By Mike Fitzgerald, Contributor at Wild Nexus

Winter used to be a time when I loathed the slow-paced, actionless season because it felt as though there was nothing to do. Once I got into hunting and realized that there were options if a hunter was willing to deal with the cold, it was inevitable that snowshoe hares and I would eventually cross paths with one another. Snowshoe hares may very well be the best reason to clean the shotgun and get back out into the woods once your big game season has come to an end, especially if you’re looking at months of sipping on tag soup. Compared to cottontails, they’re easier to locate, significantly larger, excellent table fare, and offer a unique challenge during a season when most hunters decide to call it quits. If you want to extend your hunting season, look no further than the snowshoe hare.

Where to Find Them

Snowshoe hares have a massive range from the Rockies north into Alaska and across Canada to the East Coast, including many New England states. They tend to favor dense habitat and lowlands where they can avoid avian predators as well as lynx and bobcats. Thick stands of cedar in bottomlands or along rivers and marshes are often productive areas, but hares can also be found around abandoned homesteads and even junk piles on the edges of fields adjacent to mixed forests. When locating prime hare habitat, there are two methods I rely on. The first is waiting until winter to look for tracks. However, it’s important to note that a single hare frequently using an area can make it look like several hares are present. Heavy track density can be misleading and is often the work of just one or two animals. If you don’t want to wait until snowfall, trail cameras are a highly effective option. Setting two or three cameras in dense cover where hares are suspected often confirms their presence. Placing cameras along natural travel corridors through thick cover has consistently worked well for me.

How to Hunt Them

In my experience, snowshoe hares are easier to hunt than cottontails. Unlike their flighty cousins, snowshoe hares rely heavily on their winter camouflage—sometimes to a fault. When flushed, they often stop a short distance away to assess whether they’re being pursued, offering a brief but valuable shot opportunity. A still-hunter with a sharp-shooting .22 rifle can have an excellent day pursuing hares, provided they move slowly and deliberately. The key is to watch for subtle movement: the twitch of an ear or the reflection of dark eyes against white snow. Group hunts can be highly effective as well. One successful tactic involves three hunters: one moving through prime cover to flush hares, while two flankers with shotguns stand ready. Snowshoe hares often run in wide circles when pressured, and spacing hunters roughly 25 yards apart increases the odds that a hare will pass directly in front of someone.

To Dog or Not to Dog

While not everyone has access to a pack of trained beagles, even a single dog can significantly increase hare movement. A dog doesn’t need to be a seasoned hound—simply sniffing and moving through cover like a predator is often enough to push hares out of hiding. If you choose to hunt with a dog, ensure they have a reliable recall. Attaching a bell to their collar is also a good safety practice, allowing you to track their position in thick cover and make safe, ethical shots.

Tools of the Chase

Because much of snowshoe hare hunting happens in winter and often with multiple hunters, wearing hunter orange is strongly recommended. Merino wool base layers help manage cold conditions, and a quality upland vest with a rear game pouch makes carrying harvested hares easier. When hunting solo, I often carry a scoped .22 rimfire rifle. My preferred ammunition is CCI .22LR Stingers, though this is personal preference. I avoid subsonic rounds, as low-velocity bullets are more likely to be deflected by small branches and twigs common in hare habitat. When hunting with others, I typically carry a 20-gauge shotgun loaded with 3-inch shells and No. 4 shot. Whether steel or lead, No. 4 shot performs well in dense cover, cutting through brush better than lighter loads. When using a shotgun, proficiency in leading moving targets is essential. Proper shot placement helps avoid unnecessary meat damage and ensures a quick, ethical harvest by directing pellets toward the head rather than the body.