I got drawn for the "Mouflon Eradication Program" in the Volcano Nat. Parks.

Anyone done this?

They have been hunting it for a year or so, any sheep left?

Sorry I can't help, but I like the name of the hunt. "Mouflon Eradication Program" -- I like the sound of that.

Charles, I think I made that name up because I didn't know what to call it.

From The Hunting Report website

Another Chance For Lottery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Continuing subscribers will remember our report about the National Park Service purchasing 116,000-acre Kahuku Ranch on the Big Island of Hawaii 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 were living on borrowed time because of the Park Service’s policy to eliminate all non-indigenous species. Well, the service has now begun to remove the game by creating what it calls a Volunteer Ungulate Control Program. The program allows public hunters accompanied by Park Service staff to whack sheep and other feral species in the park.
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 next round of hunts will take place every other week beginning November 27, 2004. Would-be participants had to apply to a special lottery held by the Park Service last month. On learning of the lottery deadline last month, we issued an e-mail bulletin alerting E-mail Extra subscribers in time to apply.

There may still be another lottery, but that is not certain, as all of the current volunteers on the list have to have an opportunity to hunt before another one will be created. By that time, all of the sheep may have been removed from the park. You can keep up with events at the park by going to the web site or call Jon Faford. Suffice it to say, this “hunt†is not a good-news development. It marks the end of a wonderful free-range mouflon hunt that scores of Hunting Report subscribers have enjoyed over the years.

I bowhunted muflon with Eugene Yap on the Big Island back in the 80's. I had a lucky, lucky trip! I believe that I was the first commercial hunter he had and I had a SCI article published about it. It seems that the gene pool on Mauna Loa was the most pure in the world. There were some wonderful rams about then.

The sheep have been there over 100 years and it is a shame that the gov't has decided to eradicate them entirely.

The hunting is as rugged as Alaska, in lava riffs and cliffs that make you think you are in Alaska. Elevations are above 10K feet and it can get quite cold, especially at night.

Gene is in the phone book (Kona, I think?) and he could give you some tips or get you up the mountain.

I pulled a Mouflon tag on the island of Molokai when I was stationed out there. That year they took something like 575 sheep off the island. I don't know what to expect in Hawaii now. That was something like 1995.

Hawaii has some great hunting though. I did a lot of goat and hog hunting on Oahu. Always wanted to hunt birds on Maui, but never got it pulled off. There is something like 5 types of pheasants and a bunch of different francolin as well as turkeys there.

Mac

There should be many mouflon left on the property. At the rate of 600 or less taken on the two prevous cull hunts, the sheep will be there for many years to come. There is purportedly, several thousand mouflon and hybrids on the slopes of Mauna Loa and concentrated on the former Kahuku Ranch property. The purity of mouflon genetics has always been questionable as they interbreed readily with the feral sheep (Corsican). You can find varying degrees of hybrid in each herd. The least contaminated is on the Kahuku Ranch property. There has been talk of utilizing helicopters to effectively cull the animals.

I am unable to confirm whether this has already been done to some degree. Perhaps others can give better input.

With the sale of the Kahuku Ranch to the Park Service, Eugene Yap lost his commercial concession. He is guiding on other properties in Kona.

Geoff

Pure Mouflon, or watered down with Corsican and/or Black Hawaiian??

I have fond memories of Oahu! My Dad was stationed at Scofield and we hunted hogs many times.

My wife and I hunted with Gene there in '96 for her 40th, and had an awesome time. I spoke with Gene at tis past SCI convention, but he is retired now. This was one of the most fun hunts that was ever available, and to have hunted with Gene Yap was a great honor. Two types of lava, and both can be rough on you.

Geoff, Thanks for the info. That is what I was looking for, a guy on the ground who knows the situation.

Aloha Wendell,

You're most welcome. There is no "pure" mouflon on the Big Island. The Black Hawaiian is a coined handle for feral sheep exported to Texas game ranches. Over the many years the feral sheep have somewhat evolved to a darker color, brown with black face and also the contamination of mouflon genes. I have a hybrid mount hanging on the wall in front of me.
The horns are coal black with a dark charcoal grey face. The wool is milk chocolate brown. It has some mouflon genetics.

Nothing is very "pure" anymore. Heck, I'm even part Democrat.

Regards to all.

Geoff

Wendell, good luck and hope you have a good time on your "hunt".

It just galls me that the National Park Circus think that they have to eradicate "non-indigenous" species of game animals on lands that they acquire. They are the ones that are non-indigenous to that land.

My in-laws live part-time on the Big Island and I’ve made several hunts there. Making a self-guided hunt on a volcano in the Pacific is truly one of life’s great experiences, and I am a rich man for having done it a couple of times. I’ve followed the Kahuku Ranch hunt closely and have done a lot of research on it. I’d love to make it myself one day, so you have my congratulations and unabashed envy for being drawn. Unfortunately, the Kahuku hunt story is a fascinating and complex study in game management, but The Hunting Report’s omissions in telling it are significant.

I’ll try to fill in the gaps.

Once upon a time, all land in the Hawaiian Islands belonged to the King. Some changed hands when missionaries came in 1829, but much of it still belongs to the State. Huge tracts of that was let on cheap 99-year leases early in the 20th century, and many of them are now coming up for renewal. Rather than renew at 21st-century rates, many leaseholders are walking away. So technically, VNP bought the Kahuku, but history and politics kept the price artificially low.

So why did VNP want the Kahuku and why is it eradicating game? Endangered species. Hawaii is geographically isolated, so many of its plant and bird species exist nowhere else. Unchecked development and the introduction of non-native species, mostly hoofed mammals like goats, sheep and hogs, have put many of them on the Endangered Species list. Because of the mild weather, the mating season in Hawaii is 365 days long, and these ungulates have no predators. Plants that evolved without these ungulates die if an ungulate steps on them because they never evolved to recover from that type of damage. Hogs are a special problem. They wreck habitat in Hawaii just like they do everywhere else, but their wallows also provide a breeding ground for the mosquitos that carry avian malaria, which threatens rare Hawaiian birds.

Native species can’t evolve fast enough to survive, and some are now extinct. Much of the last remaining undamaged habitat is in VNP and the Kahuku, which abuts VNP’s western border. For decades the Kahuku was managed for trophy hunting, and ungulate numbers there are still climbing, so the Park wisely – in my opinion – uses hunting to reduce pressure and protect endangered species.

The Big Island is Paradise for hunters. The terrain is rugged and magnificent. The weather is splendid and there is game everywhere. You can hunt in your shirtsleeves in a lot of places, which I adore after enduring hypothermic elk seasons in the Pacific Northwest. Hawaiian gun and hunting laws are a drag and any violation is a felony, but if you play by the rules, you’ll be fine. And an elegant 270 like Jack O’Connor’s is all the gun you’ll ever need.

But Paradise still belongs to the Hawaiians. All the land belonged to the King, and it was his job to keep it in shape so the people could survive on it. Today the State manages Crown land with that in mind. It leases small rural plots to anyone who can prove some native ancestry for very little money, so there are many subsistence hunters. If anything, the State does this job too well and there’s too much game.

One of my first Hawaiian hunts was on a plantation near the Kahuku. Most of the land there is lava flow (remember, the “V†in VNP stands for VOLCANOES) and vegetation needs decades to take root because there is no real soil and other conditions are so harsh. The hunt was a great success. A nearby public area had so much game that the State encouraged nearly unlimited goat, sheep and hog hunting for years, so I planned what I thought would be a proper jungle hunt for 2005. But when I arrived, the area looked like an asphalt parking lot – the goats had eaten everything but a few of the biggest trees. The Game Department closed it to hunting and was busily snaring everything in the block, and it will be decades before that area rebounds.

In response, I put together a scratch sheep hunt (!) on Mauna Kea a few days later. State employees told me that they had culled sheep from a helicopter under a Federal court order to protect plant species there, but all they had done was to drive the sheep into cover and make them nocturnal. The few sheep I saw were skittish as hell and I didn’t get a shot, but that’s why they call it hunting and not shooting.

If I made my living hunting the Kahuku I’d manage it for big heads and plenty of game, but I’d hate to be the guy responsible for helping send unique species into extinction. Mr. Yap lost his concession when the Kahuku changed hands and that’s a raw deal, but it happens to outfitters all over the world every day and it’s a predictable occupational hazard.

What truly pisses me off is the tone The Hunting Report has taken while covering this issue over the last several years. First, the idea that hunting could eradicate ungulates from the Kahuku anytime soon is laughable to anyone who's ever seen the Big Island or hunted goats and sheep. It's just too darned big and rough. Control? Yes. Eradicate? No way. Second, here’s a golden opportunity to showcase hunting as a uniquely useful tool for conservation – by saving engangered species! But instead of helping ensure the future of hunting, they’re pissing and moaning that their subscribers won’t get to pay Africa-like day rates and trophy fees to hunt feral sheep and goats with Gene Yap.

Hunt the Kahuku hard, knowing that you’re helping preserve the unique natural heritage of one of the most incredible and beautiful places in the world. Take a lot of ammo, bust a lot of sheep and 20 years from now, take your grandkids back to see the bird species you helped save.

And leave your brass for the anthropologists to find a thousand years from now.


Okie John

Dang Okie, that was one information packed post. I copied it to my friend who drew with me.

Thanks a bunch.

Wendell,

Glad to help. I’ve posted here on Hawaiian hunting several times; a search of my posts would probably be useful.

Other stuff:
1. If you don’t have a Hawaiian hunting license, get one NOW. I always expect complications on the ground, but the online system is fast and reliable. Once you get it the first time, buying next year's license online is easy.

2. You have ONE DAY to hunt VNP, so you have no margin for error. Seriously consider arriving 2-3 days prior to your hunt, since baggage routinely gets into Kona late. I never plan to hunt until I’ve been on the island for a couple of days so I have time to sort things out. If you can’t do this, try to avoid Honolulu - go via Los Angeles or San Francisco instead. I’ve been to Kona eight or nine times, so call it 16-18 flights in/out. Only once did it go smoothly and every screwup was in Honolulu.

3. Gunshops are scarce and inventory is thin and expensive. Stick to common cartridges and loads. Rimfire, 223, 270, 30-06, 30-30 and 12-gauge are fairly common, but anything else is VERY rare. (The one time I asked about 338 and 375, the guy just kinda stared at me. A 30-06 is a cannon in Hawaii.) Belted magnum ammo is virtually non-existent unless you drive to Waimea, and the selection there is limited. Speaking of driving, Big Island roads are crowded, narrow, twisty, dangerous and usually under repair. Just because it looks close on the map doesn’t mean you can get there fast, especially in traffic, which is usually bad.

4. If you must use an exotic rifle, call Brian at Kona Reloads on the Mamalahoa Highway, 808-323-3314. See if you can ship ammo there and have it waiting for you. His hours are very limited and he’s a long way north of VNP, so again drive times are key. He once gave me a bunch of old military FMJ 7x57 ammo, so I always refer people to him. He's a good guy.

5. You can find small quantities of the most common ammo at Oshima Brother’s General Store about six miles south of Kailua-Kona. It’s worth the stop even if you don’t need ammo. I love that place.

6. This is a cull, not a sport hunt. Shots should be close. I understand that you’ll be asked to shoot everything in the herd and guides will put you close to make that easier. Use a shooting sling and brush up on rapid fire before you go.

7. If you know that only sheep or goats are on license, any deer rifle will do. They are feral barnyard stock, not monsters. If you might hunt cattle, I'd take a 30-06 that shoots cheap factory ammo well. It’s a bit light but it will work and you can probably get ammo if you need it. I’d use 180-gr. Partitions for a mixed-bag hunt. My stash in Kona contains only 180-gr. Trophy Bonded and 220-gr. Remington CoreLokt factory loads, but I mostly hunt hogs and feral cattle in thick cover.

8. You MUST register firearms with the police within three days of their arrival. (I say “their†arrival because they frequently arrive days after you do.) You’ll pass the Kona Police Station coming in from the airport. Call them at 808-326-4646 for details and hours. It’s limited and can be hard to get in, so the VNP guys may have local law enforcement helping on their end. Call them to find out for sure, but DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. Registration is good statewide, and you don’t have to tell the cops when you leave. Once it’s registered, you can take it in and out without re-registering. Registering was such a drag that I finally just left my best 30-06 and a bunch of ammo over there to maximize my vacation time. Best move I ever made.

9. Forget concealed carry. It’s completely illegal statewide. Also, possessing more than one legal hunting weapon in the game fields is illegal, so forget about backups.

10. As always, take your best binos and a spare scope. Ask the hunting staff about spotting scopes.

11. I wear lightweight leather work gloves. You’d be amazed how often you need both hands to stay balanced, and that lava is rough as hell.

12. Take a lunch about twice the size you normally eat and extra water.

13. Since you’ll only hunt VNP one day, you’ll have extra time. I’d stay in or near the park the night before and after the hunt. Then I’d move to a hotel in Kailua or Captain Cook and spend a day snorkeling at the City of Refuge and resting. Then I’d move north to a hotel in Waimea and hunt sheep on Mauna Kea for a day or two. (Call the Game Department in Hilo for details. If the area is open, send me a PM. I’ll tell you how I did it and what map sheets you’ll need.) You’ll be at 7-9,000 feet, so you’ll need more rest afterwards. I’d do that at Hapuna Beach State Park, consistently rated one of the best beaches in the world. Then clean your gear, pack up and hit the airport.

14. "Island time" is a reality. Try to enjoy it.

15. Don’t call 'em flip-flops. They’re “slippahs.â€


Okie John

Hi,

Okie John has given some excellent advise. But I can maybe add a little bit extra. I was born there and still have a great deal of familly there. I've hunting on the Big Island a fair bit, and I went on that Kahuku draw hunt last March. Some general things on that hunt:

Its a great experience. Beautiful countryside and a good time. Its mostly rolling hills with forest, so its not at all like the brutal but beautiful lava rock hunting on Mauna Kea that I had done before. I would second Okie's recomendation for taking a day or two for hunting up on Mauna Kea looking for pigs, goats and sheep. Its a wonderful and unique hunt.

Compare some photos:

Here is Kahuku:




Here is Mauna Kea:






Some other things:
The distance of the shots and you have to take your shot are all dependent on when in the season you take your hunt. If you're in the begining after a pause in the hunting I imagine you can get close shots. However, if it is later and after a great deal of hunters have recently been through it will be different. We went after several months of hunting and the mouflon were spooky. Our typical shots were at arround 160-250 meters. What surprised me is that even at those distance the mouflon would either see us and smell us in short order and starting running. We had to get into position and try and take steady shots off VERY quickly. I used my 30-06 bolt, with 180gr remington CLs with a 200 yard zero. Nothing fancy, but I knew I could find that ammo on the Big Island, and the mouflons don't require anything special.

When we did it the guides were nice and let us almost "trophy hunt" for the first few hours of the morning and let us have a crack at a ram each. After that we moved to more "culling" and then just shot everything we saw. It was one guide for two hunters, and there was another groups hunting the same day as us. Bring drinks and food and have a great time!

Do you keep the meat from a mouflon? Seems like it could be a problem in the warm climate. How many animals are killed in a typical hunt?

Thanks for the pictures. What a scenic setting for a hunt.

Thanks for the compliments Jason.

We salvages the meat from the hunt. We would quickly bone out the sheep and place them in plastic bags and leave them in the shade by a landmark. The guide would then radio the third guid (the roving guy) who would swing by and pick them up and put them in a cooler.

I'm not sure how many are typically killed each day. We were slowed down my partner and I had to share one rifle. But we still got 3 and 4 sheep each by the end of the day. I imagine if we each had rifles that would have been almost doubled, say 5-6 at the end of the day. Since each time there was an opportunity to shoot there were multiple sheep. The other group with us I believe had about 9 or 10 sheep by the end of the day. Also the guides will shoot by the end of the day so I guess anywhere from 10-40 sheep in a day. Thats just a guess.