 Females have six-weekly reproductive cycles and are receptive for only a few hours in one day. Thus competition among local bucks is intense. This phenomenon is known as "March madness" as it observed in March as the nights, the bucks' preferred time for activity, are shorter and thus forces them to be active in the daytime. In addition to dominants subduing subordinates, the female will fight off her numerous suitors if she is not ready to mate. Fights can be vicious and can leave numerous scars on the ears. Hares will stand upright and attack each other with their paws, a practice known as "boxing", and this activity is usually between a female and a male and not between males as previously believed. When a doe is ready to mate, she will run across the countryside, starting a chase that will test the fitness of the following males. When only the most dominant male remains, the female will stop and allow copulation.
