Lingering Drought Means Below Average Bird Hunting

By Wendy Osher

The 2012-2013 Game Bird Hunting season began earlier this month, and runs through Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.  Legal hunting days are on Saturday, Sunday, and state holidays.

Biologists with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are predicting a below average season for bird hunting, with lingering drought impacts in many parts of the state.

A valid hunting license is required for all game bird hunting on public and private lands, and is regulated by Hawai‘i Administrative Rules which can be found at the following link: http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw.

On Maui, the Kula Forest Reserve and Cooperative Leas Area (Hunting Unit C), Kahakuloa GMA and West Maui Forest Reserve (Hunting Unit F), and Kahakuloa Natural Area Reserve (Unit N), 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.