I've heard that the Big Island of Hawaii offers wild Vancouver Cattle hunts (so-called "poor man's buffalo"). These wild cattle were at one time responsible for hundreds of Islander deaths a year. In fact, John Parker, founder of Parker Ranch which spans just under 200,000 acres of land, first came to the island as a wild cattle hunter, contracted by King Kamehameha to reduce or eliminate the vicious animals which were decimating his subjects. In gratitude for a job well done, King Kam rewarded Parker with a huge land grant which is today's Parker Ranch.

I've been to the Big Island several times and read in all the brochures that wild Vancouver bull hunting is available on Parker and other ranches. According to the brochures, these bulls charge on sight, and hunts for them are not for the faint-hearted. What I've never seen, however, is how much one of these hunts costs, nor pictures of a successful hunt, nor talked to anyone who knew ANYTHING about the wild bovines. In other words, I've seen no proof that these animals still exist in huntable numbers.

Anybody know anyone, whose cousin knows someone, who has a friend, whose brother's wife's sister's husband actually hunted one of these animals? If so, I'd love to hear the details of the hunt.

Makes you wonder, nobody got back alive

I have never heard of this but it sound very interesting, PLEASE SOMEBODY, ANYBODY. Give us info and if possible a foto.

Wimpie

in 1989 I was over to vacation with the wife, we hunted wild hogs and cattle at Parker Ranch. These are typical domestic cattle that had gone wild then bred on th island.
My wife killed a bull with her 12 ga. 2 3/4" slug @ 50 yds as it stood broadside watching us. The cattle are very cautious and hard to hunt. While dangerous as our "land manager" told us the charge on sight is a bit of a myth. Though we were not charged in seeing about 15 bulls over 3 days, it is known to happen.BB

This is all I could find on Google. There is a number attached.

quote:

Vancouver Cattle hunts

PARKER RANCH offers BIG GAME HUNTING year round with variety of scenic hunting areas spanning approximately over 200,000 acres and ranging from sea level to 7000' elevation. There are many different hunting terrains and game species that include Polynesian boar, Spanish goat, Vancouver bulls and Axis deer. The upland game bird hunting season is October through February with 12 species of game birds including Kalij, blue and ring-neck pheasant, Erkels, black and gray francolin, Chukar partridge, Valley and Japanese quail, Rio Grande turkey, Sand grouse and Lace neck doves. The Spring Turkey Hunt runs from March 1st through April 15th. Meat handling and caping is included with hunts. Mounts can be arranged at your request. German shorthair and English pointers accompany upland game bird hunts. Beverages and snacks are supplied on all hunts. A hunter education card is required to purchase a Hawaii hunting license. A current license from any state may be used to purchase a Hawaii preserve license. For more information or reservations call Patrick C. Fisher at (808) 885-7311 or (808) 960-4148.

GAHUNTER,

I have never heard the story presented the way you relate it. The way I have heard it was a Captain Vancouver gave the king 5 head of longhorn cattle as a gift, they spread, went maverick & John Parker, who brought the first "modern" muzzle loading musket to Hawaii was given the task of shooting enough of them to supply salt beef for shipping resupply & mexican vaqueros were imported along with English breed bulls to cross breed the pure longhorn out & teach the locals how to rope & herd cattle.

I am not saying your version isn't so.. but the version I tell is the history as it is presented in Animal Husbandry classes.

Mike

Ibex,

Yes, I read the same version as you, except that the story I read claimed that King Kamehameha was under increasing pressure from his people to do something about the dangers presented by the cattle to travelers across the gap between Mona Loa and Mona Kea (saddle road), the main trade route between Hilo and the Wimaea. It was then that Parker, who was already there supplying meat to sailors, was hired to reduce the population, which he succeeded in doing effectively, at least along the main travel routes.

Like all historical accounts, there are probably 20 or 30 different versions of the story with each one having at least some small part based on fact.

Since first posting, an internet search revealed several bits of info: true Vancouver wild bulls are very rare these days, having been hunted to near extinction (most wild cattle being hunted now are more "modern" breeds gone feral); and wild bull hunts start around $1,500.

GAHUNTER,
You nailed that on the head. There are probably as many versions based around a grain of truth as is imaginable.

I would "wish" that there were wild nasties to hunt there though!

Mike

Mike,

There are feral Spanish fighting bulls available in the mountains in Peru.

jim

GAHunter:

Funny that you ask.

Back when I lived in Kaneohe (1987), I had a wild cow attack me at the pool of the Kona Hilton. She was fresh off the airplane from somewhere in Canada (maybe even Vancover??), soaking up the Big Island sun in her string bikini.
Unfortunately, she weighed about 250 pounds beyond gross. I guess I had drunk an extra Mai Tai or two and had gotten into her "zone of comfort". When I allowed that her bathing suit looked like a strand of wire "growed" into an oak tree, she charged. It was funny as hell until the next morning when the pain relief afforded by the alcohol wore off. Fat chicks can hit!

The general manager at the hotel offered me a better room if I'd stay away from the pool after that.

And, Leon, that's a no s--t story.

JudgeG,

Thin or thick wire? Did she have sand stuck to the wet bits?

Cheers,

Gerry

JudgeG,

Those Mai Tais will do it every time! You need to stick to your single malts, or better yet, Bourbon, to ensure that perfectly logical and true, but politically incorrect, thoughts remain in your head instead of being released into the atmosphere for all to enjoy.

Didn't you do a bit of hunting on the Big Island at one time?

I used to hunt Hawaii (the Big Island) with Gene Yap when he was still a pup. All my endevors were with a traditional bow and he got me on a whole truck load of pigs and several Mouflon rams. I wrote an article about the trips for the SCI magazine back in the late '80's or so.

Starting the morning off by black sand beaches and hunting at 13,000 feet an hour later was pretty cool. It was from rainy jungle to lunar landscape in the lava fields.. a real fine experience worth repeating.

Gene was still a school teacher then. He was a fine fellow and I rest assured that he is about the best, still.

Hunter Jim,
Thanks for the scoop, I did not know of the feral cattle in Peru.

JudgeG,
If the "tiny dancer" was suffering from Mai Tai madness is it still considered an "unprovoked charge" on sight?

Mike