The range of the mountain hare (which turns white in winter) does extend to Saddleworth Moor near Oldham, but since most of the broadside versions of the song locate the hunt in 'Maxfield' or 'Mansfield', that may not be significant. Frank Kidson printed a version set in Howden, so Mike Waterson didn't make that bit up.

I've always understood the line, 'the number of dogs they never could be found' in the sense 'the number couldn't be counted' - maybe there were just too many, apart from the twenty that made the kill?