European hare

Scientific name: Lepus europaeus

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

A large hare with long ears (black-tipped), powerful hind legs, and a distinctive black-and-white tail held upright when running. Coat colour ranges from grey-brown to rust-brown with black markings; females are slightly larger and often darker than males.

Size and weight

Adults weigh 3.5–5.5 kg (females typically 4.0–5.5 kg, males 3.5–4.5 kg); body length 50–70 cm.

Habitat

European hares favour open and semi-open landscapes including grasslands, cereal crops, meadows, and cultivated fields from sea level to approximately 2,000 m elevation. They require areas with good visibility and minimal tall vegetation for predator detection.

Distribution

Widespread across Europe from Atlantic coasts to the Urals and from southern Scandinavia to the Mediterranean; absent from parts of Ireland and far north. Prefers lowland agricultural regions and open grasslands over forests.

Diet

Primary diet consists of grasses, clover, and herbaceous plants; in winter shifts to bark, woody shoots, brassicas, and stored root crops when preferred vegetation is scarce.

Behaviour

Largely nocturnal and crepuscular, resting in shallow depressions (forms) during daylight; solitary except during breeding season. Capable of speeds exceeding 55 km/h with erratic zigzag running when pursued.

Hunting tips

Track sign includes distinctive parallel prints (hind feet register ahead of front feet) and spherical droppings in feeding areas. Approach from downwind across open ground to maximize visibility; use terrain contours and field edges for cover. Stalk slowly during low-light hours when hares are most active and visible; listen for movement in grass and watch for silhouettes near field margins.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 47 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.