The impact of three hunting methods on brown hare (Lepus europaeus) populations in Britain.

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of three widely practised hunting methods (field sports) on hare, Lepus europaeus, populations and was prompted by concern about the effect of hunting on an apparently declining national population. The three field sports are briefly described. Spotlight counts were used to estimate hare population size on farmland used for driven hare shooting, and for beagling and coursing hares with hunting dogs. The proportion killed and population changes were adopted as measures of hunting impact. Shooting and coursing were conducted on areas supporting high hare densities (range: from 13.6 to 38.8 hares per km²) while low density areas (range: from 1.6 to 17.6 hares per km²) were used for beagling. Shooting on five areas between 1988 and 1991 removed 28% to 69% of the population. A reduction of less than 7% resulted from coursing and beagling (two areas, 1988-1990, and nine areas, 1989-90, respectively). The high hare densities of shooting areas were associated with mainly arable land on which fox numbers were reduced by gamekeepers and habitat managed. We suspect that this improves the productivity of hare population to such an extent that they are able to maintain high winter densities and sustain a substantial annual reduction each spring from shooting.