If you happen to be a fortunate landowner on the island of Maui, the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources has its checkbook ready and is ready to pay up.
As part of the evolving problem on Hawaii’s second largest island, residents there are turning their attention away from annoying tourists and concentrating instead on a group of locals they’d like to eradicate instead.
Wreaking havoc on grasslands meant to feed cattle, axis deer are now making their way into residential neighborhoods and more densely populated areas and doing much of the same.
With recent population estimates coming in at around 18,000, axis deer have been a problem on Maui for a number of years. With the goal of keeping the deer populations in the 20,000 range, state biologists count on 10% of the population being culled each year to help keep that number consistent.
While current population numbers remain a far cry from 2022 estimates, which pegged the axis deer population at roughly 60,000 animals, state officials remain vigilant about management to ensure numbers don’t swell again.
While many regulators and residents alike have floated the idea of eliminating every last axis deer from the island, the fact remains that the deer are delicious and attract the attention (and dollars) from hunters around the world.
Despite the damage done, axis deer hunting is big business and not one Hawaii wants to do without. So rather than eliminate the deer, its tender meat and hunting license dollars, the DLNR has instead sweetened the deal – at least for local landowners.
Maui landowners will be paid $50 per axis deer killed, so long as they can produce the animal’s tail. Officials are encouraging both hunters and landowners participating in the program to target female axis deer where possible to help further curb booming populations.
So while the rest of us remain out here on the grind, we’ll have to settle with breaking out our own checkbooks to pay our way into what would be a great hunt in one of America’s most picturesque locations.
