MEDIA RELEASE

The Department of Land and Natural Resources has announced the opening of the game bird hunting season on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The fall game bird hunting season will run through Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, with legal hunting days on Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays.

All game bird hunting is regulated by Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 13, Chapter 122 Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting (see http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw (see Hunting in Hawaii).

A valid hunting license only is required for all game bird hunting on public and private lands. A Dec. 31, 2007 appellate court ruling determined that no game bird stamp sales are allowed for hunting.

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

Island of Hawaii

MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE (formerly MK 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. Mauka access is restricted to foot traffic only, due to concerns of fire risk. Hunters are discouraged from using these areas this season also because of very low game bird counts from surveys carried out in late September 2011. The Appellate Court ruling does not allow the Department to close the area to protect game bird breeding stock.

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

KAOHE LEASE COOPERATIVE GMA will be open for game bird hunting 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 Puu Huluhulu Hunter Check Station. Hunters are to avoid nene geese that are in the area. Mammal hunting in this area is closed from Nov. 1 through February.

CLOSED: KAHUA/PONOHOLO RANCH SPECIAL PERMIT AREA will be closed due to landowner concerns of high fire risk.

OPEN: All other public hunting areas not listed above are open to game bird hunting on weekends and State holidays, Nov. 5, 2011 through Jan. 16, 2012 in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS on the Island of Hawaii are open to game bird hunting on weekends and state holidays Nov. 5, 2011 through Jan. 16, 2012, with landowner permission and in accordance with Chapter 13-122.

Island of Kauai

HUNTING UNITS A, B, E, H and I on the island of Kauai will be open for the entire 2011-2012 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 State Office building in Lihue.

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

WAIMEA HEIGHTS SPECIAL GAME BIRD HUNTING AREA – NOT open for the beginning of the season. State wildlife staff anticipate this area may be opened later in the season, as soon as the Cooperative Agreement for hunting is signed. Be on the lookout for a further news release.

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

Island of Oahu

KUAOKALA Game Management Area (UNIT 1) AND MOKULEIA Public Hunting Area (UNIT 2) will be open on weekends and state holidays from Nov. 5, 2011 through Jan. 16, 2012. 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 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.

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.

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. Signs will be posted at the checking stations. Hunters can hunt any game bird in Kahakuloa GMA and West Maui Forest Reserve on open days. For both Units C and F, game mammal hunting will be closed on open game bird season days.

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

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 on open game bird season days.

Island of Lanai

COOPERATIVE GMA (UNITS 1, and 2, AND 3) will be open for game bird hunting 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.

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. Prevent wildfires.

Do not park or drive in tall grass or brush without checking for fires.
Report all fires to 911.

Support wildlife conservation: Report game law violators to the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement by calling 643-DLNR (643-3567).

Further information may be obtained by contacting Division of Forestry and 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: (808)887-6063.