Groups of males congregate around estrus females, following the females as they move about their home ranges. Gestation lasts 36 days. When parturition apparoaches, female hares become highly aggressive and intolerant of males. They retire to a birthing area, where they have prepared an area of packed down grasses. Females give birth to litters of up to 8 young, although the average litter size is usually two to four young.
Litters born late in the season tend to be larger than litters born in the spring.
The young of this species are very precocial. They are born fully furred and able to locomote. Behavior Snowshoe hares are typically solitary, but they often live at high densities, and individuals share overlapping home ranges. They are also active on cloudy days. During the daylight hours, hares spend a great deal of time grooming, and they take fitful naps.