July 8, 2010 – Hawaii County

As the extreme drought continues on the Big Island of Hawaii, wild pigs are migrating onto private property in search of sustenance, and hunters are following close behind.

However, Hawaii County Police say hunting on private lands without the proper permission is illegal. 

This week, the police issued the following media release on the matter:

Police have received a rash of complaints about illegal hunting in West Hawai’i due to an abundance of wild pigs migrating onto private property because of dry weather conditions.

Both county police and enforcement officers for the Department of Land and Natural Resources have received complaints about hunters not obtaining permission from landowners to hunt on private property, using negligence when discharging a weapon in a residential area, harming or injuring pets and livestock, hunting without a license and hunting after sunset.

Community Police Officers from West Hawaii encourage community groups and hunting organizations to call them to arrange for disseminating information about safe and ethical hunting. They also would like to establish a list of trappers who would be willing to remove wild pigs from private properties on which landowners do not allow hunting. Interested persons may call Officers Robin Crusat or Darren Cho at 326-4646, ext. 259, or the Captain Cook police substation at 323-2591.

The links below provide information about various hunting and gun laws. Violators are subject to citations or arrest and prosecution.

• HRS 183d-21: Hunting License Required
• HRS 183D-26: Hunting on Private Lands Prohibited
• HRS 183D-27: Night Hunting on Private Lands prohibited
• HRS 134-2: Permits to acquire
• HRS 134-3: Registration Mandatory
• HRS 134-4: Ownership or Possession Prohibited
• HRS 134-10.5: Storage of Firearms; Responsibility with respect to minors
• HRS 134-23: Place to keep loaded firearms
• HRS 134-24: Place to keep unloaded firearms
• HRS 134-25: Place to keep pistol or revolver
• HRS 707-713: Reckless endangering in the first degree
• HRS 707-714: Reckless endangering in the second degree
• HRS 708-820: Criminal property damage in the first degree
• HRS 708-821: Criminal property damage in the second degree
• HRS 708-822: Criminal property damage in the third degree
• HRS 708-823: Criminal property damage in the fourth degree
• HRS 708-813: Criminal trespass in the first degree
• HRS 708-814: Criminal trespass in the second degree
• HRS 708-835.5: Theft of livestock
• HRS 183d-28: Hunter education program

Anyone interested in the Hunter Education Program may call 887-6050. Hunters interested in obtaining a paperback handbook from the Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Title 13, Chapter 123 Rules Regulating Game mammal Hunting, should call 974-4221 or 887-6063.

Police urge the public to report any illegal activities, illegal night hunting or suspicious persons or vehicles by calling the Police Department’s non-emergency number at 935-3311 or, in an emergency, 911.

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