In order to assess the reasons for a 60% decline of the bag record of hares in Denmark during the last three dccades, reproduction in Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778 was studied in a location in Funen (Denmark) during April 1984 - March 1987. The breeding season was initiated around 1 January and lasted until September - October. In 1985 and 1986, 18.17c and 25.1% of the females delivered four litters, while three litters was maximum in 1984; but 13.6% - 21.4% of the females did not breed at all. The average number oflitters produced per adult female was 1.93, 2.54, and 2.51 in 1984, 1985 and 1986, respectively; average litter sizes were 2.11, 2.33 and 2.06 in the survey years. For the whole study period, the average sizes of litters 1-4 were 1.51, 2.54, 2.53 and 1.71, respectively. During the shooting seasons the hare bags in the study area indicated 1.27, 1.64 and 1.01 young per female shot jn 1984, 1985 and 1986, respectively. Postnatal mortality was calculatcd to be 68.0%, 72.3% and 80.6% in 1984, 1985 and 1986, respectively. The results indicate a relatively poor reproductive success due to a poor production of young and a high postnatal mortality. Shortage of sufficient nutrients in modern farming systems during the mid summer period may be a plausible explanation of these findings.
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