Hawaii hunting: public hunting units on six islands, rules and maps
Hawaii's Division of Forestry and Wildlife runs 40 public hunting units on six islands, 934,392 acres in all, by the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program's hunting areas layer. Hawaii Island holds 73% of that land. Every unit has a page with DLNR's own rule for it: the game, means of take, bag limits, open periods and days.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: DLNR's exhibits of HAR 13-123 and 13-122 and its adaptive management changes. Land: Hawaii Statewide GIS Program.
Public hunting areaSafety zone or no hunting
Hawaii hunt plans are coming
Hunt plans for Hawaii are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free. Join the Hawaii list.
Which islands have public hunting, and how much?
| Island | Units | Acres | Share of the island | Game mammals (DLNR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauaʻi | 12 | 113,696 | 32% | feral pig, black-tailed deer (lottery) and feral goat |
| Oʻahu | 7 | 25,078 | 6% | feral pig and feral goat |
| Molokaʻi | 3 | 13,541 | 8% | feral pig, axis deer and feral goat |
| Lānaʻi | 2 | 33,004 | 36% | mouflon sheep (lottery) and axis deer (lottery) |
| Maui | 6 | 67,948 | 15% | feral pig, axis deer and feral goat |
| Hawaiʻi Island | 10 | 681,125 | 26% | feral pig, mouflon sheep, feral sheep, mouflon-feral hybrid sheep and feral goat |
Sources: Hawaii Statewide GIS Program, Hunting Areas; DLNR game mammal hunting. Lottery: tags or permits only by drawing in public areas.
Which rules has DLNR changed lately?
Since 2021 DLNR can change bag limits, seasons and gear rules by Land Board action for two years at a time. In force: Hawaii Island amendments from May 18, 2026 to May 18, 2028 (units A, D, E, F, G, I and K), and Maui changes of October 21, 2024 posted as valid for two years (units C, D and E). DLNR has proposed more for Hawaii Island and Oahu (notice) and Maui (notice).
Source: DLNR adaptive management notice, Hawaii Island, 2026; Maui, 2024; DLNR rules.
What do you need to hunt in Hawaii?
By DLNR's game mammal page: a Hawaii hunting license ($10 for residents, $95 for nonresidents), a current $10 Hawaii Wildlife Conservation Stamp, and proof of a hunter education course recognized by the National Hunter Education Association. Anyone who hunts or helps a hunter in a public hunting area must wear an exterior blaze orange garment. Some units need a permit, tag or lottery drawing on top: see DLNR game mammal hunting and DLNR's hunt applications.
Questions hunters ask
How much public hunting land does Hawaii have?
934,392 acres in 40 DOFAW public hunting units on six islands, by the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program's hunting areas layer; Hawaii Island has 681,125 of them.
What can you hunt in Hawaii?
Feral pigs and feral goats on five islands, mouflon and feral sheep on Hawaii Island, axis deer on Maui, Molokai and Lanai, black-tailed deer on Kauai by lottery, and game birds in season, by DLNR's game mammal page.
How much is a Hawaii hunting license?
$10 for residents and $95 for nonresidents, plus a $10 Hawaii Wildlife Conservation Stamp, by DLNR. A hunter education card recognized by the National Hunter Education Association is required.
Does Hawaii publish harvest by hunting unit?
No. DLNR does not post harvest counts by unit, so these pages carry its rules, the unit land and the 2025 Lanai axis deer lottery count it does publish.
Get a Hawaii hunt plan when they open
Hawaii plans are not open yet. They are coming soon. Join the waiting list; the first 50 hunters get one plan free.
Use the map while you wait for your plan.
Where these facts come from
- HAR 13-123, game mammals and HAR 13-122, game birds, with each island's exhibits; DLNR game mammal hunting.
- Hawaii Statewide GIS Program, Hunting Areas; U.S. Census Bureau.
FilledTag is not part of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
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