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Threat of Axis Deer on the Big Island
Out of the closet, but still not having a clue!

I would hope that hunters coming here (and living here) can respect that all game animals here are imported species & that they do have a detrimental effect on the native species. The game animals were brought here for hunters....it is then the hunters responsibility to respect the conservation measures to limit the game animals impact on the remaining remnants of the native species.

Axis deer were introduced by the government at the bequest of hunters, onto Maui early 1950's, by the 60's rancher community on this island realized that the introduction of the deer here would cost the ranchers heavily and organized to stop any introduction of the deer here. by the 1970's regulations on INTENTIONAL wildlife introduction were so onerous, that no one believed that the deer would be introduced here, and there was an abunant need for hunters to "control" the deer on Maui.... something they still haven't figured out how to do on Maui!

Who/what has stopped you from hunting them on Maui??? That island has way too many of them (since the hunters on Maui haven't a clue how to control them, a rancher there decided to bring them here for the illiegal trade of mouflan sheep, and hire Mr. Hauptman to fly them here....as has been covered, but I know they are your heros!)

The state and county of Maui (along with those hunters!) have been trying to control the deer, costing the agricultural sector millions of dollars every year... why can't you get off your high horse & get your jerky over on Maui?
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Hey how about introducing some Alaskan wolves to control the deer population? Wink jks
But they sure do decimate the deer population on an island real quick, and after that the pigs would go and then your family pets would start disappearing! See what happens when animal species are put where they don't belong?
islandgirl
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My "other place" folks keep goats in mountain lion country - when goats go missing out of their back yards (usually tied to a post) they organize a lion hunt (the local cops - usually get a nice trophy)

'never had this issue until they developed the 4 million dollar lots.....

I Imagine its the same way in Alaska - humans invading wolf habitat

Out here the issue (as is in the western us) overgrazing on federal land - again cattle imported as well - every cow expected to calf annually .... This poor (young) island soil takes a beating.

lets look beyond the deer and see how the land is currently being exploited is my perspective.
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Well, I just got back from the airport and my visits to Maui and Alaska were quite successful. Turns out I'm the proud new owner of property in Alaska and while I was in Maui I got a license to ship deer jerky all over the world. Gosh, why didn't I just follow all your wonderful advice from the get go!

Did I mention its great buying low quality food shipped in on a boat? I love eating that stuff.

Cheers

rainyjim
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Expect to buy even more as the deer make farming ever less profitable.
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Bump.....

Well we need a new plan, because the deer have moved up deep into the interior. After hiking Mauna Loa for weeks I feel it's not even remotely possible to eradicate. We need to look at other options. It's imperative that we act fast or we will be forced to deal with it! Exactly what brother Lokahi and all Maui residents are faced with.

This video is about a month old and was just posted to youtube. It is a must watch for anyone unsure about what we will be faced with in only a few short decades, probably less as I feel the deer numbers are very underestimated. Their trails above Pohala were heavily traveled and were not created by a few, more like a few hundred. I feel they are already established here.

From what I could tell, North Kohala is even worse. So I feel we surely have a large number of them on island. Running from up north all the way to the south. These animals are very illusive and the interior sections are thick and vast.

First 12 minutes are dedicated to other issues.
Please take the time to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P4bZAwjgqM&sns=em


Mahalo for any useful discussion! It's time for us to come together and find a solution. It's now or never!
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quote:
Originally posted by Big_Island

This video is about a month old and was just posted to youtube. It is a must watch for anyone unsure about what we will be faced with in only a few short decades, probably less as I feel the deer numbers are very underestimated. Their trails above Pohala were heavily traveled and were not created by a few, more like a few hundred. I feel they are already established here.
How are you sure they are deer trails? There are any, many pig and presumably goat trails as well. I wouldn't be surprised if there are mouflon too since they are in the upper part of Kau forest reserve (though they probably wouldn't cross the wet middle part) and all through Kahuku.

Likewise with North Kohala; it's questionable if they're there at all. There have only been a few reported sightings and I expect that those are of mouflon, which even some biologists have mistaken for deer. Females, without horns/antlers, do look somewhat similar, but don't have the spots that deer have (lambs sometimes do though, which makes it even more confusing).
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Not to worry I am sure the state will be back on the axis deer as soon as the slugs are under control..........

"The concern about the heavy infestation of slugs is that they may carry the parasite, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, or rat lungworm, which causes a disease that affects the human brain and spinal cord."

http://www.hawaii247.com/2012/11/27/chri...ith-pests/

meanwhile they seem to busy saving the xmas tree industry in favor of health concerns...........
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quote:
First 12 minutes are dedicated to other issues.
Please take the time to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P4bZAwjgqM&sns=em

Kinda interesting but the guy she was interviewing has a very hard time giving concise clear answers. Almost seemed like he didn't really want to answer the questions, as in secretive, or maybe he just doesn't know how to give a clear concise answer. He should be a politician.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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He struck me as intelligent and articulate but at the same time he seemed unhappy. I have to say my views are different than his in that I see no problem with large scale culling, or rather I don't see any special value in reverently using every bit of each animal. We have a recently introduced threat from a creature that has no place here and we can choose to do what it takes to defeat that threat or we can fool around. Ethical hunting is always the goal. In this case I consider it ethical to eradicate the deer even if you don't eat every one.
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