MEDIA RELEASE

Announcement of feral goat and sheep control permits for the Puu Waawaa forest reserve – makai and mauka sections

The State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources is issuing control permits for feral goats in the makai portion (below Mamalahoa Highway) and control permits for feral goats and feral sheep (polled rams) in the mauka portion (above Mamalahoa Highway) of the Puu Waawaa Forest Reserve, pursuant to Title 13, Chapter 123, “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting,” §13-123-9, “Nuisance or crop damage.” Applications will be available at all DOFAW offices statewide beginning on August 23, 2012. A lottery system will be used to establish hunting dates, and groups will be limited to a maximum of five (5) hunters. Hunters can apply once for makai and mauka archery and once for makai and mauka muzzleloader. However, multiple applications for the same hunt by the same hunter will result in disqualification for that individual. The deadline for submitting applications is 3:30 pm, Friday, September 7, 2012. The public drawing to assign hunting dates will be held at the Waimea Hunter Education Office on Wednesday September 12, 2012 at 11am.

ARCHERY ONLY – September 29, 2012 to October 14, 2012
Puu Waawaa Makai – will be assigned by lottery for first three weekends for feral goats with no limit on sex and number. Boning will be allowed.

Puu Waawaa Mauka – will be assigned by lottery for first three weekends for feral goats and feral sheep. There will be no limit on feral goats and no limit on polled ram feral sheep (rams without horns). Whole carcasses (entrails can be cleaned but with attached genitalia on carcass) need to be inspected at checkout.

MUZZLELOADER ONLY – October 20-21, 2012
Puu Waawaa Makai – will be assigned by lottery for the fourth weekend for feral goats with no limit on sex and number. Boning will be allowed.
Puu Waawaa Mauka – will be assigned by lottery for the fourth weekend for feral goats and polled ram feral sheep with no limit. Whole carcasses (entrails can be cleaned but with attached genitalia on carcass) need to be inspected at checkout.

Permittees are to check in at the Puu Waawaa check station between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. on their assigned date(s) and must be checked-out by 6:30 p.m. Vehicle passes will be given at the hunter check station. Stand-bys and hunter assistants will not be allowed. For safety purposes, a maximum of fifty permittees will be allowed per day Makai and twenty-five permittees will be allowed per day Mauka.

Some Reminders: Every effort needs to be made to recover wounded animals, and to salvage all useable meat. Pursuant to HRS 185-3-2 and 185-3-4, fires are not permitted due to dry conditions. Do not drive or park in tall grass due to possible combustion from catalytic converters. Call 911 to report any signs of fire.

Further information may be obtained by contacting the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Offices in Hilo at (808) 974-4221 or in Kamuela at (808) 887-6063.