Hawaii Hunting Regulations

Hawaii Hunting Regulations

Hawaii is a sleeper state for big game hunters. A number of big game species have been introduced and have rooted populations. There are tons of opportunities and the potential to take multiple species on a single hunt. Taking a trip to the islands is a great way to breakup the slow winter months, catch some sunshine and get in a great hunt all at the same time.

Hawaii Hunting License Costs

You need a waiver for hunter education to purchase your license. You simply have to prove that you’ve taken hunter ed in another state. The license fees are very affordable.

Resident:

  • Hunting – $10
  • Conservation – $10
  • Blacktail deer application – $5
  • Blacktail deer rifle – $10
  • Feral pig season – $5
  • Feral goat rifle – $10
  • Feral goat muzzleloader – $5
  • Feral goat archery – $5
  • Mouflon sheep season – $20 ($10 app)
  • Axis deer season – $20 ($10 app)
  • Puu Waawaa feral sheep or goat – $10
  • Puuanahulu feral goat and sheep – $10

Non-resident:

  • Hunting – $95
  • Conservation – $10
  • Blacktail deer application – $5
  • Blacktail deer rifle – $25
  • Feral pig season – $25
  • Feral goat rifle – $25
  • Feral Goat muzzleloader – $25
  • Feral goat archery – $25
  • Mouflon sheep season – $125 ($10 app)
  • Axis deer season – $125 ($10 app)
  • Puu Waawaa feral sheep or goat – $25
  • Puuanahulu feral goat and sheep – $25

Species of Interest and Highlights

Blacktail Deer: They are not as widespread or as popular as some other species but blacktail spot and stalk hunts are available on a draw basis.

Feral Pig: Some of the locals run hogs with dogs and finish them with a knife. You can chase them with a bow or rifle as well. You can also chase them year-round.

Feral Goat: Good numbers and they are destructive to some property owners.

Mouflon Sheep: These wild sheep are a great species to chase on the Islands.

Axis Deer: Native to India, these deer arrived as a gift from Japan. Tall antlers and white spots are distinctive features. Numbers are high and many hunters will have multiple encounters daily.

There is plenty of public land access to make a DIY hunt fairly manageable. Check the Hawaii hunting regs closely though as some public lands are only open on select days each week. You can also seek private access but this is difficult without local knowledge. Hiring a guide is another option for private land access. If you do pursue access on your own, start with the big plantations and focus on nuisance species that may damage their crops.

You can learn more about hunting Hawaii here – http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/hunting/. There is a fee for bringing a firearm into the state. I think it runs around ten bucks. There’s a ton of ground to explore on the islands and the terrain is not easy. The weather will be fantastic but roads and trails are often tough depending on where you decide to hunt and how ambitious you are.

 

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