Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of fox hunting with small hound packs on spatial behaviour of brown hares

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Acta Theriologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Control of red fox Vulpes vulpes populations is a fundamental game management tool used by hunters interested in increasing prey populations. In Italy, a popular method to control fox populations is hunting with small hound packs. The effects of this hunting technique on non-target species such as the brown hare Lepus europaeus, are unknown. In this study, we analysed for the first time the effects of fox hunting with hound packs on brown hares tagged with VHF collars. Our results showed that hunting with four trained hounds did not significantly modify the spatial behaviour of the brown hare.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

References

  • Aebischer NJ, Robertson PA, Kenward RE (1993) Compositional analysis of habitat use from animal radiotracking data. Ecology 74:1313–1325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Artois M (1981) Méthodes de dénombrement des populations de renards row. Bull Mens ONC 47:23–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Erlinge S, Frylestam B, Göransson G, Högstedt G, Liberg O, Loman J, Nilsson IN, von Schantz T, Sylvén M (1984) Predation on brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) populations in southern Sweden. Holarctic Ecol 7:300–304. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.2005.00057.x

    Google Scholar 

  • Grignolio S, Merli E, Bongi P, Ciuti S, Apollonio M (2011) Effects of hunting with hounds on a non-target species living on the edge of a protected area. Biol Conserv 144(1):641–649. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2010.10.022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holley AJF (1993) Do brown hares signal to foxes? Ethology 94:21–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeppesen JL (1987) Impact of human disturbance on home range, movements and activity of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in a Danish environmental. Danish Rev Game Biol 13:1–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenward R (2001) A manual for wildlife radio tagging. Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilgo JC, Labisky RF, Fritzen DE (1998) Influences of hunting on the behaviour of white-tailed deer: implications for conservation of the Florida panther. Conserv Biol 12(6):1359–1364. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.1998.97223.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kufeld RC, Bowden DC, Schrupp DL (1988) Influence of hunting on movements of female mule deer. J Range Manage 41:70–72. doi:10.2307/3898794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langbein J, Hutchings MR, Harris S, Stoate C, Tapper SC, Wray S (1999) Techniques for assessing the abundance of Brown Hares Lepus europaeus. Mammal Rev 29(2):93–116. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2907.1999.00040.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindström E, Andrén H, Angelstam P, Widén P (1986) Influence of predators on hare populations in Sweden: a critical review. Mammal Rev 16:151–156. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.1986.tb00036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panek M (2009) Factors affecting predation of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on brown hares (Lepus europaeus) during the breeding season in Poland. Wildl Biol 15(3):345–349. doi:10.2981/07-042

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panek M, Kamieniarz R, Bresiński W (2006) The effect of experimental removal of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on spring density of brown hares (Lepus europaeus) in western Poland. Acta Theriol 51(2):187–193. doi:10.3354/cr032089

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds JC, Tapper SC (1996) Control of mammalian predators in game management and conservation. Mammal Rev 26:127–156. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.1996.tb00150.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds JC, Stoate C, Brockless MH, Aebischer NJ, Tapper SC (2010) The consequences of predator control for brown hares (Lepus europaeus) on UK farmland. Eur J Wildl Res 56:541–549. doi:10.1007/s10344-009-0355-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swenson JE (1982) Effects of hunting on habitat use by mule deer on mixed-grass prairie in Montana. Wildlife Soc B 10:115–120

    Google Scholar 

  • White PCL, Newton-Cross G, Moberly RL, Smart JCR, Baker PJ, Harris S (2003) The current and future management of wild mammals hunted with dogs in England and Wales. J Environ Manage 67:187–197. doi:10.1016/S0301-4797(02)00225-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Worton BJ (1989) Kernel methods for estimating the utilization distribution in home-range studies. Ecology 70:164–168. doi:10.2307/1938423

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Zaccaroni.

Additional information

Communicated by: Matthew W. Hayward

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zaccaroni, M., Biliotti, N., Caroli, M. et al. Effect of fox hunting with small hound packs on spatial behaviour of brown hares. Acta Theriol 57, 257–260 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-011-0067-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-011-0067-4

Keywords

Navigation