The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) announces the opening of the hunting season in the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Forest Reserve Hunting Unit F (PWW) Youth and Disabled Hunt and Makai Sections pursuant to Title 13, Chapter 123, “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting.”
Dates and bag limits for each season are listed below:
SPECIAL YOUTH AND DISABLED HUNT SEASON: August 6 – 28, 2022
Season bag limit: One (1) ram, three (3) non-typical rams, and one (1) pig. There will be no limits for goats. The Mauka safety zone that includes the cinder cone will be added to the hunting area for this special hunt.
MAKAI ARCHERY SEASON: August 6 – 28, 2022
Season bag limit: One (1) non-typical ram and three (3) goats. Additional goat tags may be purchased after the season limit has been reached as part of the nuisance control program.
MAKAI MUZZLELOADER SEASON: September 3-18, 2022
Season bag limit: One (1) non-typical ram and three (3) goats. Additional goat tags may be purchased after the season limit has been reached as part of the nuisance control program.
DLNR-DOFAW also announces a special Ungulate Control Program for the PWW Makai and Mauka sections pursuant to Title 13, Chapter 123, “Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting,” §13-123-9.
Dates for the Makai programs are listed below:
MAKAI UNGULATE CONTROL PROGRAMS
ARCHERY: July 23 – 31, 2022
Daily bag limit: One (1) non-typical ram and three (3) goats.
MUZZLELOADER: September 24 – 25, 2022
Daily bag limit: One (1) non-typical ram and three (3) goats.
MAUKA ARCHERY UNGULATE CONTROL PROGRAM September 3-25, 2022
Permitted bag limit: One (1) ram and no limit for goats.
Hunters for the Mauka Archery Ungulate Control Program will be selected through a random lottery. Drawing to be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, at the Kamuela DOFAW Office. Depending on the number of applicants, not all hunters may be drawn for the hunt. There will be no standby list. All applications must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, July 20, 2022, to qualify for the lottery.
Applicants may only apply individually. There will be 30 permits available for each two-day slot. Applications are available online at:
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/hunting/hawaiiisland/ or view our DOFAW hunting website and go to Hawaii Island hunting. The dates for this control program are as follows: September 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25, 2022.
Hunters will need to purchase goat and ram tags to legally hunt these species in these areas. Tags may be purchased online by going to https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/hunting/ click on “Purchase Tags and Permits” or by appointment at the Kamuela and Hilo DOFAW offices. Tags will also be available at the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Hunter Check Station on each day of the hunt between 5:00 am and 3:00 pm. The cost for each tag is $10 for residents and $25 for non-residents. Exact change of $10/tag (resident hunters) and $25/tag (non-resident hunters) is required when purchasing tags at the hunter check station.
Hunting days for all seasons and ungulate control programs are weekends and State holidays, with the exception of the Mauka Ungulate Control program, which will only be open on weekends. Hunters are to check in /out at the Pu’u Wa’awa’a hunter check station or online using the OuterSpatial mobile application, beginning at 5 a.m. the day of the hunt, and must be checked-out by 7:45 p.m. For manual hunter check-in, two additional hunter check stations will be added along Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Highway 19) to allow for access from makai. These stations will be unmanned but will allow hunters to check-in and out without having to drive around to the Mauka check station. Please call the Kamuela DOFAW office for details regarding these stations.
There will be NO CAMPING allowed in the hunting area on any night before or during the hunt.
There will be no compensation for any hunting days lost due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e., Wildland fire, hurricane, etc.).
Further information may be obtained by contacting the DOFAW Office in Kamuela at (808) 887-6063.