Hawaii is a true sleeper state for hunting. Hawaii and the word HUNTING don’t seem to belong in the same sentence together. Yet, hunters in the know realize that hunting on the islands is truly awesome and very productive for a wide variety of species. Throw in the incredible scenery and weather, top it off with some fine bird hunting, spend some beach time with a loved one, and you a recipe for a great trip! Oh yes, there’s some great fishing for billfish, tuna, wahoo and more, plus diving and snorkeling. Take your favorite gal on this trip! During the winter, spring and early summer is a good time to go, meaning your regular hunting seasons are unaffected.
Those folks who do think of hunting in the 50th State usually think of wild boar, but there are a lot of other big game opportunities. The biggest critters are the Vancouver bulls, the wild cattle of Hawaii, gone feral for countless generations. Also present are black Hawaiian rams, feral cross sheep, and Spanish goats by the thousands, plus axis deer and some wild, free-range mouflon. And some excellent bird shooting too.
One of the favorites are the axis deer and the mouflon sheep. They are hunted in rugged ranch country and are often spotted cross-canyon. For the biggest axis bucks, a 2-day muzzleloader is the best best. Hunters go on foot with shooting sticks, safari-style, to intercept herds of deer on large flats. The best trophies are deer whose racks run to 34 or 35 inches.
You can also hunt wild boar and axis deer from blinds and hides positioned along game trails. On a two-day hunt you can expect to see between 25 and 100 deer a day. Almost everyone has a reasonable shot at a deer. Just hold out for a good one. This is great for bowhunters or handgunners.
For Axis deer, April and May mark the pre-rut, with the peak of the Axis rut usually around June 1. It is very good hunting from mid-April to mid-June. You will hit both the pre-rut and the rut, meaning bucks are moving freely. By mid-May to mid-June they’re rutting pretty hard. They are vocal so you can listen for them.
Here is a typical report: “We located the sheep by following the sounds of the herd, a group that numbered about 20 animals. I shot the biggest male when he turned broadside, a ram whose horn, on the longest side, measured 23 inches. That afternoon we hunted Spanish goats at the southernmost tip of the United States. The population on this particular ranch numbers, according to the outfitter, about 2,500 animals. They run in herds of 10 to 50. On the goat hunt, we saw about 60 animals and took a goat with horns that measured 21.75 inches from tip to tip.”
Animals may be spotted from the vehicle, but most hunts are conducted on foot. Good binoculars are important, as is a rangefinder. Shots are from 30 yards to 300. Bring a rifle or rent one from the outfitter. Snacks, sandwiches, sodas and bottled water are provided. In the lava fields, good boots are a must, as the rocks are sharp and cut up boots. Top elevations can reach 7,000 feet.
This outfitter has been doing this for over 25 years and is simply the best outfitter in the State of Hawaii. He offers quality, free-range, 1×1 hunts on over 84,000 acres of private land managed for trophies on five islands. He has great year-round hunting at reasonable prices. Multiple species/multiple island hunts are common, and transportation between the islands is convenient and readily accessible. Many of the best known hunters in the world have hunted with this outfitter, including Jim Shockey, Craig Boddington and dozens of others.
“I have hunted a lot of places around the world for a lot of big game animals and I can honestly say that I’ve never had more fun, over six days of hunting, than I did hunting with him in Hawaii. I hunted with muzzleloader and crossbow and stalked animals all day long, every day, eventually taking all the animals I was after (9). It was a great hunt and I’ll be back.” Jim Shockey
2024 PRICES (subject to change without noticed until deposit received)
MAUI
Axis deer, Polynesian boar, Spanish goat and wild gamebird hunts on 8,000 acres. Maui bucks average 29”-33” and guests normally see 20-30 deer/day, 5-10 pigs or 100+ goats according to the species targeted.
• Axis Deer Buck (2-day hunt), success 99% – $3,950
• Axis Management Doe (1-day hunt), success 99% – $950
• Polynesian Boar (1-day hunt), success 95% – $1,700
• Spanish Goat (1-day hunt), success 99.5% – $1,850
MOLOKA’I
Axis deer, blackbuck and wild gamebird (November to January) hunts offered on 20,000 acres. Guests will see an average of 75+ Axis deer and 20+ blackbuck. Axis bucks average 29”-32”.
• Axis (2-day hunt), success 99% – $3,950
• Blackbuck/Axis combo, success 99% – $4,700
• Management Axis Doe (1-day hunt), success 99% –$950
• Additional Management Doe (with purchase of buck) – $550
Spanish Goat (1-day hunt) Success 99.5% $1,850
• Polynesian Boar (1-day hunt) Success 95% $1,700
• (w/ Knife & Dogs)
BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII
Polynesian boar, Spanish and Ibex goat, and Black Hawaiian sheep offered on 33,000 acres. Guests will normally see 75+ sheep or goats depending on the area hunted. On pig hunts, guests will see an average of 5-10 pigs/day.
• Black Hawaiian Sheep (full-day hunt), success 99.5% – $2,300
• Mouflon Cross Sheep (2-day hunt), success 99.5% – $3,500
• Hawaiian and Spanish “Ibex” Goats (full-day hunt), success 99.5% – $1,850
• Polynesian Boar (full-day hunt), success 95% – $1,100
• Rio Grande Turkeys (2-day hunt), success 99.5% – $1,800 (2-tom limit, March 1 – April 15) $1000 2nd bird
Caping and quartering game, freezing, and local taxidermy drop off are all included. The outfitter also has a large selection of rifles which you are welcome to rent ($50/gun includes ammo), to save you the hassle of travelling with a firearm. If you choose to bring your own gun, you are required to register it with the local police department upon arrival.
Hawaii requires purchasing your all-inclusive $105 non-resident Hawaii Hunting License in advance online at https://hunting.ehawaii.gov/hunting/license.html and remember to bring a print out with you. If you are purchasing a Hawai’i License for the first time, you will need your Hunter’s Safety Certificate and must fill out and submit the “Non-Resident Exemption Request Form” first. If you do not have a Hunter’s Safety Certificate, you can take an online course at www.hunter-ed.com/texas. No tags are needed for the private lands that you will hunt on. A three-day preserve license is also available for $50 and non-residents may hunt on three of this outfitter’s preserve-licensed ranches without the hunter education class or exemption.
LODGING
Depending on the island you are visiting, there are several options for lodging. On Maui, they offer a condo in Kuau Plaza located on Maui’s North Shore. They also offer a truck available for hunters to rent. On Moloka’i, they have a condo available for hunters at Molokai Shores or Wavecrest Resort at $150/night (tax inclusive) plus cleaning fee. If you would like to add this to your hunt package, please notify us at the time of your booking. On the Big Island, they recommend the Marriott Courtyard located in Kailua-Kona http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/koacy-courtyard-king-kamehamehas-kona-beach-hotel/. They offer a complimentary pick-up service from Kona & Moloka’i accommodations, but they do recommend renting your own car.
