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going on a show snow shoe hare trip advice
- Thread starter whacko
- Start date
First cannot say enough positive about pine grove lodge. Unbelievable people. Bob and andrea run an amazing guide service and lodge. The meals were all amazing. First night there bob sat with us in the "den" and asked about our experience. Our group of three plus one other hunter were all rabbit rookies. He spent time going over the basics to get us ready for monday morning. Andrea asked us what we liked to eat.....all meals from how we like our eggs in the am to french toast or pancakes! She makes amazing deserts! Now onto the hunt.
Monday -18 degrees to start out. Bob warned us the dogs would have a tough time picking up the scent with the dry cold hard snow. He was right. No bunnies seen on minday but we learned the basics if staying in front of the beagles and what cover to look for. Lunch of beef stew was heated up tailgate style and very filling!
Tueaday rain and sleet temps around 45. Better snow for scent. Dogs were on the rabbits right away. One hour in after pushing through heavy brush with my son to stay ahead of where we thought the dogs were going and my son bagged a hare that popped out of the scrub 10 yards in front of him! I was so proud! After lunch my son went off with his uncle while i hunted alone. I found a 30 yard "break" in the hemlock brush and stood in the middle. 30 minutes later i saw one enter the opening and with a quick snap shot it was kicking (had to run to it and snap the neck but a harvested bunny none the less). We were soaked by 2pm and called it with 2 bunnies bagged.
Wed perfect weather in the 30s and overcast. Amazing hunting. My bil nailed one 20 minutes into the day on a 30 yard lond old skidder trail. Had my son hunt with him on that spot as bob thought they would be coming out there consistently. My son hit two tabbits there within 10 minutes of each other both one shot one kill! My bil hit another one an hour later! As a group we were 100% if we saw a rabbit it went down! We were amazed! The practice ahead of the hunt paid off and thats all part of the fun!
onto the howe family....they are amazing. They run a charity for vets and took over 300 vets hunting lasy year for free....travel and lodging included! They are amazing people.
Monday -18 degrees to start out. Bob warned us the dogs would have a tough time picking up the scent with the dry cold hard snow. He was right. No bunnies seen on minday but we learned the basics if staying in front of the beagles and what cover to look for. Lunch of beef stew was heated up tailgate style and very filling!
Tueaday rain and sleet temps around 45. Better snow for scent. Dogs were on the rabbits right away. One hour in after pushing through heavy brush with my son to stay ahead of where we thought the dogs were going and my son bagged a hare that popped out of the scrub 10 yards in front of him! I was so proud! After lunch my son went off with his uncle while i hunted alone. I found a 30 yard "break" in the hemlock brush and stood in the middle. 30 minutes later i saw one enter the opening and with a quick snap shot it was kicking (had to run to it and snap the neck but a harvested bunny none the less). We were soaked by 2pm and called it with 2 bunnies bagged.
Wed perfect weather in the 30s and overcast. Amazing hunting. My bil nailed one 20 minutes into the day on a 30 yard lond old skidder trail. Had my son hunt with him on that spot as bob thought they would be coming out there consistently. My son hit two tabbits there within 10 minutes of each other both one shot one kill! My bil hit another one an hour later! As a group we were 100% if we saw a rabbit it went down! We were amazed! The practice ahead of the hunt paid off and thats all part of the fun!
onto the howe family....they are amazing. They run a charity for vets and took over 300 vets hunting lasy year for free....travel and lodging included! They are amazing people.
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sporting clays would be best. However we had no access to that so shot trap.....but rather than mounting the gun first called clays from the low ready and tried to hit the clay as fast as possible to practice quick mount and fire. That paid off! Those rabbits dont show themselves for a long time! Also i patterned the guns with my son using ic mod and full sonhe would understand why we used ic chokes.....in tight brush like we were hunting 20 yards is a long shot. Most are 10 yards! The whole experience was awesom....i have a pretty tough kid the weather the first two days was challenging at -18 and then rain the next. Not one complaint from him! Thats all part of raising a well rounded boy too and this trip helped.
Great job. Thanks for following up.
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How’s the snowshoe hare hunting here in MA? Been watching some vids on it and it looks fun. Like the idea of using a 22 to preserve the meat.
Not sure how snowshoe hare hunting is in mass actually never targeted them down here. I'll say I've never seen any in the woods where I hunt that's for sure. However in North Central Maine where I've been hunting them they are everywhere. When we are driving up the logging roads to get to the covers we are going to hunt there arw hare tracks everywhere. They prefer areas that have been logged out and regrown with hemlock......THICK hemlock that creates dark shady woods that are almost impossible to walk through. They dont burrow underground like cottontail rabbit they spend their whole life above ground.....even the young are born in a shallow nest on the ground usually under a thick hemlock. You reqlly need beagles to get them moving.
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Yeah love watching the Beagles work.
Heading on the trip in 2 weeks!
Spent the last 2 Saturdays shooting clays with my son to get the groove on! Will clean all the guns up and oil everything this week. Not much to pack.....just hunting clothes guns and ammo. All the food is provided by the lodge. Extended forecast says single digit lows and 20s for high and overcast. Hoping that changes a bit......softer snow when the temps are in the high 30s always proved better for the dogs ability to scent them. But....we've killed bunnies in cold temps too.
Can't wait..
Spent the last 2 Saturdays shooting clays with my son to get the groove on! Will clean all the guns up and oil everything this week. Not much to pack.....just hunting clothes guns and ammo. All the food is provided by the lodge. Extended forecast says single digit lows and 20s for high and overcast. Hoping that changes a bit......softer snow when the temps are in the high 30s always proved better for the dogs ability to scent them. But....we've killed bunnies in cold temps too.
Can't wait..
Mark from MA
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Good luck on your hunt this year. Always a great time hunting with the kids.
My kid is playing baseball for college this year, so I'm headed to Florida to watch some of his and the Sox spring training games.
I was going to book a hog hunt while we were down there, but I think I'm just going to relax instead.
My kid is playing baseball for college this year, so I'm headed to Florida to watch some of his and the Sox spring training games.
I was going to book a hog hunt while we were down there, but I think I'm just going to relax instead.
Mark from MA
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Yes. Do it while you can. I took my kid on several trips and states and he got his first rifle deer in VT at 11 and his first bow buck in CT at 14.
He was always heavily into sports and of course....girls. So im glad I took him while he was young.
We still bird hunt together a few times a year. But with college, football and baseball hes busy and deer hunting is tough to get time to do.
He was always heavily into sports and of course....girls. So im glad I took him while he was young.
We still bird hunt together a few times a year. But with college, football and baseball hes busy and deer hunting is tough to get time to do.
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
Good luck.
Bob
Bob
rep308
NES Member
They are faster than you think and it's tough getting a clear shot. Don't shoot the dog or the guide will shoot you. The guide told me to shoot it in the head so I wouldn't ruin the meat. After two missed attempts I got one but in the middle and blasted it all to heck.
Fun, cold and humbling. Please post details of your guide service and approximate cost
Fun, cold and humbling. Please post details of your guide service and approximate cost
The guide is pine Grove lodge. Owner is Bob Howe. He's awesome. It'll be my 4th or 5th time hunting with him and his family. $200 a day gets you the hunt, all 3 meals, snowshoes, transport to and from the hunting areas, and lodging. All you need is clothes, a gun, ammo and your license. Food is always amazing......Hot lunch served trailside on with coffee if you get cold and want to come back to the truck to warm up. They have a great veteran discount. We have never been skunked on a trip with Bob......Got rabbits on every trip. He knows where to go.
The thread title doesn't do my most recent post justice. I keep updating my post from 3 years ago when I went my first time with pine Grove lodge.
As far as the hunting of hares.....They are fast.....But I've had it both ways.....Had hares come out of a clearing and stop and stare at me......Easy picking. I've had em go so fast you just see a flicker.
45collector
NES Member
Have fun and shoot straight!
45collector
NES Member
I would love to. Right now though, I definitely can't afford to do anything that costs $200/ day.
Whacko, have a great time. Hope the weather is good and hares are plentiful.
I used to go every year for 4-5 days, Machias Maine. The guy I used to go with passed away years ago and with young kids and family I guess things changed for me. We had some fun times and great memories. .410 was my favorite.
I think about it every time I look at my snowshoes hanging on the wall. Good luck!
I used to go every year for 4-5 days, Machias Maine. The guy I used to go with passed away years ago and with young kids and family I guess things changed for me. We had some fun times and great memories. .410 was my favorite.
I think about it every time I look at my snowshoes hanging on the wall. Good luck!
On the 410.....I have a Henry lever action 410. I've hunted plenty of grey squirrel with it and its great for that.....A challenge because I have to wait for a closer shot.
I've been mulling around using the Henry 410 for this trip because it is a breeze to carry in the woods and well......A lever action shotgun is just cool a hell imo. I'm hesitant because
1. It's a long trip and an expensive one and I don't want to be missing hares when I have a great 12 gauge to use that I know and shoot well.
2. Will the 410 penetrate the thick underbrush to get a hare that is hiding in the cover?
What's your experience with 410 on hares? Do you end up passing up shots becUse you have "less gun"?
If you can see the wabbit hiding in th thick stuff you should be ok. The 12 obviously throws more payload, but I don’t ever remember wishing I had a 12g. I also don’t recall thinking I was undergunned, or wounding/loosing any. As you know there isn’t much to a rabbit. I would take both and share the love!
Standing motionless is key, their eyesight is amazing.
Hope this helps.
Thanks. Yeah I've hunted snowshoes many times but always with a 12 gauge and never had a problem. Was just curious if a 410 would be enough......I might just bring it and see how it goes. The lever 410 is easy to carry in the brush.
