Hunting on Big island (unemployed, to buy, areas)

[aquamaster]

I see a couple of Game Management areas on the Big Island. Can anyone tell me what kind of hunting there is there.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I hear a lot about hunting wild pigs, or is it wild boar?

[mdand3boys]

Wild: pig, turkey, pheasant, goat, sheep, cow (yes, wild cow) and lots of other stuff, too.

[thisbloominglife]

Wild...cows? o_O

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

I hear a lot about hunting wild pigs, or is it wild boar?

There is very good hunting on Big Island of several types. There is excellent boar hunting. There are a greater variety of game birds, as well, than can be found most anywhere in one locale on the mainland. Goat hunting is quite good too. The wild cow is a very limited hunt, pretty nearly restricted to the Parker Ranch guided hunts. The "cows" are old long-horns that went feral and have become moderately crafty ... VERY expensive to hunt those by the time you factor in the fees for taking the big game ... and I doubt you'd find it the most exciting or fulfilling of available game. Still, if you want to fill your freezer, that's a Lot of meat for one shot ;-)

All said above, much of the bird hunting, and certainly the goat and pig, can be done on public lands -- but it is rugged if you aren't local (and even if you are, really). The guided hunts on Parker Ranch are very well done if you can afford the guide and fees (which are fair, in my opinion). The guide there is named Patrick -- forgotten his last name. Took my son and me out in about 2005, I think it was. Very successful days for bird, goat, and pig, all. Patrick runs excellent dogs to point the birds.

We also did a pig hunt with locals and their pig-dogs ... no guns ... just on foot with hands and knives. Primal and what hunting is really all about.

Good luck.

[hotzcatz]

It's probably cheaper to buy a young tender steer and "hunt" it in your back field than to go wandering all over hill and dale to shoot an old tough one. What with the drought and all, folks are selling cattle real cheap right now. I think there is also a waiting list at the slaughterhouse for available time slots so "hunting" a steer bought on Craig's List might be a good way to fill the freezer.

There are a lot of folks who hunt pig to feed their families. Our neighbor has always had a pack of hunting dogs, but now they've built a big smoker for pig meat and they are out hunting a lot more than they used to be. They don't sell the smoke meat so I'm sure it's supporting their immediate family as well as aunties, uncles and cousins. Some other neighbors up mountain are doing a lot more hunting now they are all unemployed, too.

[Kelly4Sun]

Do they use bird dogs to hunt pheasant on the big island, like we do here on the mainland?

Mahalo,
Kelly4Sun

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Kelly4Sun

Do they use bird dogs to hunt pheasant on the big island, like we do here on the mainland?

Mahalo,
Kelly4Sun

yes ... on the guided hunts certainly ... public open range is available for you to use your own dogs, as well ... but the hunting is fairly limited for pheasant unless you are very familiar with the areas.

[Kelly4Sun]

Is Pheasant the only game bird on The Big Island? Do you have a game bird called Chukar there by chance?

Mahalo,
Kelly4Sun

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Kelly4Sun

Is Pheasant the only game bird on The Big Island? Do you have a game bird called Chukar there by chance?

Mahalo,
Kelly4Sun

yes ... here's a link to the list of game birds on Parker Ranch ... you can also link the other hunts from there

Hunting in Hawaii at Parker Ranch