From 1983, until the passing of the Hunting Act, the hare hunting packs have been collecting unique annual data on hare numbers sighted covering over three thousand sites in England and Wales. These have been collated and analysed by the Oxford Wildlife Conservation Unit and demonstrate a gradual small improvement in hare populations. They record natural fluctuations in the size and health of hare populations over a wide range of different areas and habitats. In the process of gathering this information, less than 0.2% of the estimated total hare population were caught.

A formally constituted hare conservation group is tasked to:

1. Keep the associations informed as to reports of hare populations.
2. Collate and analyse as appropriate hare reports submitted by hunts
3. Advise the joint committee on measures of hare conservation
4. Maintain contact with other national hare conservation bodies – particularly English Nature and the GCWT
5. Encourage hunts to establish and maintain contacts with local BAPs and to monitor the outcomes
6. Publish reports on hare populations

Following the passing of the Hunting Act 2004, hunts switched their activities from hunting the hare to exempt hunting within the Act They, however, broadly continued their exempt activities in the same areas so as to maintain an important degree of consistency in their important role in recording hare numbers. In addition, a number of hunts carry out unique and more detailed reporting on hare habitats such as predation, game keeping levels, and other similar factors involved in day-to-day countryside management.