The Bunny Hunt

Ian here, doing the first of many guest entries on the farm blog. Krystal asked me to write about something topical, and, well, in the fall after the rivers and ponds freeze up, it's bunny hunting season.

According to some, this is the best time of year to go after bunnies due to their diets (still eating grass instead of cedar which makes them taste gamey) and the fact that they have changed colour.

Yes, I hear everyone thinking... They change colour? In fact they do, from a brown in the summer to white for the winter. Snowshoe hare is actually their common name... The real name for these animals is varying hare. They do have huge feet that help them stay on top of the snow. Their white winter coats help with camouflage in the snow but I think it's a convenient coincidence because the real reason they change is a reduction in pigment due to the shortened length of daily sunshine.

Alas I've been hunting these fellows 5 times this fall and only saw the first one today (it was well out of range) but have seen some grouse, and leftovers from the fall mating rituals of deer (scrapes and rubs). A good walk in the forest never hurt anyone I guess... Except for the bunnies if they get too close!