Anyone hunted axis deer out here? Stationed on Oahu and lookinng for any information or hunting buddies on other islands.
Im new to hunting in Hawaii myself
Based onthe research ive done, you'll need to go to Maui or Lana'i during deer season, potentially Moloka'i if you know someone. Ive been communicating with several people who lodge hunters on Lana'i, so best bet is to ask around and see if you can make connections with people who could accommodate your stay.
If you plan on bow hunting, be prepared for a challenge. All my bow hunter friends claim axis is one of the harder game animals to hunt, though not so bad for rifle hunting.
If you don't have a valid hunter-ed certificate from another state, you'll need to go through the local hunter-ed program to get one in Hawaii, which will allow you to eventually get a license And buy tags. They offer 2 courses: one is two (5) hour classes, the other is a hybrid of an online course and one five hour class. If you are active duty, I highly suggest taking the hybrid class as it is far more accommodating. Google gohunthawaii and visit the main site for more info.
Also, the classes tend to be booked out well in advance, so you'll likely need to do a walk in or standby. If you do elect to you stand by for a class, it is highly recommended that you show up between 3 and 3:30 p.m. on the day of the class and sign up as a standby. From here, it is highly recommended that you show up 1 hour to one and a half hours before the class and wait in line. Generally they are able to accommodate all standbys, but we almost had to cut several people during my class because they didn't have enough seats.