Snowshoe hares don’t just live in Maine — they’re perfectly built to survive its harsh winters. With oversized, fur-covered feet that act like natural snowshoes, these animals can move across deep snow while many predators struggle to keep up.

Why Snowshoe Hares Matter in Maine

Snowshoe hares are a key species in Maine’s ecosystem and are one of the most important prey animals in northern forests. They play a major role in supporting predators like Canada lynx, bobcats, foxes, and coyotes.

Because their population rises and falls over time, they directly influence predator populations across the state.

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Where Snowshoe Hare Live in Maine

Snowshoe hares are found throughout Maine, especially in areas with dense forest cover. They prefer thick spruce and fir forests but can also be found in mixed and deciduous areas.

They rely on dense vegetation for protection from predators like Canada Lynx and bobcats so they spend most of the day hidden in thick cover.

What Do Snowshoe Hare Eat in Maine?

From spring through fall, snowshoe hares feed on grasses, leaves, and other green vegetation.

During winter, their diet shifts to woody material such as twigs and bark from trees like birch, maple, aspen, and cherry, along with shrubs like willow and blueberry.

How to Identify a Snowshoe Hare in Maine

Snowshoe hares are larger than rabbits and have long ears and powerful hind legs. Their most distinctive feature is their large, fur-covered feet, which help them travel across deep snow.

In summer, they are brown with black ear tips. In winter, they turn white, while the tips of their ears remain black.

Signs of Snowshoe Hare in Maine

• Large, round tracks in the snow
• Tracks that appear in groups with long spacing
• Browsed twigs and bark on small trees
• Sightings in dense forest edges

When They’re Most Active

Snowshoe hares are most active at dawn, dusk, and during the night. They spend the daytime hours hidden in dense vegetation to avoid predators.

Seasonal Changes

Snowshoe hares change color with the seasons. In summer, their coat is brown, helping them blend into forest vegetation. In winter, their fur turns white, providing camouflage in snowy environments.

They remain active year-round and do not hibernate.

Reproduction & Family Structure

Breeding begins in March and can continue through late summer. Snowshoe hares can have up to four litters per year, with one to nine young per litter.

Unlike rabbits, baby hares are born fully furred with open eyes and can move shortly after birth. They begin feeding on vegetation within a couple of weeks.

Snowshoe hares are solitary animals, except during breeding season.

Survival & Threats

Snowshoe hares face heavy predation from many animals, including Canada lynx, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, owls, hawks, and fishers.

Because of this, most snowshoe hares live less than a year in the wild. Their survival depends heavily on camouflage, speed, and access to dense cover.

Management & Conservation

Snowshoe hares are common throughout Maine and are considered a game species. Their population fluctuates naturally over time, often rising and falling in cycles based on food availability and predator populations.

Fun Facts About Snowshoe Hare

• Their feet act like natural snowshoes
• They change color from brown to white each winter
• They are one of the main food sources for Canada lynx
• They can have multiple litters each year
• Their populations rise and fall in cycles

Information based on data from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.