Department of Land and Natural Resources

DLNR ANNOUNCES GOAT HUNTING TO OPEN ON KAUA‘I

LIHU‘E — The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) announces the opening of archery, muzzleloading rifle, and high-powered rifle hunting seasons for feral goats on the island of Kaua‘i. Pursuant to Title 13, Chapter 123 “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting,” the following rules and conditions will be in effect for the hunt:

No permit or tag fees will be assessed during the 2013 Kaua‘i goat hunting season.

ARCHERY ONLY SEASON: Kaua‘i archers must present their 2013-14 Hawai‘i Hunting License in order to obtain their permits starting Monday, June 24, 2013 in the Lihu‘e Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) office at 3060 ‘Eiwa St., Room 306. Another person may pick up your permit, but must present your license. Neighbor island archers may pick up an application form now at the DOFAW office on their island and mail it to the Lihu‘e DOFAW office. Specific instructions are on the application form. The first available weekend for archery hunting will be July 20, 2013, ending October 26-27, 2013. Validated archery permits will be mailed to each hunter after application has been received. Unit K bow hunters must sign-in and sign-out at either the Waimea Heights or the Koke‘e Hunter Checking Station. Unit G bow hunters must obtain a Unit G-Archery Pass from the Lihu‘e DOFAW office. Each pass is good for three (3) consecutive days and is free of charge.

Unit A Muzzleloader Season will be closed due to high fire danger closure declaration, per HRS 185-3 (1), in Hunting Units A.

REGULAR RIFLE SEASON: Applications for the 2013 Kaua‘i Goat Rifle season in Units B, E and H are now available at all participating hunting license vendors on Kaua‘i and all DOFAW offices. A maximum of eight (8) hunters may apply together as a hunting group (no exceptions). Rifle hunters will be assigned two weekends: One weekend in Hunting Unit H on the Na Pali Coast and another weekend in Hunting Units B and E of Waimea Canyon. The season duration is July 13th to September 1nd on weekends only. Specific information may be obtained on the application form. The deadline for submitting applications for the regular rifle hunt is 4:00 p.m., Friday, June 7, 2013. The public drawing to assign hunting dates will be held in the Lihu‘e State Office Building Conference Room at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, 2013.

All hunters who participate in the rifle season must have a valid 2013-14 Hawai‘i State hunting license on their person while they are hunting. Hunters will have the option of using a conventional rifle, muzzleloader rifle, handgun or archery equipment on their assigned hunting weekend, but may carry only one means of take while actually hunting. Hunters will also be allowed to take pigs on their assigned hunting weekend and the bag limit will be one pig per hunter per day. Permit-tags are non-transferable between hunters. Hunters must immediately tag their animal upon taking it. Boning of game will be permitted, but the unskinned tail must be left attached to the carcass. Each firearm hunter is required to wear a blaze-orange shirt or vest, sign-in and out at a designated hunter checking station, observe legal hunting hours and safety zones and the lawful carriage of firearms during the goat hunting season Hunters are reminded to review Title 13, Chapter 123 “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting,” prior to hunting.

Hunters may call the following DOFAW offices for more information:
Kauai 274-3433
Oahu 587-0166
Kamuela 887-6063
Maui 984-8100
Molokai 553-4515
Lanai 565-7916
Hilo 974-4221

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For more information news media may contact:
Deborah Ward
DLNR Public Information Specialist
Phone: (808) 587-0320