alyeska338
10-13-2004, 03:46 PM
Big game hunters who want to collect a free, pure-bred mouflon sheep in Hawaii take note: A special opportunity to do just that is being organized on the Kahuku Ranch on Hawaii's Big Island by the National Park Service. The date to apply is coming up fast, however.
The Park Service, you'll remember, purchased the 116,000-acre Kahuku property back in July 2003, adding it to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The ranch was famous as home of the world's largest pure-bred mouflon herd. We told you the sheep and other game there, such as feral pigs, were living on borrowed time because of the Park Service's policy to eliminate all non-indigenous species. Well, we were right: The Service has now cranked up what it calls a Volunteer Ungulate Control Program to wipe out the mouflon and pigs.
The program involves the use of volunteer hunters, who will be allowed to shoot large numbers of sheep and pigs. The first such "hunt" was conducted this past May and June and resulted in the removal of 232 mouflon sheep and two feral pigs by only 28 volunteers. The new hunts will take place every other Saturday, beginning November 27, 2004 and continuing until the sheep have all been removed. Would-be volunteers must enter a lottery to participate, and the deadline is coming up fast - October 25th. The drawing will take place November 8. Drawn hunters will be able to select the hunt date of their preference in the order that they are drawn.
There is no cost to apply or to participate in these hunts, but there are a few requirements. Successful applicants must have completed a hunter safety course and be "physically and mentally" able to hike for eight hours over rough and rocky terrain in cold, wet weather. They will also have to buy a State of Hawaii hunting license on arrival from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (808-974-4221) and gain access to a reliable 4wd vehicle. Budget Rent A Car, among other firms at Hilo International Airport, have such vehicles available. Successful applicants will also have to bring with them a center fire rifle comparable to or greater than a .223 Remington, with a scope. Archery equipment, handguns and muzzleloaders will not be permitted. The rifle will have to be "registered" with the local police in Hilo (808-961-2239) or Kona (808-326-4221). The police registration form and your hunting license will need to be in hand when you report for your hunt.
And there is one more very important requirement: You must have listed on your lottery registration form the name of a hunting guest, and he (or she) will need to be with you on arrival. Your guest will need to meet the same requirements as you do, and that includes bringing a firearm.
You must also keep in mind that these hunts are for control purposes only, so hunting specifically for trophies is not permitted, although hunters are encouraged to salvage meat and any other parts they want from the animals they shoot. There is no bag limit, and you should be prepared to shoot any animal the staff hunter tells you to take.
You can download a lottery registration form from the National Park Service web site at:
http://www.nps.gov/havo/news/pr_20040927regform.htm
For more information, visit the web site; or contact Jon Faford by phone at 808-985-6084. His e-mail address is: jon_faford@nps.gov.
The Park Service, you'll remember, purchased the 116,000-acre Kahuku property back in July 2003, adding it to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The ranch was famous as home of the world's largest pure-bred mouflon herd. We told you the sheep and other game there, such as feral pigs, were living on borrowed time because of the Park Service's policy to eliminate all non-indigenous species. Well, we were right: The Service has now cranked up what it calls a Volunteer Ungulate Control Program to wipe out the mouflon and pigs.
The program involves the use of volunteer hunters, who will be allowed to shoot large numbers of sheep and pigs. The first such "hunt" was conducted this past May and June and resulted in the removal of 232 mouflon sheep and two feral pigs by only 28 volunteers. The new hunts will take place every other Saturday, beginning November 27, 2004 and continuing until the sheep have all been removed. Would-be volunteers must enter a lottery to participate, and the deadline is coming up fast - October 25th. The drawing will take place November 8. Drawn hunters will be able to select the hunt date of their preference in the order that they are drawn.
There is no cost to apply or to participate in these hunts, but there are a few requirements. Successful applicants must have completed a hunter safety course and be "physically and mentally" able to hike for eight hours over rough and rocky terrain in cold, wet weather. They will also have to buy a State of Hawaii hunting license on arrival from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (808-974-4221) and gain access to a reliable 4wd vehicle. Budget Rent A Car, among other firms at Hilo International Airport, have such vehicles available. Successful applicants will also have to bring with them a center fire rifle comparable to or greater than a .223 Remington, with a scope. Archery equipment, handguns and muzzleloaders will not be permitted. The rifle will have to be "registered" with the local police in Hilo (808-961-2239) or Kona (808-326-4221). The police registration form and your hunting license will need to be in hand when you report for your hunt.
And there is one more very important requirement: You must have listed on your lottery registration form the name of a hunting guest, and he (or she) will need to be with you on arrival. Your guest will need to meet the same requirements as you do, and that includes bringing a firearm.
You must also keep in mind that these hunts are for control purposes only, so hunting specifically for trophies is not permitted, although hunters are encouraged to salvage meat and any other parts they want from the animals they shoot. There is no bag limit, and you should be prepared to shoot any animal the staff hunter tells you to take.
You can download a lottery registration form from the National Park Service web site at:
http://www.nps.gov/havo/news/pr_20040927regform.htm
For more information, visit the web site; or contact Jon Faford by phone at 808-985-6084. His e-mail address is: jon_faford@nps.gov.