Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

What a sight it would be to see the famous hare boxing matches. It must be just a matter of luck trying to see them, but where abouts would be a good place to start?

Thanks!

I don't klnow about boxing hares but in an earlier thread I mentioned that I like hares but have never seen one. I got a message from our local website from someone I know & he has given me a location where I might find some. So tonight Tibbar & myself are going to have a wander. The weather is a bit mixed so hopefully it will stay fine. I don't think that they will be boxing as I thought they only did that at one particular time of year but that's only my perception of it. I was also told that this is one of a few locations that there are deer, so camera in hand I live in hope.

Good luck with the photos. Hare boxing usually occurs in early March, when the breeding is at its peak, but you should be able to see hares in the evening with a bit of luck.

Well it poured down last night & so we went today. No sign of any hares or deer so we will just have to keep trying. We did get wet though!!

Still no luck with the boxing hares? It seems to me that many years ago I saw hares boxing, but in the United States. I don't think I knew what I was seeing, either, as I was quite young.

Kingfisher

Somewhere in my collection, I have a pic of hares boxing, but do you think I can find it grrrr. Took a series of pics at Hickling in Norfolk. As with any wildlife, it's a case of being in the right place at the right time, and being lucky.

wild canon, that is SO true. Sometimes one sees the most spectacular thing occuring, and does not realise how fortunate one was to be 'in the right place at the right time'.

Kingfisher

I have still yet to see one, the weather has been pretty awful recently. Any luck for you? I did go out into the fields the other day to give it a half-hearted attempt, but not sighting.

Wild Canon, if you could find that picture I would love to see it! Hopefully I will get lucky and see hares this summer too.

I have never seen hares boxing, I've seen lots of hares though.

On spring watch today they had a video of six male hares fighting over a single female. I'll try and find a way of posting a video of it here if I can find it.

It's also worth remembering that more often than not its the female and a male boxing, rather than two males. The males tend to just chase each other off, but females often have to try and beat males off if they are not ready.

I had no idea! I always assumed htat it was males boxing each other for the female.

The female hare is bigger than the male so if the female starts to beat the male away, he won't fight for long either, but he might keep coming back to try again.

I think that would be a given! I know the phrase is 'breeding like rabbits', but I am certain that the hares do their best to imitate the rabbits in that department.

Kingfisher