Thread: Weird hare behaviour

I was in the bush yesterday. A hare appeared out about 20 metres away and ran straight towards me. I stayed still and it stopped at my feet. It had a sniff, then ran back to where it appeared from. It then did the same thing a second time. Weird!

Have had kiwis do the same thing, suspect they can smell soil / plant matter from different areas on the soles of your shoes. Its the only explanation i can think of

Had this happen a few times most have then been followed by a stoat or Weasel

Have had them run directly at me whilst out spotlighting an many occasions literally shooting them at my feet. @Ryan_Songhurst you saw a hare do something funny the other day ?

The expression "mad as a March hare" is relevant. March is the Hare's northern hemisphere spring mating time when they do their "dance" etc.

Down here its in our spring, mostly I've seen it in September.

One of the most beautiful things you'll see in nature in NZ (our native species included). Put me off shooting hares for life really.

Originally Posted by Tentman

The expression "mad as a March hare" is relevant. March is the Hare's northern hemisphere spring mating time when they do their "dance" etc.

Down here its in our spring, mostly I've seen it in September.

One of the most beautiful things you'll see in nature in NZ (our native species included). Put me off shooting hares for life really.

Exactly. They are my favourite animal and I very seldom shoot one. Strangely, I have the same affinity for Pukekos - they just make me smile.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Exactly. They are my favourite animal and I very seldom shoot one. Strangely, I have the same affinity for Pukekos - they just make me smile.

We have a huge population up the road from my olds house on a techno unit. I feel the same way as you and will only shoot a couple every once and a while for a curry. The farmer couldn't care less about them, so always cool to see 20-30 in the evenings.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Exactly. They are my favourite animal and I very seldom shoot one. Strangely, I have the same affinity for Pukekos - they just make me smile.

Me too.
I don't really like shooting them or birds.

https://www.tokyvideo.com/video/hare...-of-the-street

Just be careful though, they can get angry.

I fully understand what you mean.I don't like to shoot Hares either. Or any bird for that matter.

Originally Posted by oraki

https://www.tokyvideo.com/video/hare...-of-the-street

Just be careful though, they can get angry.

female in season....males all run after her,sometimes up to dozen of them,sooner or later she lets them catchup...or at least one of them.
saw hare at 20 yards in bush the other day...seen it there before too. maybe a female had run through where you were standing and this romeo was a bit late to party and you just happened to be in the way....you werent wearing lynx perchance???

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

female in season....males all run after her,sometimes up to dozen of them,sooner or later she lets them catchup...or at least one of them.
saw hare at 20 yards in bush the other day...seen it there before too. maybe a female had run through where you were standing and this romeo was a bit late to party and you just happened to be in the way....you werent wearing lynx perchance???

This above is correct. Just in the last week I have seen hares laying run over, in one place two side by side. They are like rutting young stags without the roaring at this time of year.
I once shot nine randy bucks chasing a doe in season. The local record is thirteen

Except for fact that if you shoot one you'll virtually alway get its mate because they don't bugger off, I haven't seem hairs do what the OP'S describe.

Plenty of rabbits running towards the spotlight and disappearing underneath the ute.

Sadist thing (depending upon your point of view of course) was in Oz. Our family was sitting on a raised brick terrace out front in the middle of the day when a rabbit came thru our front gate and continued in a straight line towards us until, thud, it hit the terrace. It's eyes were completely closed and matted with myxo puss. I had the honour of disposing it. No one else wanted to touch it.

Yep love to watch Hares and also the little Parma wallaby up here. Bush robins too.

always wondered how hard it would be to manufacture female hare scent.........would be more fun than whistling foxes or decoying mallards,just dont bend over.