hawaii(big island) hunting

[jackelope]

the wife and kid and i are headed to Hilo next year in june, maybe again in august, and i wanted to start looking into the options for a hunt there. we have family there that may know a little something about it but are not hunters...does anyone have any info or advice they're willing to share? i know there's pigs and some cool feral goats...not sure about what else.
i will have a vehicle and don't mind driving, also not too picky on what we would hunt with whatever means as in bow, rifle, muzz, etc.
thanks in advance
JB

[NRA4LIFE]

Don't know the seasons on them but I know there's quite a few turkeys.  Most of them that we saw in February were in the farm land in the central western region of the island.  And we seen some of the goats about half way up Mauna Kea I did not have my binos that day so they could have been stock, I'm not sure.

[SpokaneSlayer]

There's wild sheep as well as goats and pigs.  Here's a link to their season summary:

http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/hunting/hawmammregs.html

[Ridgerunner]

Look at the parker ranch. 

I do know you've got to get approved before you can buy a license, I had to submit my hunters ed info months before heading down there.  From what I hear the seasons and bag limits are quite liberal. 

[cackle]

looks like you can pretty much hunt year round I think i need to go to hawii

[jackelope]

Look at the parker ranch. 

I do know you've got to get approved before you can buy a license, I had to submit my hunters ed info months before heading down there.  From what I hear the seasons and bag limits are quite liberal. 

ridge-did you hunt parker ranch? we went there last time we were there for a tour of the place, but thats it.

the kona side is lousy with those goats. we almost ran a couple over on the highway leaving the airport.

thanks for the tip re: license approval.

[Ridgerunner]

I was all set up to do a half day bird hunt on the ranch and then got the flu and wasn't able to make it or reschedule.  MAJOR BUMMER!

[huntnphool]

not too picky on what we would hunt with whatever means

 You're going to a tropical island, how about thong bikini's with a zoom lens

[jackelope]

I don't need a zoom lense to get good bikini looking time in  . besides there aren't that many great beaches on the big island and we will not be in the touristy areas.

[Clipboard guy]

When in Hawaii do as the Hawaiian do and go after the pigs with a knife.  I copied this photo from http://www.mauihuntingsafari.com/client_gallery_i.htm
 
Makes firearm hunting seem too easy.   

[satchel3006]

this might help
http://hawaiisportsman.forumotion.com/index.htm

[p-ohana]

Don't know too much about hunting on the Big Island, If you where going to Maui that would be a different story. I grew up hunting on Maui. I've killed everything huntable on Maui and freediving off Maui. I hear there is very good hunting on Parker Ranch but my impression growing up was it was for the rich tourists or If you knew someone who worked for the ranch who could get you on the property.

[Dakota Dogman]

Heard getting a gun on the Island can be a pain... anyone know?

Couple of knife guys on the Island would love to sell you genuine pig stickers... Vince Evans lives there again, and I believe Ken Onion is on the Big Island.

God Bless,

[p-ohana]

Never had a problem getting a firearm to HI. I just put it in a hard case and checked it. My dad hunts in Montana regularly and hasn't had any problems.

[starbailey]

A buddy and I hunted on the Big Island last Nov. We were mainly there to hunt for mouflon sheep. The game dep. personell were very helpful finding areas to hunt. We wish we could have stayed a few more days. It is a pain to bring a rifle to the islands as you have to get a permit from the local police dept. It took us at least a hour to get the paperwork and fingerprinting done.(yes, fingerprinted) I think the nonres hunting license was $100 and be sure to have proof of a hunter safety class. Hunting season is 365 days long for pigs,sheep,goats. No tags required.  Bird season started in Nov when we were there.
We took an extra cooler with us and shipped(fed ex) our horns and capes home.
We were told there were hundreds of goats/sheep on the military areas but, they were bow only!
My suggestion would be to get the numbers of the game dept and start calling.
Bryan