Yes, I guess Snowshoe hares do turn white during winter in Washington.


I finally left my computer and picked up a book, Dalquest's "Mammals of
Washington," to see if I had been misled by something in it. Dalquest says
there are four races of Snowshoe Hare in Washington and three of them
turn white during the winter including the one found throughout the
Cascade Mountains. The race found in the low elevations of western
Washington and the entirety of the Olympic Peninsula reportedly do
not turn white in winter.

Scheffer's account in "Mammals of the Olympic National Park and Vicinity"
echoes the statement about Olympic Peninsula hares staying brown through
the winter season. I find that really interesting. There must be places
in the higher elevations of the Olympics where a rabbit running around
in a brown coat during winter is going to be eaten in short order.

Kelly McAllister