Department of Land and Natural Resources

ARCHERY ONLY SEASON:  Resident archers interested in hunting in Units D, F, J and K for black-tailed deer will be charged $5.00 for their deer archery tag ($25.00 non-resident hunter).  Archery permits are now available in the Lihu‘e Division of Forestry and Wildlife office at 3060 ‘Eiwa St., Room 306.  Hunters must present their 2015-16 Hawai‘i Hunting License in order to purchase a deer archery permit.  Another person may pick up your permit, but must present your license for you.  Neighbor island archers may pick up an application form at the DOFAW office on their island and mail it in with the correct fee.  Specific instructions are on the application form.  Validated archery permits will be mailed to each hunter after payment has been received.   

Hunting Unit F will open September through December Friday through Monday and State Holidays. Hunting Units J and K will open September through December on weekend and State Holidays. Hunters may either check-in at the Waimea Heights or Koke‘e hunter check-in station.  The bag limit will be one deer of either sex per archer per season.  A successful bow-hunter who has bagged a deer will have filled their deer archery bag limit; however archers may continue to take pig and goat through the duration of the deer archery only season.  The use of dogs is prohibited during the deer archery only seasons. 

MUZZLE-LOADER ONLY SEASON:  Residents participating in the muzzle-loader only deer season on Kaua‘i will be assessed $5.00 for their deer muzzle-loader tag ($25.00 non-resident hunter).  Kaua‘i residents may purchase their permits starting July 20, 2015 at the Lihu‘e DOFAW office at 3060 ‘Eiwa St., Rm. 306, and must present their 2015-16 Hawai‘i Hunting license when purchasing their permit.  Another person may pick up the permit for you, but he must present your hunting license to do so.  Neighbor island muzzle-load hunters may pick up an application form at the DOFAW office on their island.  Validated muzzle-loader permits will be mailed to off-island hunters provided their applications are correctly filled out and the appropriate fees attached. 

The deer muzzle-loader tag season will be in Hunting Units A and B on September 5-6, 2015.  The bag limit will be one (1) deer per muzzle-load hunter per license year.  The bag limit in Unit A will be one (1) antlered, forked buck or better; at least one antler must have two points, which include the tine.  Spike bucks (one by one antlered buck) and female deer may not be taken in Hunting Unit A during the regular muzzle-loader season.  Unit A will be closed to pig hunting during the deer season.  Unit A hunters may check-in either at Koke‘e, Kekaha, or Mana Tunnels HCS.  A successful muzzle-load hunter who has bagged a deer will have filled their deer muzzle-loader bag limit, but may accompany their hunting group without a firearm for the duration of the muzzle-loader season.  The use of dogs is prohibited during the regular deer muzzle-loader only weekend. 

Unit B hunters may sign-in and out either at Waimea Canyon or Koke‘e HCS. The bag limit will be one deer of either sex per muzzle-load hunter per season (one pig per day).   
                                              
REGULAR RIFLE SEASON:  Applications for the 2015 Kaua‘i Deer Rifle season are now available at all Division of Forestry and Wildlife offices and participating hunting license dealers on the island of Kauai.  Fees for the rifle tag hunt are required and must be submitted with each rifle application.  Hawaii residents will be charged $15.00 for their rifle tag, ($30.00 non-resident hunter).       

The regular rifle tag season for deer will be in Hunting Units A and B for seven (7) consecutive weekends beginning on September 12 and ending October 25, 2015. Each hunter applicant will be drawn for two (2) weekends; one weekend in Unit A and another weekend in B. 

Hunting Unit A bag limit will be one (1) antlered, forked buck or better; at least one antler must have two points which include the tine.  Spike bucks (one by one antlered buck) and female deer may not be taken in Hunting Unit A during the rifle tag season.  Unit A will be closed to pig hunting during the deer season. The use of dogs is prohibited in Hunting Unit A. 

Hunting Units B will run from September 11 to October 26, 2015. Unit B hunters may sign-in and sign-out either at Makaha, Koke‘e or Waimea Canyon HCS. The bag limit will be one deer of either sex during the rifle tag season.  Pig will be open to hunting. A successful rifle tag hunter who has bagged a deer will have filled their bag limit, but will be permitted to accompany their hunting group without a firearm on their assigned weekends. 
  
Hunting Units E-1, E-2 and H: Permits for year-round hunting of black-tailed deer in Units E-1, E-2 and H are now available in the Lihu‘e DOFAW office. The permit allows the taking of deer of either sex, feral pig and feral goat. There is a $10.00 annual fee for resident hunters and $25.00 for non-resident hunters. More information may be obtained through Chapter 123 Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting in Hawai‘i or visit the DOFAW website at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/.     

The application deadline for the regular deer rifle tag season is 3:30 p.m. Friday, August 7, 2015.  The public drawing will be held at the Lihu‘e State Office Building, third floor conference room 303 on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.  Lottery results will not be given over the telephone.  Hunters are encouraged to attend the public drawing to determine the results, or wait for their validated tags to be mailed to them.  The Lihue Division of Forestry and Wildlife Office will post the results after the August 12^th public drawing. 

All deer hunters (archery, muzzle-loader and regular rifle) are required to carry their deer tag(s) and valid hunting license on their person at all times while in the hunting area.  Deer tags are non-transferable between hunters and all fees are non-refundable.  There will be no make-up weekends or standby permits.  Deer tag(s) must be fastened to the carcass immediately after taking a deer.  Successful deer hunters are to bring their animal carcass to the Koke‘e Hunter Check Station for weighing and examination.  All hunters shall be required to preserve their game in a condition that will enable the identification of sex and species.   No skinning or boning of deer carcasses will be permitted in any hunting area.  However, hunters will be allowed to half or quarter their animal. 

All other requirements contained in Chapter 123, “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting” apply to the Kaua‘i deer hunting season. For more information, please call the nearest Division of Forestry and Wildlife office on your island or visit the DOFAW website at  https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/ .