DLNR - Division of Forestry and Wildlife

Public Lands Hunting
Information
Survey Report

For the Hunting Year
January - December 2017

Table of Contents
Cover ................................................................................................................................1
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................... 2
Report Overview..............................................................................................................3
Q1: On which island did you purchase your hunting license? ..................................4
Q2: In what month did you purchase your license? .................................................. 4
Q3: Are you a resident of the state of Hawaii? ........................................................... 5
Q4: How many years have you been hunting in the state of Hawaii? ..................... 5
Q5: What are the three most important reasons that you hunt? ............................ 6
Q6: What type of hunting do you do? ..........................................................................7
Q7: Do you use dogs for hunting? ............................................................................... 7
Q8: How many of your meals are supplemented with game that you hunt? ........ 8
Q9: Approximately how much did you spend on hunting in 2017? ........................ 8
Q10: Have you hunted on private lands? ................................................................... 9
Q11: Have you hunted on public lands? ..................................................................... 9
Q12: Which public hunting areas have you hunted on? ........................................... 10
Q13: Which public hunting unit have you used the most? ....................................... 12
Q14: How many days did you spend hunting game mammals in PHAs? ............... 13
Q15: How many game mammals did you harvest in PHAs? .................................... 14
Q16: How many days did you spend hunting game birds in PHAs? ....................... 17
Q17: How many game birds did you harvest in PHAs? ............................................ 18
Q18: Rank the following improvements for your hunting experience. .................. 25
Q19: How regularly do you report your time in and out at the check stations? ... 26
Q20: How regularly do you report the game harvested at the check stations? .... 26
Q21: Would you use a smartphone app in place of current check stations? ......... 26
Q22: Are you a member of a hunting club or organization? .................................... 27
Q23: Are you a member of, or do you work for, a conservation organization? .... 28
Q24: Do you have any additional comments? ........................................................... 29
2

Report Overview
In 2018, The Division of Forestry and Wildlife posted an online survey for
hunters in the state of Hawaii about their use of public hunting lands during 2017.
1198 hunters completed the online survey. The survey requested information
about each hunter’s license, hunting history, spending, hunting locations, gameharvest, organization membership status, and comments about various topics related to hunting.
This report summarizes the data submitted by the hunters on the survey.
The questions are taken directly from the survey and are arranged in the sameorder. Answering the questions on the survey was optional, so each question has anote in blue text showing how many of the 1198 people who took the survey responded to that question.
The purpose of this annual survey is to assist in improving management inpublic hunting areas in the State of Hawai‘i. The information provided by the hunters who responded will be used directly in the planning of upcoming hunting seasons. This is an opportunity for the hunting public to provide important information to be used for decision-making and management.

3

Q1: On which island did you purchase your hunting license? (1198/1198)

Hunting License Purchase Method
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Do not have a license

In-person purchase

Online purchase

78% of people who took the survey purchased their license online. Of the 19% that bought theirlicense in person, 25% purchased their license on Oahu, 28% on Hawaii, , 33% on Kauai, 10% on
Maui, and 4% on Lanai. 41 said that they did not have a hunting license.
These numbers show only where hunters purchased their license, not where they spent time
hunting. Many hunters travel to other islands for hunting trips, so the number of people whoreported hunting on an island differs from the number of people who purchased their license onthat same island.

Q2: In what month did you purchase your license? (1198/1198)

Month in Which License Was Purchased
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

While 206 of the 1198 people did not remember when they had purchased their hunting license,
the majority of those who did know purchased their licenses in June and July, when hunting
licenses become available for the start of the fiscal year.

4Q3: Are you a resident of the state of Hawaii? (1198/1198)

Island of Residence

Hawaii
Resident

40%

100%

30%

80%

20%

60%
40%

10%

20%
0%

0%

Yes

No

Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

94% of people who took the survey responded that they were residents of the state of Hawaii,
while 75 people reported that they were not. 1120 hunters who reported being state of Hawaii
residents provided their island of residence. Of those, 35% lived on Oahu, 28% on Hawaii, 15%
on Kauai, 17% on Maui, 2% on Molokai, and 3% on Lanai.

Q4: How many years have you been hunting in the state of Hawaii? (1193/1198)

Years Spent Hunting in Hawaii
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0

1-10

11-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

51-60

61-70

71-80

Life

Years Hunted

The experience of the people who took the survey ranged from new hunters to some who had
been hunting for more than 70 years or their whole lives. The average was 21.13 years. 5% had
hunted for less than a year, 34% for 1-10 years, 16% for 11-20 years, 15% for 21-30 years, 14%
for 31-40 years, 10% for 41-50 years, 4% for 51-60 years, 5 people for 61-70 years, 2 people for
71-80 years, and 22 people who reported hunting for “life.”5Q5: What are the three most important reasons that you hunt? (1198/1198)

Reasons for Hunting
Recreation and sport
Subsistence hunting
To acquire wild game meat
Family tradition
To spend time in nature
Quality time with family/friends
Trophy hunting
Other
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

For the hunters who took the survey, the two most important reasons that they hunted were toacquire wild game meat (63%) and to spend time in nature (61%). 54% said to spend quality timewith family and friends, 54% said for recreation and sport, 39% said for subsistence hunting,
36% said because hunting is a tradition in their family, and 6% said for trophy hunting. 93
hunters selected “other” and wrote in additional reasons for hunting, which included:• control of wild or invasive populations to protect natural resources and property• health benefits such as exercise or relaxation and stress relief• spiritual connection and cultural or religious reasons• knowing the value of Hawaii’s resources and where food is coming from• enjoying work and training with hunting dogs

6

Q6: What type of hunting do you do? (1198/1198)

Hunting Method
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Muzzle Loader

Rifle

Hand Gun

Shot Gun

Archery

Dog and Knife

Other

The most common type of hunting reported was rifle hunting, with 84% of respondents usingthat method. After that came archery, shot guns, muzzle loaders, dog and knife, and then handgun. In the “other” category, 24 people reported hunting using various methods such as spear,
air gun, traps or snares, or crossbow hunting.

Q7: Do you use dogs for hunting? (1198/1198)

Do you use dogs for
hunting?
70%
60%
50%
40%

40% of the hunters reported
that they used dogs for hunting. The majority of thesehunters used their dogs tohunt game birds (20%), followed by pigs, and then both
birds and pigs.

30%
20%
10%
0%
No

Yes, bird

Yes, pig

Yes, bird and pig

7Q8: In a typical month, how many of your meals are supplemented with game thatyou hunt? (Assuming 3 meals/day, 90 meals/month) (1198/1198)

Monthly Meals Supplemented with Game
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
None

Less than 9 meals

9 - 30 meals

More than 30 meals

46% of hunters who took the survey supplemented less than nine meals per month with game,
36% supplemented nine to thirty meals per month, 7% supplemented more than 30 meals permonth, and 10% did not supplement their meals with game.

Q9: Approximately how much did you spend on hunting in 2017 (on both public
and private lands)? Please include ground and air transportation, vehicle rental,
lodging, guide services, food, game tags, hunting dog maintenance, etc. (1194/1198)

2017 Hunting Spending
Less than $1,000$1,000-$4,999$5,000-$9,999$10,000-$15,000
More than $15,000
Unknown
0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

36% of hunters reported spending less than $1,000 dollars, 42% spent between $1,000 and$4,999, 15% spent between $5,000 and $9,999, 4% spent between $10,000 and $15,000, and
2% spent more than $15,000. 13 people were unsure how much they had spent. The averageamount spent was $2,887.49.

8

Q10: In 2017, have you hunted on private lands? (1186/1198)

Have you hunted on
private lands?
56%
54%
52%

54% of people who took the survey
said that they had hunted on private
land, and 46% said that they had not.
The average amount of time those
who responded “yes” spent hunting
on private land was 27 days.

50%
48%
46%
44%
42%
Yes

No

Q11: In 2017, have you hunted on public hunting lands? (1198/1198)

Have you hunted on public hunting lands?
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Yes, game birds only

Yes, game mammals only

Yes, both game birds and gamemammalsNo

49% of hunters reported that they had hunted on public land only for game mammals, 30% forboth game birds and game mammals, and 5% for game birds only. 16% reported not hunting on
public lands.

13
9

Q12: In 2017, which public hunting areas (PHAs) have you hunted on? (764/1198)
764 people reported the PHAs they had hunted on in 2017. The percentages show how
many hunters used each unit out of the 764
total who responded across the state.

Hawaii Public Hunting
Area UsageOn Oahu, 16% reported hunting in the NorthWest (Waianae Kai, Mokuleia, Makua Keaau
and or Kuaokala Forest Reserves), 11% on“Other” areas, and 8% in the East (PupukeaPaumalu, Kaipapau, Hauula, Ewa forest Reserves, Kuliouou I/II).

Oahu Public Hunting
Area Usage

3

1
2

1
2
3

North West (Waianea kai, Mokuleia, Makua Keaau and or
Kuaokala Forest Reserves)
East (Pupukea-Paumalu, Kaipapau, Hauula, Ewa forest
Reserves and or Kuliouou I and II)
Other

1

11

On Hawaii, 26% reported hunting on Mauna
Kea GMA or Kaohe GMA, 19% on Puu Waawaa
and Puu Anahulu Forest Reserves, 13% on
Mauna Loa and Kipuka Ainahou, 11% on“Other” areas, 10% on Kapapala and Kau Forest Reserve, 8% on Olaa Forest Reserve, 7%
on Hilo Watershed, Waiakea FR, and Upper
Waiakea FR, 6% on Manuka NAR, 5% on Kohala and Hamakua, 4% on Piha and Laupahoehoe portions of Hilo FR, and 1% on Nanawale,
Malamaki, and Keauohana Forest reserves.

2
3

10

4
9

8 7

6
5

1

Kapapala, Kau Forest Reserve

2

Manuka N.A.R.

3

Mauna Loa, Kipuka Ainahou

4Olaa Forest Reserve, Waiakea FR, Upper Waiakea FR.

5

Nanawale, Malamaki, Keauohana FR’s

6

Hilo Watershed

7

Piha, Laupahoehoe portions of Hilo FR

8Kohala, Hamakua

9

Puu Waawaa and Puu Anahulu Forest Reserves

10

Mauna Kea GMA, Kaohe GMA

11

Other

10

Kauai Public Hunting Area
Usage

1

7

2
3

6
4

5

1

Kealia, Halelea, Moloaa and or Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserves- Unit C

2

Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve and or Hono O Na Pali N.A.R.- E1 & E2

3

Puu Ka Pele Forest Reserve and Na Pali Kona – Unit B

4

Puu Ka Pele Forest Reserve and Na Pali Kona – Unit H

5

Kokee & Waimea Canyon Rds – Unit L

6Kekaha GMA, Waimea – Unit A

7

Other (i.e Unit G, K, D, J and F)Maui Public Hunting
Area Usage

3

On Kauai, 15% reported hunting on
Kekaha GMA and Waimea Unit A, 9%
on Puu Ka Pele Forest Reserve and Na
Pali Kona – Unit H, 9% on Kokee andWaimea Canyon Roads – Unit L, 8% on“Other” areas, 8% on Puu Ka Pele
Forest Reserve and Na Pali Kona Unit B, 5% Na Pali-Kona Forest
Reserve and/or Hono O Na Pali NAR –E1 and E2, and 5% on Kealia, Halelea,
Moloaa, and/or Lihue-Koloa Forest
Reserves – Unit C.
On Maui, 14% reported hunting on
Koolau, Makawao, Kula, and/or Kahikinui Forest Reserve, 8% on “Other”
areas, and 4% on West Maui Forest
Reserve.
On Lanai, 43% reported hunting on
Unit 1, 40% on Unit 2, and 27% on
Unit 3.
Not shown: Out of 764 hunters, 9%reported hunting on Molokai Forest
Reserve. This was the only option of
the survey for hunting on Molokai, so
there is no graph for comparison between Molokai public hunting areas.

Lanai Public Hunting
Area Usage

1
3
1

2
2

1

West Maui Forest Reserve

2

Koolau, Makawao, Kula, and or Kahikinui Forest Reserve

3

Other

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 311

Q13: In 2017, which public hunting unit have you used the most? (764/1198)

Most Used Public Hunting Units
Unit 1
Unit 2
Koolau, Makawao, Kula, and or Kahikinui Forest Reserve
Kekaha GMA, Waimea – Unit A
North West
East
Other
Mauna Loa, Kipuka Ainahou
Puu Waawaa and Puu Anahulu Forest Reserves
Mauna Kea GMA, Kaohe GMA
0%

Lanai

Maui

2%

Kauai

4%

6%

8%

Axis
Title
Oahu

10%

12%

14%

Hawaii

764 hunters reported which public hunting unit they used the most in 2017. The graph shows
the top ten units that hunters used the most.
13% of those who responded reported using Unit 2 on Lanai the most, followed by 12% who
used Mauna Kea GMA or Kaohe GMA the most, 12% for Unit 1 on Lanai, 9% for Kekaha GMA
and Waimea Unit A on Kauai, 8% for Koolau, Makawao, Kula, and/or Kahikinui Forest Reserveon Maui, 7% for North West Oahu (Waianae Kai, Mokuleia, Makua Keaau and or Kuaokala Forest
Reserves), 6% for Puu Waawaa and Puu Anahulu Forest Reserves on Hawaii, 5% for “Other” areas
on Oahu, 3% for East Oahu (Pupukea-Paumalu, Kaipapau, Hauula, Ewa forest Reserves and or
Kuliouou I and II), and 3% for Mauna Loa and Kipuka Ainahou on Hawaii.
Not shown in the graph: 18 hunters selected Molokai Forest Reserve as their most used public
hunting unit, 18 selected “Other” areas on Maui, 18 selected Kapapala and Kau Forest Reserve
on Hawaii, 17 selected “Other” areas on Kauai (this includes Unit G, K, D, J, and F), 17 selected“Other” areas on Hawaii, 16 selected Unit 3 on Lanai, 11 selected Olaa Forest Reserve, Waiakea
FR, Upper Waiakea FR on Hawaii, 9 selected Puu Ka Pele FR and Na Pali Kona in Unit H on Kauai,
8 selected Kealia, Halelea, Moloaa, and/or Lihue-Koloa FR in Unit C on Kauai, 8 selected Hilo
Watershed on Hawaii, 7 selected Kokee and Waimea Canyon Roads in Unit L on Kauai, 5 selected
Na Pali-Kona FR and/or Hono O Na Pali NAR on Kauai, 4 selected West Maui Forest Reserve, 4selected Manuka NAR in Hawaii, 3 selected Puu Ka Pele FR and Na Pali Kona in Unit B on Kauai, 3selected Piha and Laupahoehoe portions of Hilo FR on Hawaii, and 2 selected Kohala and Hamakua on Hawaii.

12Game Mammal Hunting in Public Hunting Areas
Q14: In 2017, how many days did you spend hunting game mammals in public
hunting areas? Please include the days that you hunted but did not harvest any
game. (764/1198)

Game Mammal Trips per Hunter
Average Trips per Hunter

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

Each day that hunters reported was counted as one hunting trip. The total number of trips madeon each island was divided by the number of people who spent time hunting on that island tofind the average number of trips each hunter made for game mammals there.
Hunters made an average of 28.2 trips on Oahu (152 hunters, 4293 trips total), 22.1 trips on Hawaii (227 hunters, 5007 trips total), 29.4 trips on Kauai (120 hunters, 3524 trips total), 20.2 trips
on Maui (118 hunters, 2380 trips total), 14.6 trips on Molokai (62 hunters, 906 trips total), and 6.1
trips on Lanai (314 hunters, 1910 trips total).

13

Q15: In 2017, how many game mammals did you harvest in public hunting areas?
(577/1198)

Game Mammal Harvest per Hunter Trip
asdf
Oahu

Feral Pig
Feral Goat?

*Feral Sheep?

*Mouflon Sheep?

*Mouflon-feral Hybrid Sheep*Axis Deer?
HawaiiFeral Pig
Feral Goat
Feral Sheep
Mouflon Sheep
Mouflon-feral Hybrid Sheep*Axis Deer

?
Kauai

Feral Pig
Feral Goat
*Mouflon Sheep?

*Mouflon-feral Hybrid Sheep?

Axis Deer
Black-tailed Deer
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

Mammals Harvested per Hunter Trip

The graph above shows the average number of each game mammal species that hunters harvested per trip on Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai. For example, hunters on Oahu harvested 0.26 feral
pigs per trip, which means that hunters have to make approximately four trips to harvest a feral
pig on Oahu. On Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai, feral pigs were harvested most frequently.
*Hunters reported harvesting these mammals on islands where they have not been confirmed.
No instance of an unconfirmed mammal on an island has more than 16 hunters reporting a harvest. With the numbers so low, it is possible that this is due to mistakes inputting harvest data
based on the survey format or to species identification mistakes.

14

Game Mammal Harvest per Hunter Trip
asdf
Maui

Feral Pig
Feral Goat
*Feral Sheep?

*Mouflon Sheep?

*Mouflon-feral Hybrid Sheep?

Axis Deer*Black-tailed Deer?
Molokai

Feral Pig
Feral Goat?

*Mouflon Sheep
Axis Deer*Black-tailed Deer?

*Feral Pig

Lanai
?

*Feral Goat?

*Feral Sheep?

Mouflon Sheep?

*Mouflon-feral Hybrid Sheep
Axis Deer?

*Black-tailed Deer
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

Mammals Harvested per Hunter Trip
The graph above shows the average number of each game mammal species that hunters harvested per trip on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. On Maui, feral pigs were harvested most frequently,
and on Molokai and Lanai Axis deer were harvested most frequently.
*Hunters reported harvesting these mammals on islands where they have not been confirmed.
No instance of an unconfirmed mammal on an island has more than 16 hunters reporting a harvest. With the numbers so low, it is possible that this is due to mistakes inputting harvest data
based on the survey format or to species identification mistakes.

15

Game mammal species that were harvested on more than one island are shown here for comparison of total harvest in 2017.

Total Feral Pigs Harvested

2017 Feral Pig Harvest

The most feral pigs were harvested on Oahu, with a totalof 1131 pigs. 744 pigs were
harvested on Hawaii, 540 pigs
on Kauai, 492 pigs on Maui,23 pigs on Molokai, and 1 pig
on Lanai.

1200
1000
800
600
400
200

*

0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

Total Feral Goats Harvested

2017 Feral Goat Harvest

The most feral goats were
harvested on Maui, with a
total of 421 goats. 306 goats
were harvested on Oahu,
407 goats on Hawaii, 399 on
Kauai, 28 goats on Molokai,
and 7 goats on Lanai.

500
400
300
200
100

*

0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

Total Feral Sheep Harvested

2017 Feral Sheep Harvest
250
200
150
100
50

*
Oahu

Hawaii*Feral goats have not been
confirmed on Lanai, but 2
hunters reported that they
harvested a total of 2 feral
goats there.
The most feral sheep were
harvested on Hawaii, with a
total of 249 sheep. 3 sheep
were harvested on Oahu, 7
sheep on Maui, and 5 sheepon Lanai.

300

0*Feral pigs have not been
confirmed on Lanai, but 1
hunter reported that they
harvested a feral pig there.

*

*

Maui

Lanai

*Feral sheep have not been
confirmed on Oahu, Maui, or
Lanai, but 6 hunters reported
that they harvested a total of
15 feral sheep there.

16

The most Mouflon sheep
were harvested on Lanai, witha total of 191 sheep. 15 Mouflon sheep were harvested on
Oahu, 190 sheep on Hawaii, 4
sheep on Kauai, 14 sheep on
Maui, and 3 sheep on Molokai.

2017 Mouflon Sheep Harvest
Total Mouflon Sheep
Harvested

250
200
150
100
50

*

0

Total Mouflon-feral Hybrid
Sheep Harvested

Oahu

*

*
Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

*
Molokai

Lanai

The most Mouflon-feral hybrid sheep were harvested
on Hawaii, with a total of 256
sheep. 4 Mouflon-feral hybrid
sheep were harvested on
Oahu, 8 sheep on Kauai, 1 on
Maui, and 12 sheep on Lanai.

2017 Mouflon-feral Hybrid
Sheep Harvest
300
250
200
150
100
50

*

0

Oahu

Hawaii

*

*

Kauai

Maui

Lanai

Total Axis Deer Harvested

2017 Axis Deer Harvest
500
400
300
200
*

0
Oahu

*
Hawaii

*
Kauai

Maui

Molokai*Mouflon-feral hybrid sheep
have not been confirmed on
Oahu, Kauai, or Maui, but 5
hunters reported that they
harvested a total of 13 Mouflon-feral hybrid sheep there.

The most Axis deer were harvested on Lanai, with a totalof 479 deer. 92 Axis deer were
harvested on Oahu, 39 deer
on Hawaii, 6 deer on Kauai,
459 deer on Maui, and 318
deer on Molokai.

600

100

*Mouflon sheep have notbeen confirmed on Oahu,
Kauai, Maui, or Molokai, but
20 hunters reported that they
harvested a total of 36 Mouflon sheep there.

Lanai*Axis deer have not been confirmed on Oahu, Hawaii, orKauai, but 31 hunters reported that they harvested a totalof 137 Axis deer there.

17

Total Black-tailed Deer
Harvested2017 Black-tailed Deer Harvest
30
25
20
15

*

10
5

*

0
Kauai

Maui

Molokai*
Lanai

The most Black-tailed deer
were harvested on Kauai, witha total of 27 deer. 11 Blacktailed deer were harvested on
Maui, 3 deer on Molokai, and1 deer on Lanai.
*Black-tailed deer have notbeen confirmed on Maui,
Molokai, or Lanai, but 4 hunters reported that they harvested a 15 Black-tailed deer
there.

18

Game Bird Hunting in Public Hunting Areas
Q16: During the game bird season (November 2017 - January 2018), how manydays did you spend hunting game birds in public hunting areas? Please include thedays that you hunted for game birds but did not harvest any game. (765/1198)

Game Bird Trips per Hunter
Average Trips per Hunter

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

Each day that hunters reported was counted as one hunting trip. The total number of trips madeon each island was divided by the number of people who spent time hunting on that island tofind the average number of trips each hunter made for game birds there.
Hunters made an average of 9.5 trips on Oahu (65 hunters, 617 trips total), 7.9 trips on Hawaii(148 hunters, 1174 trips total), 10.7 trips on Kauai (57 hunters, 611 trips total), 7.9 trips on Maui
(50 hunters, 396 trips total), 2.6 trips on Molokai (5 hunters, 13 trips total), and 5.4 trips on Lanai(17 hunters, 91 trips total).

19

Q17: During the game bird season (November 2017 - January 2018), how many
game birds did you harvest in public hunting areas? (227/1198)

Game Bird Harvest per Hunter Trip
asdf
Oahu

Ring-necked PheasantGreen PheasantKalij Pheasant
California Quail*Wild Turkey
Chukar Partridge
Gray Francolin
Black Francolin
Erckel's Francolin
Spotted Dove
Barred Dove
Mourning Dove?

HawaiiRing-necked PheasantGreen PheasantKalij Pheasant
California Quail
Gambel's QuailJapanese Quail
Wild Turkey
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Chukar Partridge
Gray Francolin
Black Francolin
Erckel's Francolin
Spotted Dove
Barred Dove
Mourning Dove

Kauai

Ring-necked PheasantGreen PheasantKalij Pheasant
Chukar Partridge
Gray Francolin
Black Francolin
Erckel's Francolin
Spotted Dove
Barred Dove
Mourning Dove
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Birds Harvested per Hunter Trip

On Oahu, Barred Doves were harvested most frequently. On Hawaii, Erckel’s Francolins were
harvested most frequently, and on Kauai it was Ring-necked Pheasants.

20

Game Bird Harvest per Hunter Trip
asdf
Ring-necked PheasantGreen Pheasant*Kalij Pheasant
California Quail*Gambel's QuailJapanese Quail
Wild Turkey*Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Chukar Partridge
Gray Francolin
Black Francolin
Spotted Dove
Barred Dove
Mourning Dove
Ring-necked Pheasant
Chukar Partridge
Gray Francolin
Black Francolin
Ring-necked Pheasant
California Quail
Gambel's QuailJapanese Quail
Wild Turkey
Chukar Partridge
Gray Francolin
Spotted Dove
Barred Dove

Maui
?
?

?

Molokai

Lanai

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Birds Harvested per Hunter Trip
On Maui, Ring-necked Pheasants were harvested most frequently. On Molokai, Black Francolins
were harvested most frequently. On Lanai, Gray Francolins were harvested most frequently.
*Hunters reported harvesting these birds on islands where they have not been confirmed. No
instance of an unconfirmed bird on an island has more than 2 hunters reporting a harvest. With
the numbers so low, it is possible that this is due to mistakes inputting harvest data based on
the survey format or to species identification mistakes.

21

Game bird species that were harvested on more than one island are shown here for comparisonof total harvest in 2017.

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Ring-necked PheasantHarvestThe most Ring-necked Pheasants were harvested on Kauai,
with a total of 254 birds. 86
were harvested on Oahu, 82
on Hawaii, 82 on Maui, 7 on
Molokai, and 7 on Lanai.

300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Green Pheasant Harvest
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

2017 Kalij Pheasant Harvest
Total Birds Harvested

The most Green Pheasantswere harvested on Maui, witha total of 12 birds. 9 were harvested on Oahu, 2 on Hawaii,
and 5 on Kauai.

The most Kalij Pheasants were
harvested on Hawaii, with a
total of 91 birds. 12 were harvested on Oahu, 1 on Kauai,
and 5 on Maui.

100
80
60
40
20
*

0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai*Kalij Pheasants have notbeen confirmed on Maui, but
1 hunter reported that they
harvested 5 Kalij Pheasants
there.

Maui22

Total Birds Harvested

2017 California Quail Harvest
300
250
200

The most California Quail were
harvested on Hawaii, witha total of 272 birds. 2 were
harvested on Oahu, 6 on Maui,and 1 on Lanai.

150
100
50
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Maui

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Gambel's Quail Harvest
The most Gambel’s Quail were
harvested on Hawaii, witha total of 34 birds. 10 were
harvested on Maui, and 8 on
Lanai.

40
30
20*Gambel’s Quail have notbeen confirmed on Maui, but
1 hunter reported that they
harvested 10 Gambel’s Quailthere.

*

10
0
Hawaii

Maui

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Japanese Quail Harvest
70
60
50
40

The most Japanese Quail were
harvested on Hawaii, witha total of 62 birds. 8 were
harvested on Maui, and 1 on
Lanai.

30
20
10
0
Hawaii

Maui

Lanai

23

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Wild Turkey Harvest

The most Wild Turkeys were
harvested on Hawaii, with a
total of 83 birds. 6 were harvested on Oahu, 34 on Maui,and 10 on Lanai.

100
80
60

*Wild Turkeys have not been
confirmed on Maui, but 2
hunters reported that they
harvested a total of 6 Wild
Turkeys there.

40
20
0

*
Oahu

Hawaii

Maui

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Chesnut-bellied
Sandgrouse Harvest

The most Chesnut-bellied
Sandgrouse were harvested
on Maui, with a total of 6
birds. 3 were harvested on
Hawaii.

8*

6*Chesnut-bellied Sandgrouse
have not been confirmed on
Maui, but 1 hunter reported
that they harvested 6 Chesnutbellied Sandgrouse there.

4
2
0
Hawaii

Maui

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Chukar Partridge Harvest
200
150
100

The most Chukar Partridges
were harvested on Hawaii,with a total of 169 birds. 8
were harvested on Oahu, 11
on Kauai, 31 on Maui, 4 on
Molokai, and 20 on Lanai.

50
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

MolokaiLanai

24

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Gray Francolin Harvest

The most Gray Francolins
were harvested on Hawaii,with a total of 33 birds. 18
were harvested on Oahu, 19
on Kauai, 7 on Maui, 4 on
Molokai, and 30 on Lanai.

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Black Francolin Harvest
200
150
100
50
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Molokai2017 Erckel's Francolin Harvest
Total Birds Harvested

The most Black Francolins
were harvested on Hawaii,with a total of 160 birds. 17
were harvested on Oahu, 82
on Kauai, 7 on Maui, and 9 on
Molokai.

700
600
500
400

The most Erckel’s Francolins
were harvested on Hawaii,with a total of 590 birds. 85
were harvested on Oahu and249 on Kauai.

300
200
100
0
Oahu

HawaiiKauai

252017 Spotted Dove Harvest

The most Spotted Doves were
harvested on Kauai, with a
total of 223 birds. 25 were harvested on Oahu, 38 on Hawaii,
19 on Maui, and 2 on Lanai.

Total Birds Harvested

250
200
150
100
50
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Barred Dove Harvest

The most Barred Doves were
harvested on Oahu, with a
total of 147 birds. 33 were
harvested on Hawaii, 112 on
Kauai, 11 on Maui, and 1 on
Lanai.

200
150
100
50
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

Lanai

Total Birds Harvested

2017 Mourning Dove Harvest
35
30
25

The most Mourning Doves
were harvested on Kauai, witha total of 32 birds. 26 were
harvested on Oahu, 5 on Hawaii, and 8 on Maui.

20
15
10
5
0
Oahu

Hawaii

Kauai

Maui

26

Q18: Using any number from 1 to 5 (1 being the least important and 5 the mostimportant), please rank the following statements for how you feel they would improve your hunting experience in the State of Hawaii. (756/1198)

Average ImportanceImportance of Suggested Improvements
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Increase of bag limits Better access to public
hunting areas

Acquisition of more
An increase in the
An increase in the
public hunting areas number of hunting days number of hunting days
for game mammals
for game birds

The average importance took into account the weight of the response, where 1 was the mostheavily weighted and 5 was the least, corresponding to the scale of importance hunters used.
The most important improvement was the acquisition of more public hunting areas, with anaverage importance of 4.04, followed by better access to public hunting areas with 3.90, an
increase in the number of hunting days for game mammals with 3.04, an increase of bag limits
with 2.12, and lastly an increase in the number of hunting days for game birds with 2.10.

27

Q19: How regularly do you check in at the check stations to report your time in andout of the hunting unit? (933/1198)
Q20: How regularly do you check in at the check station to report the type andnumber of game harvested? (933/1198)

Game Harvest Reporting

Time In and Out
Reporting

90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
AlwaysSometimes

Never

Only if I amnear a checkstation.

AlwaysSometimes

Never

Only if I amnear a checkstation.

79% of hunters reported always checking in and out at the check station. 9% reported using thecheck station sometimes, and 8% reported using the check station only if they were near it. 4%of hunters reported never checking in and out at the check station.
81% of hunters said that they always reported the type and number of game harvested at thecheck station. 7% reported using the check station sometimes, and 7% reported using the checkstation only if they were near it. 5% of hunters said they never reported the type and number ofgame harvested at the check station.

Q21: Would you use a smartphone app to access and provide the same hunting
information that is currently collected at the check station if it meant that you did
not have to stop at the check station? (929/1198)
Would you use a checkstation app?
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Yes

87% of hunters responded that they would use
an app that allowed them to provide the same
information that is currently collected at the checkstations. 13% said they would not use the app, withconcerns such as some hunters not having smartphones or the technical skill to use an app, poor
cell service coverage in certain areas, the desire to
see who else was hunting in the unit, or that they
were not interested or did not find an app to be auseful solution to problems with the hunting program management.

No28

Q22: Are you a member of a hunting club/organization? (933/1198)

Hunting Club or
Organization
Membership
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Yes

No

933 hunters reported whether they belonged to a hunting club or organization. Of those, 84% did not belong
to a hunting club, and 16% did. The organizations they
belonged to, and the number of hunters who indicatedtheir involvement, include:• Safari Club International (34)
• National Rifle Association (31)• Kahikinui Game and Land Management Ohana (8)• Kaupo Wildlife Club (8)• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (7)• Waianae Hunters Association (5)• National Wild Turkey Federation (4)• Pig Hunters Association of Oahu (4)• Kauai Hunters Association (4)• Hawaii Sportsmen’s Alliance (4)• North American Hunting Club (4)• Hawaii Rifle Association (4)• Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (3)• Pheasants Forever (3)• Hawaii Island Archers Club (3)• Molokai Bowhunters Archery Club (3)• Aukahi Archers (3)• Ducks Unlimited (2)• On Target, Inc. (1)• Sustainable Hunting of Hawaii (1)• Hunting Farming and Fishing Association (1)29Q23: Are you a member of, or do you work for, a conservation organization?
(933/1198)

Conservation
Organization
Membership
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Yes

No

933 hunters reported whether they belonged to a conservation organization. Of those, 89% did not, and 11%
did. Many of the reported conservation organizations
overlap with the hunting clubs and organizations. The
organizations they belonged to, and the number ofhunters who indicated their involvement, include:• The Nature Conservancy (10)• Safari Club International (10)• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (8)• Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (8)• DOFAW (7)• DLNR (6)• Kahikinui Game and Land Management Ohana (4)• Hunter Education (3)• Wild Sheep Foundation (3)• National Wild Turkey Federation (4)• Hawaii Audubon Society (2)• Sierra Club (1)• USDA Wildlife Services (1)• US Fish and Wildlife Service (1)• Mauna Kea Soil and Water Conservation District (1)• World Wildlife Foundation (1)• Hui Mālama Makanalua (1)30Q24: Do you have any additional comments? (378/1198)
378 hunters left comments about their concerns, suggestions for improvement of the hunting
program, and questions for the DLNR. The most common request, that the DLNR end eradication of game mammal populations, was mentioned 48 times. There were numerous comments
calling for better management of the game program without offering any specific suggestions
for improvement, but another frequently mentioned concern was accessibility. Many hunters
felt that improving access to public hunting areas would be an important way to increase theamount of space and hunting opportunities available and reduce crowding in heavily used units.
Some were concerned about the continued availability of public hunting land, with 31 hunters suggesting opening more or better quality land to public hunting. Seven people specifically
noted that they were eagerly awaiting the opening of the Kanaio area on Maui. Commenters
also pointed out the need for more maintenance of public hunting areas, particularly of roads
and trails, and suggested investing in better parking areas.
Hunters were looking for more opportunities to hunt. They expressed concern about the lack ofgame in public hunting areas in general, with specific requests to release additional gamebirds
for hunters and to consider closing the season on Lanai for Mouflon to allow the herd to improve. Seven suggested making goat and pig seasons year round or increasing the bag limits for
those species so that hunters could harvest more game rather than using aerial shooting. Many
commenters wanted to have more time to hunt, asking for weekday hunting so that people whowork on the weekends and seniors would have more chances to go out. Hunters also wanted tosee the Lanai Axis deer season extended and moved later in the year. Archery hunters wanted
more land open for archery without gun hunting and dogs being allowed at the same time, sothat bow hunting would be more successful. Both archery and firearm shooting ranges werementioned as a desired improvement for the state.
26 commenters wanted more enforcement of hunting regulations, because they felt that thelack of enforcement was allowing people to take advantage of the system and creating unfair
situations for hunters who followed the rules. They requested a stronger presence of DOCARE
officers in the field to prevent poaching, and suggested increasing penalties for violations, more
follow up on tips to the hotline, and faster responses. There was also concern about hikers andothers using hunting areas for recreation during hunting days, and hunters were worried about
dog interactions and the fact that other users are not required to wear blaze orange or pay any
fees for use like the hunting community does.
Some commenters were looking for more frequent and clearer communication from the DLNR.
The hunters mentioned a need for updated maps and easy access to the hunting regulations
online. They also noted that they were glad that license purchases were available online andsuggested making tags and other special hunting permits available from the website as well. Six
people specifically commented on the improvements the mobile app could provide.
Other comments included requests for the legalization of crossbows and air guns (mentionedby 5 commenters), the prevalence of invasive plants in certain hunting units (3 commenters),
and allowing hunting assistants to go in the field without a license as a way for more people tobecome interested in hunting (3 commenters). Ten people commented that they had not yet
started hunting in Hawaii and were looking forward to joining the community. All of the comments hunters left show their desire for support for the continuation of public hunting on Hawaii, which is a major part of many of their lives and livelihoods.

31