their part-please keep it up-but as long as there is not a REAL effort by the authorities,this problem is UNFORTUNATELY here to stay.

[Bo D]

I understand how someone less informed about the cycle and nature of the game population could assume that a natural predator could be the primary reason for such a drastic decline in the overall population of a specific species of animal. What you’re doing, however, is over-simplifying a complex and intricate cycle into a very basic process that places the responsibility of the decreasing numbers of an entire species on “human predators” and their inability to exterminate the hares natural predator (coyote). You’re saying that if we spent more time hunting coyote, and less time hunting the European hare, there wouldn’t be such a decline in population. So, in essence, what you’re saying is that we should focus our time and energy on exterminating the coyote population, so as to increase future populations of the European Hare?

We hunt maybe 6-8 times a season. In stark contrast, the coyote places consistent and relentless pressure on the hare (etc) population, as the hare makes up about 15-40% of the coyotes diet. Simple math and logic dictates that the number of Hare we hunt per season, has absolutely no effect and/or baring on the dwindling number of the European population. If you try to boil down a complex system, in effort to place the onus of the decrease of a population on one thing, all you’re doing is showing how little you know about such an interesting and complex ecosystem. According to your thought process, we should focus on exterminating more of the coyote species in order to ensure the survival of the European Hare population. So we should hunt MORE coyote? Got it ✅
IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU?....
7D69E357-32DC-4213-BB6B-06D1535B685C.jpg
1CDC632F-C8B7-4944-ACDD-F1A64611C6C1.jpg
B26375ED-A650-424D-8634-E9915C8E5998.jpg
Hahaha. I shot these 6 coyotes in one stand!!! From what I understand. Not too many shot 6 in one stand. Within 20 mins. So If you have any more intelligent insights you’d like to share with me or the rest of the forum, please let us know.

Game, set, and match I'd say...

[73hunter]

Boys, I’m jealous of your success on both fronts !

May I ask what general area of SW Ontario you are hunting in ? Just curious, pm me if you don’t want to advertise it

[Fox]

Fox....sorry but I think you are way off/out of line with your comment....There is no way that the dozen or two jacks these guys take a year are the cause in the decline in jack population.
Guys keep doing what your doing and best of luck on your next outing....

When everyone going out there gets a dozen or so "jacks" a year then it does hurt the population, I am not out of line.

If you want the population to come back then stopping hunting them yourself is something you can do.

This is the same with moose but every year guys buy a license and go shoot calves then complain that the numbers are going down and blame the natives, wolves and bears.

If you want to bring the animals back then stop killing them, if you want to kill them then stop complaining the numbers are going down.