Hunting the Hare: It is one of the most exciting hunts that exist and even contends for the primacy of emotions together with that of the wild boar.
We are talking about hare hunting, a real hunting art that has fascinated thousands of hunters for decades. This type of hunting boasts a very long tradition that involves many generations of hunters: great-grandparents, grandparents, up to children and grandchildren. Long-time hunters speak of hare hunting as an unforgettable experience full of twists. In fact, the typical unexpected events of this hunt arouse many emotions, which, more often than not, turn into indelible memories. Those who have had the good fortune to try their hand at hunting hare say that they have never been able to forget it and have wanted to repeat it for the rest of their hunter life. In addition to the emotions, however, the hare hunt also gives a lot of effort, indeed it is commonly defined as one of the most tiring and stressful hunts in the hunting world.
Fatigue depends not only on the characteristics of the game, but also on the training to which the dogs chosen to hunt it are subjected. Furthermore, the hare is not an easy prey to catch. Fast and agile, it can hide very well in unthinkable places, even under beehives. His speed also makes aiming and shooting difficult, but that's what makes his hunt thrilling.
The hunt, the eventual pursuit and the killing are, in fact, the most exciting phases of the hare hunt.
This animal is a lagomorphic mammal belonging to the leporidae family, the same as rabbits. Unlike the latter, it has larger dimensions, longer ears with dark ends and larger eyes. The morphological differences with rabbits are also present in the young, which are born with open eyes and already covered with a protective fur. Probably, due to its talent for running, the hare is even braver and more intelligent than the rabbit. This wild, in fact, knows very well the threats coming from the outside world. The animal gets used very easily to escape from dogs and the hunter, which is why it is better to hunt only the youngest hares and at the beginning of the hunting season: the adult ones, once they have escaped the first capture, will almost always escape, unless do not become very skilled in identifying the places and burrows in which these animals hide.
Knowing the hare's hiding places is not easy, while it is easier to know their habitats, usually typical of some species.
The common hare, for example, is found in almost the entire national territory, with the exception of the major islands. The Italic hare is present in Sicily, the Sardinian hare covers the whole territory of Sardinia, while the white hare inhabits the Alpine territory. This wild lives in the fields, in the low hilly areas and in the woods. As already said, its hiding places are really unthinkable, so much so that to hunt it you have to follow a very common motto among hunters, namely that "the mustachioed queen is found only where you least expect it". "Mustachioed Queen" is one of the names that hunters usually use to hunt hare. The hunt for this game takes place like the classic boar hunt: as a team at the post office. The hare can also be hunted in a wandering form, with or without dogs. With regard to these aids, dogs must be used for following or pointing. However, there is a certain controversy among hunters regarding the use of dogs: some suggest only following dogs, others pointing dogs. The truth, as always, lies in the middle and in this sense it can be added that in hunting in the fields or in the meadows, in the plains or in the hills, it is better to use the following dogs, while in the woods, the pointing dogs.
The following breeds most used for hare hunting are the Italian hound, the beagle and the cross-breed hound pointer, while for pointing dogs, the English setter and the Italian spinone.
Dogs, as puppies, have to undergo hard training to learn to spot and hunt only the hare. Initially they can be accustomed to chasing rabbits. Afterwards, they can be hunted for hares in places where there are also roe deer, which for dogs represent the most attractive prey. When dogs fail to hunt and turn to roe deer, they must be scolded and sternly directed towards the hare. Once trained, the dogs will be ready to find the game. Very exciting is the team hunt at the post office, to be carried out with a careful inspection of the places frequented by the prey. Post offices are placed in these areas. Dog-chased hares usually flee to easily passable and uphill places. After the find, there will be nothing left to do but rely on the aim of the shooters who occupy the posts (the postatoli).
From scouting to shooting, moments full of emotions and adrenaline rushes will be experienced, where there will be a real challenge of cunning between dogs and hares, very skilled in running and in sowing pursuers. Exciting is also the roaming hunt in the woods, with or without a dog. In the absence of the latter, it is up to the hunter to find it, who must have a very fine hearing to hear, in the absolute silence of the wood, the furtive movement of the hare. If you are lucky and this is not always the case, you will find yourself aiming and hitting a truly impregnable game. The most suitable weapons for hare hunting are the side-by-side or semi-automatic. The first is the weapon traditionally used for hare hunting. In modern hunting, semiautomatics are also used, light rifles that allow a good range of movement for the hunter, especially in a strenuous hunt like this one. However, lightness and practicality are characteristics also possessed by the side-by-side. Shotguns must have medium chokes (4/12) and cartridges with number five or six shot. The hare must be hunted only within the hunting calendar prepared by the individual Regions. The Italic hare, for example, can only be hunted in Sicily, from 15 October to 30 November. In many provinces it is now forbidden to hunt this wild. The reason is due to the fact that hares, due to the reduction of their natural habitat (see pesticides and herbicides in soils) are now disappearing.