Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Hunting the Big Island of Hawaii

I will be on the big island in February of 2018.

Any experiences with outfitters?

I am interested in a black sheep or a spanish goat.

There is Nahele Outfitters, The Parker Ranch, and Hawaii Safaris (Patrick Fisher). Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

Hunted with Mike Vitousik of Nahele outfitters. Lots of animals, would use him again next time i goback.

Mitch Kendall
KAMLOOPS BC

All of my Hawaiian hunting has been self-guided, and I've posted about it several times. Do a search for the posts themselves, but here are a few key things off the top of my head:

1. Get your license online before you go, ideally now. People on the ground often have zero sense of urgency about helping you accomplish anything that has to do with hunting.
2. You must register your rifle with the police within 3 days of the time it arrives on the island, which can be several days after you arrive. The part of the police station that does this is open very limited hours, so check with them before your trip and plan accordingly.
3. Any violation of a hunting or firearm law is a felony.
4. You can only take one weapon into the field at a time.
5. You cannot have camping gear with you when you hunt.
6. Don't plan to start a hunt until you've been in the islands for 2-3 days--the airlines lose luggage all the time, especially if you fly through Honolulu instead of going direct. Going through San Francisco can be a lot smoother but there are no guarantees.
7. Concealed carry and high-cap magazines are illegal.
8. Hawaiian hunting favors light cartridges. It's uncommon to see anything bigger than a 30-06 over there. Ammo can be very hard to find, and when you do find it, it's all common calibers--22 LR, 12 gauge, 30-30, 30-06, 270, etc.

Let me know if you have other questions.


Okie John

Been to the Big Island 3 times. Though I didn't hunt I saw alot of goats around and I thought it would be a fun hunt. The golf course at Mona Kea has goats as well as Wild turkeys . There is also the Kehola game mgt area on a the road from Waimea to Hilo . Saw lots of game birds there so a shotgun might be fun too. Actually saw goats in there so you might research do it yourself hunts there. In reality though an outfitter that has a loaner rifle would be the easiest route. I didn't see any goats that were bigger than a avg deer so a 243 would be plenty of rifle As to outfitters I did see the Parke Ranch offers hunting out of Waimea for goats and hogs.

Dang all them rules sounds like a liberal anti gun utopia... Ugh.

Chris F from here might have some info too.

I have not hunted the Big Island, but did use Hawaiian Safaris for a hunt on Molokai. Very professional and good to go. I know Patrick has sheep and goat hunts on Hawaii itself.

Hunted the Big Island for hogs with Hawaii Safaris. Lots of fun, I'll fill you with more details when we caht next week.

GRF

For the most part, it is. But the State also does a very good job of preserving the Hawaiian way of life, which includes making sure that subsistence hunting is a viable way of life for those who choose it. They manage a TON of wildlife in support of that. They're fine with visitors taking one or two animals, but they won't let you ruin things for subsistence hunters.

You also have to consider that a lot of folks act like idiots when they're on vacation. The Hawaiians tolerate a certain amount of misbehavior within 500m of a beach because it drives their economy, but they don't want it spreading any farther inland. The idea that you have to get on a plane and fly back there to deal with any court proceedings helps keep people on the straight and narrow.


Okie John

I've hunted Maui and the big island. Big island I hunted with Michael Vitousek of Nehale outfitters. Great dude, lots of critters an very reasonable. Both times I used the outfitters rifle, Michael had a SS Abolt 7 Mag, topped with a huskemaw scope. My hunting license I bought at Walmart in kona, think it was $100. I highly recommend it

I hunted hogs with Patrick Fishers outfit. The hunt was good an my son got a pig but it took over a year for the guide to finally send the meat to the states and when he did it was so heavily salted/smoked it was inedible. The coyotes wouldn't even eat it. I was beyond pissed. I was beyond patient waiting for the guide to finish the meat packing and send it. He just kept making excuses why he couldn't ship. I finally called him an a$$hole and called Patrick to finally get him to ship. The best from Patrick when I called is that would guide me himself if I ever went back. No thanks. Go elsewhere if you actually want to eat what you kill.

I think I have made a decision. Just have to convince the wife and pick a day.

Who didja pick?

Mike from Nehale.

Good choice, really cool dude. Youll have a great hunt