MEDIA RELEASE

The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) will be opening special access to Puu Oo area of the Hilo Restricted Watershed for the control of feral cattle.

Special access will be granted to one hunter group per Saturday beginning Nov. 16, 2013, and running through the end of March 2014.

Hunters will be selected through a random lottery drawing to be held Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the East Hawaii DOFAW office at 19 E. Kawili St., in Hilo.

The deadline for applications has been extended to Friday, Oct. 25, 2013. Originally, the deadline was Friday, Oct. 18, 2013.

Applications may be obtained at the East and West Hawaii DOFAW offices or online at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw

These actions are pursuant to Hawaii Administrative Rules 13-124-7, Indigenous, Endangered, Threatened, and Injurious Wildlife, and Introduced Wild Birds, and as authorized by Hawaii Revised Statutes; 183-19 Exclusion of Livestock from Forest Reserves, Game Management Areas, and Public Hunting Areas and Title 13, Chapter 123, Unit D, Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting.

Feral pigs and sheep may be hunted as usual. No dogs are allowed.

Special access will be temporarily granted into the Puu Oo area of the Hilo Restricted Watershed by permit only on the following dates:

* Nov. 16, 23 and 30
* Dec. 7, 14, 21 and 28
* Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25
* Feb. 1, 8, 15 and 22
* March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29

Applications must consist of a minimum of five and maximum of 10 licensed hunters as a group. Applicants may only submit their name on a single application. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

Selected applicants must confirm acceptance of their assigned hunt period by calling the East Hawaii DOFAW office at (808) 974-4221 no later than noon Wednesday preceding their assignment. Permits will be issued and/or validated at the entrance gate into Puu Oo near the 22 mile marker along Daniel K. Inouye Highway (formerly Saddle Road) on the Saturday morning of the assigned hunt.

If selected applicants decline or do not call to confirm by the deadline, then a stand-by group will be chosen from the original list of applicants who were not previously selected. Stand-bys will be notified by phone. No stand-bys waiting at the gates will be allowed.

Access to the Hilo Restricted Watershed will be provided at Puu Oo and a 4×4 vehicle is required. ATVs will be allowed on the access roads and parking area. There will be a bag limit of two cattle of either sex per licensed hunter.

Interested persons wanting additional details regarding the feral cattle control program, application process and/or special accommodations, may contact Division of Forestry and Wildlife in Hilo at (808) 974-4221.