New Hampshire White Rabbit Hunt
 

Robin Lewis and I drove to Northern New Hampshire Friday evening in the Jefferson and Berlin areas for a one-day guided snowshoe hare hunt on Saturday. We stayed in Jefferson at a camp belonging to Todd, one of the partners of this guide service and headed out early Saturday morning when Shawn arrived. We drove about a half-hour to a huge wodded bowl at the edge of a gravel pit that was logged off about forty or fifty years ago and has grown up in black spruce, white pine, hemlock and various hardwoods like maple, cherry, white birch and black birch. Lots of blowdowns and such to provide cover for the hares and there were plenty of hares in this great cover. There was rabbit sign everywhere and hardwood saplings were girdled by the rabbits everywhere we looked.
Shawn brought three beagles and two Swiss Hounds. Swiss Hounds are a very interesting breed. They have a face like a beagle but with great long ears like a bloodhound and long legs and they are all marked differently. One of Shawn's Swiss Hounds, Mia, was buckskin brown all over while the other was mostly white with some brown and black around the face.
The first time Shawn brought these unusual hounds to the AKC Beagle Owner's sponsored free rabies clinic many of the members turned their noses up at him saying he wasn't a traditionalist to which Shawn replied "Hey guys, when your dogs are doing the breaststroke in deep snow, me and my Swiss hounds will be running hares!" You see, the Swiss Hound has legs easily twice as long as beagles have.

This is the first time I have ever hunted rabbits behind dogs of any kind (except the times my Brittany broke and chased rabbits for a few hours... but that certainly wasn't the same) and let me tell you, it was great fun! I loved listening to the dogs and with Shawn's tuteledge I soon learned to tell who was talking and who jumped the bunny. Only a few of the hares ever came by us. Not because the dogs weren't doing their part but because all they can do is chase the hare and the hare runs where he wants to go.

Robin took two snowshoe hare with three shots and I took one with seven shots.... :o ... (I actually shot at three different hares.)

If you ever think you'd like to hunt snowshoe hare behind some great dogs these are the people to contact. Certainly prices are subject to change but the camp was $25 per person per night and the all-day hunt was $105 per person.

The pics that follow are of the inside of the camp, the rugged area we hunted with snow in some soft spots easily thigh deep, and pics of Robin, myself and Shawn and Shawn and Todd in another picture.

Oh, by the way, Robin shot his beautiful 16 ga. GH and I shot my .410 Skeet-er with the Mod and Full chokes.

More

Last ones.

As you can see it is pretty rugged country and, while we didn't climb any of those hills, there were still some steep areas to negotiate. I am impressed with Robin's endurance. He has a blown-out knee and yet, he still tramped those woods without a complaint!!
There were frozen over beaver bogs and Shawn went through the ice on one of them and went into the mud and slop to his waist. I grabbed his hand hard and pulled him out and he said he wasn't wet.... yeah, sure Shawn! He stayed right in the game and when I got into deep snow and went down a few times like a turtle on his back Shawn was right there to return the 'favor'.
It was a great day and we all enjoyed each other's good company!

Incidentally, Shawn and Todd do guided moose hunts too.

Oh yeah, and there was a lot of grouse sign too...

Great Pictures...Great Story... Any day afield is full of memories...Thanks for sharing your day guys.

Dean thanks for sharing your hunt. Sounds and looks like fun. A friend of mine is spending his time since grouse season ended, by going along on bobcat hunts. He is having a great time also. He is not hunting since he doesn't have a permit, but is having a ball none the less.
Both sound like a great way to spend time in febuary.

Ben

Dean-Thats an unusual shde of Hunter Orange your wearing:rolleyes:

Remember if you mess with the White Rabbitt Alice might not let you back in Wonderland and you'll miss your flight home on Jefferson Airplane:eek::eek:

Where are the Rabbits?


PDD

Mine is all cleaned and trimmed, legs and back seperated and in the fridge for tomorrow night.

I'll let Robin speak for his.

I didn't take any pics of them because they weren't all white anymore - if ya know what I mean.

Rich, I was humming that song to myself yesterday... wasn't Gracie Slick the best?

"If you go chasin' rabbits... " "Go ask Alice when she's ten feet tall..."

Right now I'm dining on last spring's Ohio jake's bacon wrapped thighs... Mmmm!

I had taken my hunter orange vest off just before the picture was taken. It's the same vest I use for grouse and woodcock hunting.

This one...


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I know why it took 7 shots......you needed moor bullets...(-: Thats big country and big wrabbits.....even elmer had a 12ga. and you have to be very very quiet....Ha,ha,ha,...SXS ohio

Looks like a good time I bet that little IJ turned some rabbits end over end. Also Mr. Romig in your profile pic what is the hammer gun you are holding and does it have fluid barrels? It looks to be a nice gun. Donnie Reels