(Līhue) – As the response to COVID-19 continues, so will the additional hunting days enjoyed by hunters on Kaua‘i. The additional hunting days were added in May 2020 by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) Kaua‘i Branch, and has resulted in a sustainable supply of both hunting recreation and animals harvested. Building on this success, Kaua‘i hunters are again invited to apply for Special Use Permits that allow for some additional days of the week to hunt goats, pigs and deer in all existing hunting Units EXCEPT Units A, B, D, F and L, which will be involved in other Lottery or Special hunts in the near future.

Under this extended Special Use Permit, licensed hunters may hunt more days of the week by submitting an online one month application. “Extending the ability for hunters to hunt more days could help those who need to supplement their food source during the ongoing economic hardship related to the COVID-19 global pandemic,” said Sheri S. Mann, Kaua‘i Branch Manager for DOFAW. Opening daily hunting in some areas provides additional opportunity and more flexibility for hunters and will help spread hunting trips out and reduce the likelihood of hunters overlapping, improving the hunting experience. While hunting, all hunters and forest users should adhere to the latest CDC, State and County social distancing, and other COVID-19 related recommendations.

Similar to the previous Special Use Permits, each permit will be valid for 30 days with the option to request an extension at the end of that time period. DOFAW will be collecting detailed hunter harvest data to help evaluate any impacts that more hunting days may or may not have on additional hunter trips, animal populations, native forests, rare species or other forest users. Under this extended Special Use Permits, additional data is requested regarding the number of hunter trips, what hunting units were utilized, and number of animals harvested. All existing rules covering bag limits, permissible firearms by unit, and species of game mammals allowable to hunt in various units will remain the same.

Applicants must have a current State of Hawai’i hunting license to apply for this special use permit, which will only be issued for a one-month period, with the opportunity to reapply for future months after submitting harvest data via an online form on this website. All hunters under this changed permit system must re-apply even if they have applied for other permits in the past.

For more information or help with the online application or hunter reporting process, please contact the DOFAW Kaua’i Branch office at 808-274-3433 or send questions and comments to kauaiforestusers@hawaii.gov

During this extension of the expansion of hunting days, we are asking all forest users to be considerate and careful of each other and other forest users and managers.

Special Use Permits will be available upon request for daily hunting in Units C, E1, H, J and K. Units G and E2 are already open for daily hunting, no additional permit required.

Special Use Permits will NOT include Units A, B, D, F and L (including the Game Management Area). See attached map.

All Tags and/or annual permits will still be required, and no other existing hunting rules will change. This temporary increase in open hunting days in Units C, E1, H, J, and K will last until August 3, 2021 (in some units it will end earlier depending on any existing rules). Each permit is good for 30 days, after which an extension can be requested.