Rabbits and Hares 



Cottontail rabbits and European hares ("jack rabbits") are two of the main- 

 stays of hunting along with pheasants, in the southern agricultural regions of the 

 Province. The varying hare (snowshoe hare) is the common species throughout the 

 Precambrian Shield country but it is not hunted heavily. 



The tables below show comparisons of hunting success on these species in the 

 districts of Hespeler and Maple. 



RABBIT AND HARE HUNTER SUCCESS BY COUNTIES — 1964 

 — HESPELER DISTRICT — 



COTTONTAIL RABBIT HUNTER SUCCESS— 1964 

 MAPLE DISTRICT 



Area 4 Area 6 Whole District 



Hunters Checked 144 656 800 



Man-Hours Hunted 477 1925 2402 



No. of Rabbits 35 347 382 



Hunter Success 24% 53% 48% 



Man-Hours Per Rabbit 13.6 5.6 6.3 



Squirrels 



Grey squirrels (including the black phase), are common to abundant in south- 

 western Ontario and occur sporadically in the "shield country". Despite the very 

 liberal open season on this species there are very few ardent squirrel hunters in 

 Ontario. Most squirrels are apparently taken incidentally while hunters are in pur- 

 suit of other game. 



Mourning Doves 



Department officers in the districts of Aylmer, Hespeler, Maple, Lindsay, 

 Tweed, Kemptville and Pembroke, assisted in some instances by dedicated natural- 

 ists, conducted the mourning dove call count survey again in the spring of 1964. 

 This annual inventory was carried out at the request of the Canadian Wildlife 

 Service. 



Some increase in dove numbers and extension in range of the species were 

 noted by observers. Though there is no open season on this species in Ontario, it is 



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