Population density of European hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) and hunting activity in Lower Saxony

Within the framework of a wild animal survey begun in 1991 continuous area covering population data for various a wild animal species as well as data on hunting and management measures were recorded for Lower Saxony. On the b asis of data from 7000 hunting districts totaling ca 83% of the hunting are as of Lower Saxony the populations of European hares in spring were compare d to the hunting bag from the years 1994-1998. The average spring populations of European hares in Lower Saxony increased minimally from 10.6 hares/sq. km hunting area (1995) to 12.7 hares/sq. km ( 1999). The regional distribution of population density shows a distinct nor th-west/south-east gradient, and extends from 17.6 hares/sq. km in the natu re region of Ostfriesisch-Oldenburgische Geest to 6.0 hares/sq, km (1999); for the Hart and foothills. The county of Wesermarsch recorded the greatest abundancies with 24.8-27.6 hares/sq, km during the years 1995-1999. The lo west counts were registered for the southern counties of the Weser-Leine-Be rgland, in the Hart as well as in the Luneburger Heide with 5-8 hares/sp. k m. The hunting activity (proportion of hunting districts permitting hare hunti ng) in Lower Saxony increased during the hunting seasons 1994/95 to 1996/97 from 54% to 62.5% and decreased again in 1997/98 to 57.6%. In the three no rthern and western natural areas of the Geest the proportion of districts h unted in varied between 76.7% and 87.8% for the seasons 1994/95 to 1997/98. Distinctly lower hunting activity were recorded in the eastern and souther n areas. In the nature region of Borde the hunting activity for the 4 years varied between 40% and 52.5%, in the nature region of Luneburger Heide, We ser-Leine-Bergland and in the Hart between 18.4% and 44.2%. Hence, about 2/ 3 of the hunting districts in southern and eastern of Lower Saxony do witho ut hare hunting. The hunting activities for the years 1994-1998 did not correlate with the p opulation development. In contrast the dependence of regional hare populati ons on regional hunting activities is significant. The renunciation of hunt ing in the southern and eastern counties with drastically reduced hare popu lations can be positively evaluated. The extreme local and regional differe nces in abundance as well as the variation in hunting activities require a differentiated approach in the discussion of hunting limits. An encompassing monitoring of wild animals should be supported in order to promote objectivity in the often emotionally heated discussions of populati on density and hunting of hares and other small game species.