Department of Land and Natural Resources

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE

2014-2015 GAME BIRD HUNTING SEASON

 The State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources announces the opening of the 2014-2015 Game Bird Hunting Season on Saturday, November 1, 2014. The fall game bird hunting season will run through Monday, January 19, 2015, with legal hunting days on Saturday, Sunday, and State Holidays. Department biologists are predicting an average season of bird hunting, with the easing of drought conditions in many parts of the state. A December 31, 2007 appellate court ruling determined that no game bird stamp sales are allowed for hunting. A valid hunting license only is required for all game bird hunting on public and private lands. All game bird hunting is regulated by Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 13, Chapter 122 (see https://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw “Administrative Rules”).

ISLAND OF KAUAI

HUNTING UNITS A, B, E, F, H and I on the island of Kauai will be open for the entire 2014-2015 Game Bird Hunting Season. Game bird hunting in these areas will be permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays. Hunters planning to hunt in Unit I (Wailua Game Management Area) should review the hunting map at either Rice Gate or the Kondo Gate Hunter Check Stations to find out which paddocks will be open to bird hunting. Wailua GMA maps are also available at the Lihu’e State Office Building, 3060 Eiwa Street, Room 306.

HUNTING UNIT F will be open to the hunting of game birds with archery equipment only during the regular season this year.

HUNTING UNIT J will be open to hunting of game birds with archery equipment only during the regular season this year. Game mammals will be closed to hunting.

 WAIMEA HEIGHTS SPECIAL GAME BIRD HUNTING AREA will be closed this year.  

PRIVATE LANDS on the island of Kauai are open to game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays, with landowner permission in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

 

ISLAND OF OAHU

KUAOKALA GMA (UNIT 1) AND MOKULEIA PHA (UNIT 2) will be open on weekends and State Holidays from November 1, 2014 through January 19, 2015. Hunters must check in and out of the Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station Access Road. Species occurring in this area include ring-necked pheasant (common and blue variety), Erckel’s francolin, black francolin, gray francolin, chukar partridge, barred dove, and spotted dove, with bag limits as listed in Chapter 122, Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting. Hunting of female Ring-Necked Pheasants is allowed, in Kuaokala GMA only, and will count against the listed “Daily Bag Limit” in Ch. 122. HUNTING OF WILD TURKEYS IS STILL PROHIBITED in all public and private hunting areas to allow the population to reach a level suitable for hunting in the future.

MAKUA KEAAU PHA (UNIT 3) will be open on weekends and State Holidays. Species occurring in Makua Keaau include ring-necked pheasant (rare), Erckel’s francolin, barred dove and spotted dove, with bag limits as listed in Chapter 122.

WAIANAE KAI (UNIT 4) will be open to game bird hunting on weekends and State Holidays, with mammal hunting closed during the weekends for the duration of the game bird season.

PRIVATE LANDS on the island of Oahu will be open to game bird hunting on weekends and State Holidays in accordance with Chapter 122.

MAUI COUNTY

ISLAND OF MAUI

KULA FOREST RESERVE AND COOPERATIVE LEASE AREA (HUNTING UNIT C) is expected to be open for game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays beginning on December 1, 2014. The delay of the opening of the Game Bird Season is a result of storm damage caused by Tropical Storm Iselle.

KAHAKULOA GMA AND WEST MAUI FOREST RESERVE (HUNTING UNIT F) will be open for game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire season.

KAHAKULOA NATURAL AREA RESERVE (UNIT N) will be open for game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire season.

Game mammal hunting will be closed within Unit C on legal game bird hunting days.

Game Mammal hunting will be closed within Units F and N during the game bird hunting season (November 1, 2014 through January 19, 2015). Mammal hunting will commence on January 24, 2015.

 ISLAND OF MOLOKAI

MOLOKAI FOREST RESERVE (HUNTING UNITS C, D, AND E) will be open for game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire season.

For Units C, D and E, game mammal hunting will be closed from November 2014 through January 2015.

ISLAND OF LANAI

COOPERATIVE GMA (UNITS 1, and 2, AND 3) will be open for game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire game bird season. Special conditions:

1. Access to Hunting Unit 3 will be only by the main perimeter roads (“Guard Road” and “No. 57 Road”).
2. Abandoned field plot roads are closed for safety reasons.
3. Hunters are also reminded that no hunter vehicle access or parking will be allowed on Polihua Road, Kaumalapau Highway, or Keomuku Highway. The only exception is the use of Polihua Road to access Kaena and #7 Road 

ISLAND OF HAWAII

MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE AND GMA will be open for game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire game bird season.

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA will be open for game bird hunting, at the direction of the Department of Defense, subject to training schedule. Hunters are to call the hunter’s hotline at 969-3474 for information on hunting days, open areas and access routes.

KAPAPALA RANCH COOPERATIVE GMA AND KAPAPALA FOREST RESERVE will be open for game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire game bird season.

PUU WAAWAA CGMA (now FOREST RESERVE) – All sections of Puu Waawaa CGMA, will be open for game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire game bird season 

PUUANAHULU GMA will be open for game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays for the entire game bird season.

KAOHE GMA and STATE LEASE (now MITIGATION SITE) is expected to be game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and State Holidays beginning December 20, for the entire game bird season.

KIPUKA AINAHOU will be open for game bird hunting on weekends and State Holidays throughout the game bird hunting season. A special permit is required, and is available from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife offices in Hilo and Kamuela and at the Puu Huluhulu Hunter Check Station. Hunters are to avoid nene geese that are in the area. Mammal hunting in this area is closed from November 1 through February.

KAHUA/PONOHOLO RANCH SPECIAL PERMIT AREA is expected to be open on Saturdays and Sundays beginning December 20, 2014.

OPEN: All other public hunting areas not listed above are open to game bird hunting on weekends and State holidays, November 1, 2014 through January 19, 2015 in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

FOR ALL AREAS STATEWIDE

PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS are open to game bird hunting on weekends and State holidays November 1, 2014 through January 1900, 2015, with landowner permission and in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

 All game bird hunters should be familiar with Title 13, Chapter 122 “Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting.”

Hunters will be required to check in and out at established hunter check stations. First obtain permission from landowners when seeking to hunt on private land. Prevent wildfires. DO NOT PARK OR DRIVE IN TALL GRASS OR BRUSH! Report fires to 911.

Support wildlife conservation: Report game law violators to the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement by calling 643-DLNR (-3567). Further information may be obtained by contacting Division of Forestry & Wildlife offices at the following phone numbers: Kauai: 274-3433; Oahu: 587-0166; Maui: 984-8100; Molokai: 553-1745; Lanai: 565-7916; Hilo: 974-4221; Kamuela: 887-6063.