Post by: Switchback on March 05, 2020, 02:16:58 PM
If you've got the chance, this is one of the better ways to do a Hawaii vacation. Been doing it for a few years and it's such a blast, and not very expensive (compared to other out of state hunts) if you don't stay at the Four Seasons.
Post by: carpsniperg2 on March 05, 2020, 02:25:11 PM
Post by: 253shotgunner on March 05, 2020, 02:36:24 PM
Post by: bearpaw on March 05, 2020, 02:38:01 PM
Post by: Limhangerslayer on March 05, 2020, 03:44:28 PM
Post by: dilleytech on March 07, 2020, 10:24:12 AM
Post by: Tracker0721 on March 07, 2020, 01:01:32 PM
Post by: avidnwoutdoorsman on March 07, 2020, 01:48:51 PM
Post by: Switchback on March 09, 2020, 08:52:01 AM
That’s awesome this hunt might be a reality for me in coming years. So you did just a public land hunt and saw descent numbers of animals? I hear so much conflicting info it seems. Thanks
Yep! There are deer everywhere. We catch a lot of them walking downhill toward the beach in the morning, and then walking back up toward the top in the evening. First couple days you see a ton because there are a lot of other hunters bumping them. We always just found a nice gulch with a good trail, sat down in cover and waited. Then you get a nice lunch break from 11-3, and back out for the evening hunt!
So many deer, if you seriously just picked a trail and sat in the same spot for a week, you'd get a few shot opportunities. Pick a good trail with lots of activity, and you'll get way more than a few. Stalking is tough because they are usually in groups - but it's doable, just have to pick your deer wisely (smaller herds, favorable terrain/wind). If you try and stalk every herd you see, you'll probably waste a lot of time. Best option is seems is to set up in a good spot and just wait!
Post by: Switchback on March 09, 2020, 09:50:17 AM
That’s awesome! Congrats! It’s a bucket list hunt for me. So you just bought a non res tag and found em on public land huh? I’ve heard people say it’s easy to find the goats and axis on public and other people say it’s near impossible. I’m planning to go just for the experience but the meat and one of those hides would be awesome!Correct - bought the NR state land tags (you have to buy a doe tag at minimum, so 2 total tags even if you only want the either sex tag) and hunted the state land. We always see tons of deer - they travel down just about every gulch, and bigger trails aren't too hard to find. Lots of sheep around too. I always go into this hunt with the mentality that I'm on a Hawaii vacation, and if I get to come home with a cooler full of meat then it's a bonus!
Easy to get on them, tough to connect, even at 20-30 yds. My best advice is to take the first ethical shot you get, as you may need a few of those before the stars align and you connect with vitals.
Even though we do the state land hunt, which is just one week, you can do the company land hunt year-round. They have land available where all you need for archery is a $150/year permit, and you can get a couple deer each day I think. Would be cheaper than state land but we just like the state land thing. Some company land is guide only, but there are other parcels just for archery, and they have a bunch of deer as well. Many locals exclusively hunt company land because of the price and year-round access.
One budget tip - get a group together and split an airbnb and rental car. We do this trip annually and it comes out to just under $2k/person all-in (airfare, lodging, car, food, tags, etc.) - which is cheaper than many out-of-state hunts, even if I drove and camped in my truck. I think I'll break the $2k mark this year, but only because I'm getting a euro mount and paying to have it shipped back here (didn't want to break the skull plate and check the antlers).
Post by: dilleytech on March 09, 2020, 01:45:17 PM
That’s awesome this hunt might be a reality for me in coming years. So you did just a public land hunt and saw descent numbers of animals? I hear so much conflicting info it seems. Thanks
Yep! There are deer everywhere. We catch a lot of them walking downhill toward the beach in the morning, and then walking back up toward the top in the evening. First couple days you see a ton because there are a lot of other hunters bumping them. We always just found a nice gulch with a good trail, sat down in cover and waited. Then you get a nice lunch break from 11-3, and back out for the evening hunt!
So many deer, if you seriously just picked a trail and sat in the same spot for a week, you'd get a few shot opportunities. Pick a good trail with lots of activity, and you'll get way more than a few. Stalking is tough because they are usually in groups - but it's doable, just have to pick your deer wisely (smaller herds, favorable terrain/wind). If you try and stalk every herd you see, you'll probably waste a lot of time. Best option is seems is to set up in a good spot and just wait!
Good info. Sounds really fun
Post by: p-ohana on March 09, 2020, 02:21:41 PM
Post by: Tracker0721 on March 09, 2020, 03:13:12 PM
Post by: sjhgraysage on March 09, 2020, 08:32:45 PM
:tup:
Post by: Whitpirate on March 09, 2020, 09:44:37 PM
Post by: jackelope on March 09, 2020, 10:01:58 PM
Is there a rifle season there? How tough is it to bring a rifle to HI? I'm assuming no worse than shipping your bow?
I believe you have to take your firearm to a police station in the town you’re staying in and register it with them when you arrive. I looked into it a while back and found that it’s a little more difficult to bring guns to Hawaii. Can’t remember 100% all the details.
Post by: Switchback on March 10, 2020, 09:25:27 AM
Is there a rifle season there? How tough is it to bring a rifle to HI? I'm assuming no worse than shipping your bow?
I believe you have to take your firearm to a police station in the town you’re staying in and register it with them when you arrive. I looked into it a while back and found that it’s a little more difficult to bring guns to Hawaii. Can’t remember 100% all the details.
This is true - although, I believe there's an exception to that rule if you are staying less than 3 days. And since all the state land rifle seasons are one weekend only, if you flew in Friday and flew out Sunday evening, you wouldn't need to do all the registration stuff. Would definitely double check on that - I haven't brought one to the islands.
State land rifle hunts are a lottery system, they have a few 'seasons' - each season is a weekend. You get drawn at random - so you apply in october, and then in february or so they post results and you find out which weekend you're going, or if you're on standby. So rifle is harder to plan a trip around in the longer-term, as you won't know anything before february other than you might be hunting one weekend between march and may.
Post by: Jpmiller on March 10, 2020, 09:37:16 AM
Is there a rifle season there? How tough is it to bring a rifle to HI? I'm assuming no worse than shipping your bow?
I believe you have to take your firearm to a police station in the town you’re staying in and register it with them when you arrive. I looked into it a while back and found that it’s a little more difficult to bring guns to Hawaii. Can’t remember 100% all the details.
This is true - although, I believe there's an exception to that rule if you are staying less than 3 days. And since all the state land rifle seasons are one weekend only, if you flew in Friday and flew out Sunday evening, you wouldn't need to do all the registration stuff. Would definitely double check on that - I haven't brought one to the islands.
State land rifle hunts are a lottery system, they have a few 'seasons' - each season is a weekend. You get drawn at random - so you apply in october, and then in february or so they post results and you find out which weekend you're going, or if you're on standby. So rifle is harder to plan a trip around in the longer-term, as you won't know anything before february other than you might be hunting one weekend between march and may.
The private land stuff is always open to rifle though isn't it?
Post by: nwwanderer on March 10, 2020, 10:02:51 AM
Post by: Switchback on March 10, 2020, 10:43:01 AM
Yes - 'company land' is land managed by the company, Pulama Lanai. They have designated parcels for archery, shotgun, rifle, and guided hunts - and I know archery is every day, I think rifle is but not sure. BUT the permit to hunt company land with a rifle is $400/day, which is why I haven't looked into it further.Is there a rifle season there? How tough is it to bring a rifle to HI? I'm assuming no worse than shipping your bow?
I believe you have to take your firearm to a police station in the town you’re staying in and register it with them when you arrive. I looked into it a while back and found that it’s a little more difficult to bring guns to Hawaii. Can’t remember 100% all the details.
This is true - although, I believe there's an exception to that rule if you are staying less than 3 days. And since all the state land rifle seasons are one weekend only, if you flew in Friday and flew out Sunday evening, you wouldn't need to do all the registration stuff. Would definitely double check on that - I haven't brought one to the islands.
State land rifle hunts are a lottery system, they have a few 'seasons' - each season is a weekend. You get drawn at random - so you apply in october, and then in february or so they post results and you find out which weekend you're going, or if you're on standby. So rifle is harder to plan a trip around in the longer-term, as you won't know anything before february other than you might be hunting one weekend between march and may.
The private land stuff is always open to rifle though isn't it?
Post by: Switchback on March 10, 2020, 10:45:35 AM
Lanai is 98% private with some state agreements I think, be careful out thereThat is correct - all the land that anyone hunts on Lanai is private. Essentially, for hunting purposes, the private land is divvied up into two types - state land (managed by the state, with state-issued tags and seasons) and company land (managed by the company, Pulama Lanai).
So even though I was on a 'state land' hunt, I was still technically hunting private land - just a section of private land that the state is allowed to manage hunts on and that anyone can access.