Jackrabbit sightings in NW Oregon

StevenB · 04-13-2008, 06:23 AM

Ever sight a jackrabbit in an area you'd thought they did not exist?

After I'd taken an intrest in hunting in my teen years I read something about the "range" of the blacktailed Jackrabbit. At the time I found hard to believe. The book was published in the 60's and reffered only to Oregon. The book showed the Blacktail Jackrabbit occuring everywhere in Oregon. I found that hard to believe at the time.

I figured my chances of seeing any jackrabbit in NW Oregon were liken to my chances of seeing a bighorn sheep on Mt Hood. My odds guess proved wrong. I have seen two jackrabbits in NW Oregon. Both were in about the same township. Due west of Esticada 4 & 6 miles. Elevation was about 1000 ft.

The first one was in an area that had several square miles of young (20 yrs) forest. The second one on Lower Highland Rd with pasture, Christmas tree farms, & brush. I realize a jackrabbit sighting in NW Oregon is rather dull to most people. Espesially when compared to seeing a moose or wolverine.

By the way... ever notice that the early Bugs Bunny charator illustrations looked a lot like a blacktailed jackrabbit?

Santiam338 · 04-13-2008, 06:29 AM

Not surprising...The Christamas tree farms in and around Monroe are lousy with them..

whtelk · 04-13-2008, 07:01 AM

Yes , west of Albany while running a swamp buggy fertilizing a rye grass field. Told the guys back at the farm they thought I was nuts.

bait dunker · 04-13-2008, 07:15 AM

i see them in christmas tree fields all the time in the silverton hills.

duckboy · 04-13-2008, 07:23 AM

Still have en in SW Oregon (by medford).. .the dogs got into some on the flanks of Roxy Anne, and we jumped a pair along Hillcrest towards the golfcourse, right out of somebody's yard.

sprigkiller09 · 04-13-2008, 09:15 AM

Like santiam said. Christmas tree farms hold a chit load. I have seen them in wine country too. Which likely means more in the future as well.

Sweet Melissa · 04-13-2008, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bait dunker

i see them in christmas tree fields all the time...

West Salem, so say our relatives with Christmas trees there.

afrank250 · 04-13-2008, 05:42 PM

sounds like some new hunting closer to home soon!!

sliverpicker · 04-13-2008, 05:51 PM

Yep, seen them quite abit along Springwater Rd and Redland Rd between Estacada and Ore City. Usually around the Xmas tree farms.

Wheels · 04-13-2008, 07:25 PM

A hunting buddy and I saw one several days in a row while deer hunting on the coast. We were up near Loon Lake off of Hwy 38. Little Camp Crk. road to be exact. This jack rabbit was living in a brush pile right off the side of the road and the rabbit would be in the road as we rounded the corner. Saw him like 3 times in a row. That is the only time I have seen one other than in Eastern Oregon. Wheels.

24 on/ 48 off · 04-13-2008, 10:08 PM

Saw a whole bunch up by Trojan pond last weekend.

StevenB · 04-15-2008, 01:11 PM

Sounds like they are well established in even the wet parts of Oregon. And why not I suppose.

Sounds like there are others being told they must be seeing ghosts.

The elusive west side jackrabbit seems almost like a guest to the wet parts of Oregon. Only thing left is to try and learn if they were introduced or arrived on their own 4 feet.

SB

Quack Attack · 04-15-2008, 02:18 PM

Anybody have any idea whether these could really be White Tailed Jacks?

Back where I grew up the black tails inhabited the desert and sage brush steppe areas, and the white tails were in the wetter and more heavily vegetated areas.

Mountain areas were a mix between white tails and snow shoe hares, they were the tougher ones to discern.

Mike P. · 04-15-2008, 02:45 PM

I see a few of them nearly every time I hunt some private land near Winston...the owner of the land wants me to shoot them as they do damage to trees he has planted. It is tough wanting to shoot a jackrabbit when I'm are sneaking around deer or turkey hunting.

Point-of-Sale Clerk · 04-15-2008, 09:25 PM

I see them all the time up Agency Cr Rd by Grand Ronde when I am going fishin at South Lake or going Yote huntin

StevenB · 04-15-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quack Attack

Anybody have any idea whether these could really be White Tailed Jacks?

Back where I grew up the black tails inhabited the desert and sage brush steppe areas, and the white tails were in the wetter and more heavily vegetated areas.

Mountain areas were a mix between white tails and snow shoe hares, they were the tougher ones to discern.

The ones I've seen were blacktailjackrabbits.

I saw one whitetailjack and even have it on video . That critter was In Hart Mt.

Perhaps a Whitetailjack thread needs to start. They seem to be a rare rabbit.