Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 17

S

NOWSHOE HARES and
Appalachian cottontails aren't
seen much in Pennsylvania.
Both are habitat specialists
that live primarily in the colder climates
at high elevations.
That limits the number of sightings.
But it also doesn't help that it's
pretty tough to tell Appalachian cottontails and eastern cottontails apart.
And given their limited distribution
within the state, many Pennsylvanians
aren't even aware Appalachian cottontails exist here.
In recent years, the Game Commission has conducted research to learn
more about snowshoe hares and Appalachian cottontails, and there have been
some interesting findings.
But as studies continue, we will gain
an even greater understanding of these
two game species.

How Many Are There?
The snowshoe hare was identified in
Pennsylvania's 2005 Wildlife Action
Plan as a "species of maintenance
concern" due to its sensitivity to habitat
alteration and the fact Pennsylvania is
at the southern edge of its range.
Though the hare was not included as
part of the 2015 plan update, the species
remains a "management concern," as its
population is thought to have declined,
and Pennsylvania's population serves
as a genetic link between snowshoe
hares in New York and West Virginia.
Harvest information from the Game
Commission's annual Game Take
Survey has been the sole source of data
for statewide population analysis.
But the survey likely doesn't provide

a good representation of hare hunters,
because of the percentage of hunters
who participate in the season is so
small.
Meanwhile, the Appalachian cottontail is a "species of high-level concern"
in both the 2005 and 2015 plans.
Harvest information from the agency's annual Game Take Survey groups
all cottontail harvests into one category,
so it's not a good measure of Appalachian cottontail populations.
The Appalachian cottontail is identified by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
as a priority species throughout the
Northeast, and Pennsylvania is believed
to have a genetically distinct population that accounts for 5 percent of the
world's breeding population.

Where Are They?

Snowshoe hares are unique because
of their large hind feet, which have
dense, stiff hairs on the pad area giving
the hare its name and promoting fast,
easy maneuvering in deep snow.
They are found only in North America and range from Alaska to Newfoundland, and south into areas of
higher elevation.
The ability of snowshoe hares to
change from a rusty brown color to
white in the winter has given them their
nickname varying hares.
But given our changing global climate, this anti-predatory strategy might
be causing a mismatch between whitephased hares and their habitat.
That could lead to increasing predation rates in southern areas of their
range.
In Pennsylvania, hare distribution is

Research reveals fascinating facts.
JANUARY 2016

17



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016

Contents
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - Intro
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - a
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - b
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - c
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - d
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - Contents
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 2
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 3
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 4
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 5
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 6
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 7
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 8
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 9
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 10
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 11
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 12
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 13
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 14
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 15
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 16
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 17
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 18
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 19
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 20
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 21
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 22
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 23
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 24
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 25
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 26
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 27
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 28
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 29
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 30
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 31
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 32
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 33
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 34
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 35
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 36
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 37
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 38
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 39
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 40
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 41
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 42
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 43
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 44
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 45
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 46
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 47
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 48
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 49
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 50
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 51
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 52
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 53
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 54
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 55
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 56
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 57
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 58
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 59
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 60
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 61
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 62
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 63
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - 64
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2016 - Cover4
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