Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Outdoor Recreation

Description

On Oʻahu, the Kuaokalā Game Management Areas (GMA) delivers a diverse opportunity for recreational hunting which include: 11 spp. of game birds and two ungulate species (feral pig and goat). The GMA varies seasonally with animals to be taken, hunting days, and means of take. 

This extensive area includes portions of the Game Management Area, Kuaokalā Forest Reserve, and Na Ala Hele Trail/Access Systems that allow hunters into unique hunting grounds and landscapes. When entering the area, hunters will use the Kaʻena Point Tracking Station Service Road up to the first gravel parking lot. A Hunter Check-In Station can be found providing hunters the opportunity to report themselves and any quarry obtained during the hunt. This parking lot is the entrance for the “Ranch Side” section of the GMA, an area grazed by cattle to maintain roughly 500 acres of suitable habitat. 

Large grass fields, steep coastal cliffs, and rolling gulches paint the backdrop of this scenic area. A separate access gate leads hunters into the 4WD only section of the hunting area – this portion is known as the “Forest Side”. The section houses the main game bird fields which are 20+ acres of grounds that are maintained by program staff throughout the year. Mowing and cutting the fields is required due to vegetation overgrowth inducing loss of habitat and game birds’ inability to traverse in thicker/taller grasses. The “Forest Side” has a 4WD road that cuts through various forested, cliff-faced, and grassland areas for hunters to experience. Scattered around the GMA are 21 watering units that aid in providing a limited resource to specific game species. 

Downloadable Map

Activities

Hunting, Rifle hunting, Wildlife hunting, Hiking, Wildlife watching, Birdwatching, Running, Dog walking

Permits & Rules

All hunting on Oʻahu and through the State of Hawaiʻi is guided by the Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting, Field Trials, and Commercial Shooting Preserves under Chapter 13-122 and the Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting under Chapter 13-123. Hunters are required to check-in and out of public hunting areas either through a Hunter Check Station (HCS) or via our mobile app OuterSpatial. For information on Hunter Education, hunting licenses, or other issues, visit the statewide Hunting Homepage. The following additional conditions and restrictions apply to Kuaokalā GMA:

• Hunters should consult with Division of Forestry and Wildlife district office for current open access and public use conditions prior to the start of each season. Hunters must get clearance from the Kaʻena Point Satellite Tracking Station Guard Shack and must check in and out at the DOFAW Hunter Check Station Mailbox by information/outreach signs.
• Mammal hunting closed during game bird season (November – February). Dogs permitted only during August through October season.
• No illegal substances or unmanned aircrafts. 

Game Birds

For details on game bird rules for Oʻahu’s hunting units see Exhibit 9 from Chapter 13-122, HAR. Additional info is available on the statewide Game Bird Hunting page. Kuaokalā GMA will be open on weekends and State Holidays from November 6, 2021, through January 30, 2022. Hunters must get clearance from the Kaʻena Point Satellite Tracking Station Guard Shack and must check in and out at the DOFAW Hunter Check Station Mailbox by information/outreach signs.  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.

Game Mammals

For details on game mammal rules for Oʻahu’s hunting units see Exhibit 3 from Chapter 13-123, HAR. Additional info is also available on our statewide Game Mammal Hunting page.

Explore from Home

See the Put-and-Take game bird system, supported by volunteer hunters at Kuaokalā GMA.

Plans & Projects

• Put-and-Take Game Bird Program

Additional Resources 

The following trails can be found at Kuaokalā GMA:

• Kuaokala Trail – Oʻahu Hiking Trail (hawaii.gov)
• Kealia Access Road & Trail – Oʻahu Hiking Trail (hawaii.gov)
• Mokuleia & Kuaokala Firebreak Roads – Oʻahu Hiking Trail (hawaii.gov)

Game mammal and Game bird hunting opportunities are offered on the six major islands in the State of Hawai‘i: (Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i and Hawai‘i Island). Each of these islands has one or more State-designated public hunting areas (called Hunting Units), which are open for hunting at certain times during each year. Game mammal and game bird hunting opportunities are also available on private lands as well. Occasionally, the Division of Forestry & Wildlife (DOFAW) may modify or cancel a hunting season in a particular area to adjust for changes in weather conditions or animal populations. For more information visit the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Hunting Website.