Are there arctic hares in Alaska?
Alaska hares prefer Arctic and maritime tundra habitat and can be found in alluvial plains, coastal lowlands, alder thickets, sedge flats, and wet meadows. They use basically open tundra, but use brush where it is available when they are not foraging.
Are there hares in Alaska?
The Alaskan hare (Lepus othus), also known as the tundra hare, is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. They do not dig burrows and are found in the open tundra of western Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula in the United States.
Are there wild rabbits in Alaska?
Most Alaskans are familiar with the snowshoe hare and may enjoy hunting them throughout the state. However, residents of western and southwestern Alaska may also know about the Alaska hare (Lepus othus) aka arctic hare, tundra hare, or jack rabbit.
What eats rabbits in Alaska?
Lynx live all over Alaska, the southern parts of Washington, and most of Canada. They are medium-sized predatory cats also known as “bobcats”. They love to live deep in coniferous forests like in rocky areas, bogs, and swamps. Snowshoe rabbits (most commonly known as snowshoe hare) form 75% part of their diet.
Are arctic hares the same as snowshoe hares?
Snowshoe hares are members of the leporid family (rabbits and hares). In Alaska we have two species of hares, the Arctic hare and the one common to the Interior, the snowshoe or varying hare (Lepus americanus). Hares are an important link in the food chain between plants and carnivorous animals.
Are arctic hares and snowshoe hares the same?
Why are there so many rabbits in Valdez Alaska?
Many visitors to Valdez are surprised to see rabbits running all over town. These are not wild rabbits, but rather feral descendants of domesticated rabbits which were turned loose some years ago. The mild winters and bountiful summers in Valdez have allowed these rabbits to flourish in our community.
What animal eats just the head of a rabbit?
Another possibility – again much lower on the list of suspects than a free-roaming cat – is the great horned owl. The large, nocturnal predator has been known to eat just the head of its prey, particularly if it’s disturbed before it can eat more of the kill.
What do you hunt hares with?
Hunting methods You can even find such hunts on BookYourHunt.com. Today hares are mostly hunted with a shotgun or small bore rifle. The hunt can be over scent hounds, by tracking through the snow, stalking, driving, or simply walking them up without dogs.
How do you find hares?
The best places to look are open grassy or arable fields, particularly near to woodland fringes or decent hedgerows where hares can find shelter. Get up early to increase your chances of finding a boxing match, and stay down wind to avoid your scent giving you away.
Are snowshoe hares good eating?
And they’re a lot easier to butcher than a moose,” he said. Snowshoe hares are safe to eat as long as they’re cooked, but rabbits can carry tularemia, bacteria passed on through internal organs, that can be contracted through open cuts and contact with infected tissues.