EVIDENCE OF ORIENTATION

AND HOMING IN SNOWSHOE HARES1

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Abstract
-4 total of 54 ~narliedsnou-shoe hares ( L e p u s ni~zericn?zz~s)
mas released in
a study conducted from May, 1951, to March, 1956, near Anzac, Alberta.
These animals were collected within a 10-mile radius of the Waring cabin a t
Anzac, and following eartagging all mere released a t this site. As a result,
some hares were liberated several miles from their home range, while others
were freed on familiar ground. T\velvc of the 54 tagged hares were subsequently
retaken in snares set by local inhabitants. Data gathered from these recoveries
indicate that after release, hares were able to orient their movements toward the
home range on which they mere lirst captured. The three hares failing to do
so came originally from areas separated from the release point by sections of a
large lalie, and thus were denied a direct route of return.

Introduction
Studies in the life history of the snowshoe hare and cyclic species of game
birds have for the past 11 years been carried out in Alberta under the general
direction of Professor William Rowan of the University of Alberta and financed
in part by the Provincial Research Council, including J. D. Waring's field
For personal use only.

operatioils of which this report constitutes one item. Thaillcs to the fact
that it proved possible to tag a certain number of uninjured snowshoe hares
(Lepus americanus Erxleben) over a period of five years, a seemiilg ability
to "home" has come to light. Despite the limited ilumber of records, the
item is of sufficient interest to justify publication. On account of the paucity
of authenticated examples of similar behavior, this note is submitted as a
field report with no attempt to provide a bibliography. A series of papers
on other aspects of the investigations is noxv in preparation, the first of which
have already gone to press. A complete review of the relevant literature \\-ill
be included in later contributions.
The material herewith presentecl was obtained by the junior author a t
Anzac, -Alberta, approxiinately 300 miles north of Edmonton. T h e country
is uncultivated wilderness and characterized by gently rolling to hilly terrain.
Low wet areas are deilsely wooded xvith willows (Salix spp.) and blaclc spruce
(Picea mariana), while upland vegetation coilsists primarily of mixed stands
of aspen poplar (PopzJus tremzdoides), balsam poplar (Populz~sbalsamifera),
and white spruce (Picea glauca).
In 1951, a tagging program was initiated which resulted in the capture,
marking, a i d subsequellt release of 54 hares during the period i\/Iay, 1951,
to March, 1956. Hares were obtaiiled from local Inclians, who received fro111
50 cents to one dollar per animal. Snares of abnormally large diaineter were
utilized to secure hares alive. Such silares avoided the usual strangulation,
permitting the head and forelimbs to pass through and catching the animal by
lil!ln?zz~script received Septenzber 28, 1956.
Conlribz~lionf r o m llze Dcparlinenl of Zoology, U?zivcrsily of Alberla, Ednzonton, Alberta.
 580 C.IN.ADIhN J0URN.-\L O F ZOOLOGY. VOL. 34. 1956

the hindquarters. Hares were quickly freed, placed in burlap saclts, and
brought to the cabin of the junior author. Here, they were eartagged and
immediately released.
T o increase the lilielihood of acquiring recapture d a t a , a reward of one dollar
was given to anyone returning tagged hares, dead or alive, to Waring.
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A fairly good coverage of the surrounding country was possible as the natives
in this region are largely dependent on snowshoe hares for meat for themselves
and their dogs.
The distances from which hares were brought ranged from 40 yd. to 10 mi.
The essential factor to lieep in mind, however, is t h a t all were released at
\\iaring9s cabin. This site is hereafter referred to as the release point.

Results and Conclusions

Of the 54 hares tagged and released during the investigation, 12 were
ultilllately recovered. Table I summarizes the information on recaptured
hares. From these d a t a it will be seen t h a t :
(1) Eight of the nine hares originally caught one-half mile or more from
the release point were subsequently retalcen a t an equal or greater
distance.
For personal use only.

(2) The three hares initially caught within 200 yd. of the release point
were later recaptured within the same area.'
(3) Six of the eight hares resnared one-half mile or more from the release
point had travelled in the direction fro111 which they were first captured.
Of these, two were retaken a t approximately their original locations,
while another was only one-quarter mile away.
Fig. 1 shows the site of the release point (cabin) in relation to Lac Gregoire.
I t is clear from this map t h a t hares can move only a short distance to the
west or south before encountering the lake, but have an unobstructed passage
t o the north or east. Returning to Table I, it will be noted that following
their release, the three hares which failed to head in the direction from which
thej. were brought came from points to the north-~lorth~~rest, west, and south.
TABLE I

Date tagged Date of Site of first Release Site of Days

Sex and releascd recapture capture point recapture intcrval
June 30151 + mile E. Cabin E.
Mar. 21/52 + mile N.
Feb. 4/56 3 mile E.
Cabin
Cab$
f1 mile
mile N.
E.
June 24/51 mile N. Cab111 I f rnilcs N.
May 28/51 + mile E. Cabin 3 milcs E.
July 6/51 10 miles E. Cabin 4 mile E.
Fenlale June 29/52 1 mile S. Cabin 4 mile E.
Male Jan. 10/56 + mile N.N.U'. Cabin 1 mile E.
Male A&. 4j51 Aug. 13/51 4 riiiles W. Cabin 40 ydl S.
Fcmale Dec. 10/51 Dec. 12/51 200 yd. E. Cabin 200 yd. E.
Female Dec. 12/51 Jan. 8/52 40 yd. S. Cabin 40 yd. S.
Unknown* Aug. 12/51 Sept. 23/51 100 yd. N. Cabin 50 yd. E.

*The only jz~velzilehare recovered.

 KEITH A N D WARING: SNOWSHOE HARES
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Ores Scale llnch: lrnlle

FIG. 1. Slietch map of the -4nzac district.

With direct homeward travel thus barred, these hares had either to change
the course of their lnovements or to remain in the vicinity of the release point.
For personal use only.

Two chose the former alternative and one the latter.

I t will be noted also in Table I that one hare covered a distance of three
miles in three days, certainly a remarltable feat in a species generally
considered to be sedentary.
These data strongly suggest, then, that sllowshoe hares can successfully
orient themselves toward a particular home range, even when transported
several miles from it.
Although not directly involving the subject of this note (homing), a
collcluding paragraph seems desirable to explain the curious distribution of
dates shown in Table I. The tagging program \vas instigated by Dr. Rokvan
in 1951 and carried out by one of us (Waring). I t will be noticed that our
returns are coilfilled to 1951; 1952 ; December, 1955; and 1956. Three
more hares have been tagged since this paper was written but without
producing further recoveries. For the interveilillg period-July-December,
1952; the whole of 1953 and 1954; and January-November, 1955-there is
a complete hiatus. This must not be interpreted as a cessation of the program,
which has never been interrupted as far as effort is concerned, but marks the
10-year crash of the rabbit population; the gap is solely due to the virtual
non-existence of hares through this period.
As an incidental cominentary on the series of papers of which this
constitutes one, the above point is worth emphasis, for nothing could better
illustrate the nature of the cycle than this regularly recurring die off of hares.
The 1956 returns marl; the first stage of recovery of the population, which
may ,be expected again to attain the usual peal; numbers of anything up to
6000 or more to the square mile within the next four or five years.