David Y. Ige

HONOLULU —   The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife announces the opening of the 2015-2016 game bird hunting season on Saturday, November 7, 2015.

With lingering drought impacts in many parts of the state, department biologists are predicting a below average season of bird hunting.

The fall game bird hunting season will run through Sunday, January 31, 2016.  A valid hunting license and a game bird stamp are required for all game bird hunting on public and private lands.  All game bird hunting is regulated by Hawai‘i Administrative Rules Title 13, Chapter 122 (see https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw “Administrative Rules” for all legal hunting days).

ISLAND OF KAUA‘I

HUNTING UNITS A, B, E, H and I on the island of Kaua‘i will be open for the entire 2015-2016 game bird hunting season.  Game bird hunting will be permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays 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 state office building in Lihu‘e.

HUNTING UNIT J will be open to game bird hunting using archery equipment only during the regular season on weekends, Mondays and State holidays.

New HUNTING UNIT L – formerly WAIMEA HEIGHTS SPECIAL GAME BIRD HUNTING AREA — will be open during the regular season on Saturdays and Sundays only. For more information on the new hunting unit, please inquire with the Lihu‘e DOFAW office at 274-3433.

Other PRIVATE LANDS on the island of Kaua‘i are open to game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, with landowner permission in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

ISLAND OF O‘AHU

KUAOKALA GMA (UNIT 1) AND MOKULEIA PHA (UNIT 2) will be open on weekends and state holidays from November 7, 2015 through January 31, 2016.  Hunters must check in and out of the Ka‘ena 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 peafowl (male and female) is allowed in Kuaokala, no bag limit. 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 KEA‘AU PHA (UNIT 3) will be open on weekends and state holidays.  Species occurring in Makua Kea‘au include ring-necked pheasant (rare), Erckel’s francolin, barred dove and spotted dove, with bag limits as listed in Chapter 122.

WAI‘ANAE 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.

ISLAND OF MAUI
 
KULA FOREST RESERVE AND COOPERATIVE LEASE AREA (HUNTING UNIT C) 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.

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 2015-2016 game bird hunting season with mammal hunting closed.

ISLAND OF MOLOKA‘I

MOLOKA‘I FOREST RESERVE (HUNTING UNITS C, D, AND E) will be open for game bird hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays during the 2015-2016 game bird hunting season with mammal hunting closed.

ISLAND OF LANA‘I

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.

ISLAND OF HAWAI‘I

MAUNA KEA GAME MANAGEMENT AREA AND FOREST RESERVE AND PU‘U MALI MITIGATION SITE (UNIT A) will be open for game bird hunting Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays for the entire game bird season. Mammal hunting will be closed in Units G and A below the tree line during the legal game bird season as stated in Ch. 123 “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting”.

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 Pohakuloa hunter’s hotline at (808)-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.

PU‘U WA‘AWA‘A FOREST RESERVE AND PUUANAHULU, WEST SECTION (UNIT F) – All sections of Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a FR, will be open for game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays for the 2015-2016 game bird season.  Vehicles must remain on designated roads to minimize the risk of fire. Maps will be made available at the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a hunter check Station and at the DOFAW offices in Hilo and Kamuela. Please leave all gates as they are found due to active cattle ranching in the area.

PU‘UANAHULU GMA, EAST SECTION will be open for game bird hunting Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays for the entire game bird season.  

KA‘OHE GAME MANAGEMENT AREA AND KAOHE MITIGATION SITE (UNIT G) will be open for game bird hunting Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays 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 Pu‘u 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.

CLOSED:  KAHUA/PONOHOLO RANCH SPECIAL PERMIT AREA will be closed due to continuing drought conditions and concerns about the potential for wildland fires.

OPEN:  All other public hunting areas not listed above are open to game bird hunting on weekends and state holidays, November 7, 2015 through January 31, 2016 in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS are open to game bird hunting on weekends, state holidays and Wednesdays – Thursdays for Units A, G, PTA and private lands during the regular game bird season which is November 7, 2015 through January 31, 2016, with landowner permission and in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

FOR ALL AREAS STATEWIDE:
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.

Help Prevent wildfires.  DO NOT PARK OR DRIVE IN TALL GRASS OR BRUSH WITHOUT EXPECTING TO START FIRES.  Report fires large and small to 911.
Support wildlife conservation:  Report game law violators to the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement by calling (808)-643-DLNR (-3567).

Further information may be obtained by contacting Division of Forestry and Wildlife offices at the following phone numbers:  Kaua‘i:  (808)-274-3433; O‘ahu:  (808)-587-0166; Maui:  (808)-984-8100; Moloka‘i:  (808)-553-1745; Lana‘i:  (808)-565-7916; Hilo: (808)-974-4221; Kamuela: (808)-887-6063.

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Media Contact:
Deborah Ward
DLNR Communications specialist
Phone: (808) 587-0320

 

Galen Yoshimoto	Anna Koethe
Public Information Officer	Public Relations Officer
808-733-4300 or 808-620-5408	808-733-4300 or 808-620-5422
[email protected]