Should hares decline over a large area, goshawks and snowy owls range much farther south, while land predators starve or go hungry. It's unknown whether Pennsylvania's snowshoes go through population cycles similar to hare populations in Canada. But hare harvests have been relatively stable from year to year in the commonwealth. Habitat Snowshoes inhabit mixed deciduous forests with conifers and escape cover such as rhododendron and mountain laurel. They favor younger brushy areas, those logged or burned 7-10 years ago.
Hares also live in swamps where cedar, spruce or tamarack grow.
Dense stands of aspen or poplar, interspersed with pines, may support hares. In Pennsylvania, high country such as ridgetops, mountains, high swamps and plateaus harbor most hares. As do cottontail rabbits, snowshoes move into forestland opened up by fires, high winds, ice storms and clear-cutting. Browse cutting can help snowshoes by bringing edible twigs within reach and encouraging the growth of shrubs, sprouts and seedlings. Planting conifers, particularly spruce, and cutting tall trees to keep them from shading out mountain laurel and shrubs will provide good cover.