Snowshoe hare: It's time to change coats!
Photo by DON BARTLING The snowshoe hare weighs between two and two and a half pounds and averages about 17 inches long. The tail is two inches, the ears three inches and the namesake hind feet can reach six inches.
Photo by DON BARTLING The hare changes coats seasonally undergoing a spring and fall molt. In summer the coat is rust brown, in winter it turns white to match the snow. This hare is gradually changing his coat to white.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel on the south face of Harvey Mountain to explore one of my favorite mountain areas. The location is north of Bonners Ferry on Highway 95 going toward Eastport; turn left at Forest Service Road 272 and travel several miles until you arrive at FSR 2481 and turn right onto Harvey Mountain. It is a comfortable ride and scenic excursion.
The old logging road on the face of Harvey Mountain offers a panoramic view of the Round Prairie Creek valley below and the Purcell Mountains. This trip is always a beautiful experience to view flora and fauna.
One aspect of wildlife I didn’t expect to see appeared when I was rounding a corner on the south side of Harvey Mountain. A quiet, unassuming snowshoe hare was basking in the sunlight. He sat silently on the dusty logging road chewing on grass as if waiting patiently for me to continue on my journey, as many travelers have surely done already this fall.
In a glance at his large feet I could see where the snowshoe hare gets his name. His large hind feet were unmistakable and you could see how they would prevent him from sinking into the snow when he walks or hops on his travels. His toes can also spread out to act like snowshoes. In my research on the snowshoe hare I discovered that these large feet also have fur on the soles which protects them from the cold and increases traction.
As seen in the photo, the summer fur is a rusty, grayish brown. During the winter its coat is white, except for grayish feet and black-tipped ears. The snowshoe hare’s other common name is varying hare, which is derived from the changing of his coat color. It takes 70 to 90 days for the snowshoe hare to complete their molt.
As I watched the snowshoe hare I could see that he was comfortable in the forest. They prefer habitats with plenty of under vegetation, which provides cover from predators as well as relatively warm, protected places of shelter. In the summer they feed on plants such as grass, ferns and leaves; in winter, they eat twigs, bark from trees, and buds from flowers and plants.
The snowshoe hare is usually nocturnal so it was quite a treat to see him in the morning. They are shy and secretive and spend a lot of their day in the shadows under ferns, brush thickets and downed timber.
Like most hares and rabbits, snowshoe hares are prolific breeders. Females have two or three litters each year, which includes one to eight young per litter. Young hares require little care from their mothers and can survive on their own in a month or less. Snowshoe hare populations fluctuate about once per decade. These up-and-down variations greatly impact the animals that count on them for food particularly the lynx and bobcat.
A number of predators count on the snowshoe hare as a major prey item. Some of the predators include bobcats, Canada lynx, foxes, coyotes, domestic dogs, domestic cats, wolves, black bears and golden eagles.
As I adjusted my camera for a close-up picture I was amazed to look up and realize he was gone. He had slipped quietly into the forest. Hopefully I will see him again soon — it will be interesting to follow his color changes when he turns white this winter.
Enjoy the beauty of Boundary County and all its wildlife!