June 14,1924 
The European Hare in North America 
1137 
The fact that a bounty was placed on the hares indicates that the people of 
Dutchess County considered them a pest. The county agricultural agent a few 
years ago voiced this opinion when he stated that hares were the worst pest the 
orchardists of the county had to contend with, as they were the only one that 
could not be successfully controlled. 
CONTROL MEASURES 
The excellence of hares as game, together with freedom from State protection, 
will do much to lessen the danger of their ever becoming a serious pest, particu¬ 
larly in the more thickly settled orchard sections. Because of the great 
injury that a few hares can do in a single night, however, it is necessary that 
orchardists be urged to anticipate an attack and that they be instructed in 
methods of control. Poisoning and trapping are unsatisfactory, probably because 
of the difficulty in attracting these wide-ranging animals to a particular baft. 
In addition to shooting, methods of control include the use of woven-wire fences, 
individual tree protectors, repellent washes, and winter feeding. 
Mechanical protectors often fail at a critical time because of drifting snows; 
repellent washes deteriorate rapidly; and winter feeding does not always ac¬ 
complish its purpose. Any one of the three methods, however, will considerably 
reduce injury in case of attack. 
Poultry netting 30 inches high, of 1-inch mesh, encircling the tree, is among the 
best of the mechanical protectors. Stakes or spreaders should be used to prevent 
the hares from pressing the wire against the bark and injuring it through the 
meshes. Various forms of wooden, paper, and cloth protectors are commonly 
used. They should be removed each spring, however, as they furnish retreats 
for insect pests when left permanently on the trees. 
Of the repellent washes the concentrated commercial lime-sulphur wash is the 
most promising. Its adhesive qualities may be increased somewhat by the addi¬ 
tion of half a pound of cheap glue to a gallon of the lime-sulphur sludge. This is 
applied to the trunk of the tree with a paint brush. During a severe winter two 
or possibly three applications may be necessary. 
Feeding rabbits in winter to prevent their attack on the trees is practiced on 
the theory that it is cheaper to feed than to fight them. The most common 
practice is to leave the winter prunings of the trees scattered about the orchard. 
VALUE FOR FOOD AND SPORT 
Hares are highly prized as food in Europe and, although in this country opinion 
is divided as to their palatableness, they find a ready market in the towns and 
cities throughout their range. Some who are familiar with both European hares 
and jack rabbits state that the European hare is far superior as food. 
A minimum estimate of the present numbers of these hares in this country 
would be 50,000, which would represent nearly half a million pounds of meat. 
The meat value of those killed goes far toward offsetting the injury inflicted to 
orchard trees in the restricted area in which these hares are now found. 
European hares are not protected (1924) at any season in New York, Con¬ 
necticut, or in Berkshire County, Mass. 6 The farmers of Berkshire County made 
bitter complaint against them to the State Legislature, with the result that all 
protection was removed in this county. While there is no doubt that hares are 
a pest in sections where fruit is raised extensively, it is equally certain that they 
are an important asset as food and game. Their great speed and their character¬ 
istic habit of taking to the open when pursued make them a prime favorite in 
coursing, while they furnish excellent sport to thousands of individual hunters, 
as was contemplated in their introduction. 
« Lawyer, G . A., and Earnshaw, F. L. game laws for the season 1924-25. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers ’ 
Bui. 1444, 48 p. 1924. Animal publications. 
