DLNR to hold 6-month trial for archers for pigs on Sleeping Giant

KAPAA — Pig hunting could be a reality on Nounou Mountain, also known as Sleeping Giant, as early as March, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The mountain is currently restricted to hunters, but DLNR is opening it up for a six-month hunt for bow hunting only. Archers will be allowed to hunt every day with a two pigs per hunter, per day limit.

Hunting will be regulated by the existing state hunting rules, such as the hours: from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset.

“The purpose of this is to control the population that’s coming down into neighborhoods,” said Sheri Mann of the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

Currently there are between 600 and 700 registered archery hunters on Kauai, according to Thomas Ka‘iakapu, DOFAW wildlife manager. The state isn’t capping the number of hunters for the Nounou Mountain trial hunt.

About 40 people attended Friday evening’s meeting at Kapaa Middle School. No one voiced opposition to lowering the pig population.

The interaction between hunters and hikers along the trail — popular with both tourists and locals alike — was a point of concern, however.

“There’s a lot of kids on that trail, families that go up there, and teenagers with their headphones in not paying attention,” said Leanne Dahlin. Dahlin lives in the Wailua Homesteads, across the street from one of the three trailheads leading to the top of the mountain.

She continued: “I’m all for hunting the pigs, they’re tearing up my yard, but there are a lot of people that use those trails.”

Hunters in the crowd pointed out state regulations — as well as rules and ethics taught at required hunters’ safety courses — prevent hunting on trails. The best pig hunting is usually away from the trails anyway, they said.

“I’ve hiked that mountain my whole life,” said Robert Cremer, Kapaa resident and Kauai representative on the state Hunting and Game Management Advisory Commission. “Hikers won’t be bothered unless they’re anti-hunting.”

He continued: “The sport archers need a place on the Eastside where they can hunt, plus it’s getting the pigs coming into your back yard. I think the archery will really help you guys as a community.”

The trial could be the beginning of more land opening up to bow hunting pigs, according to DOFAW, since Nounou Mountain is surrounded by state land that is also home to a feral pig population.

“We’ll have to reassess after six months and see,” Mann said. “That’s why the hunter’s checkboxes are so important. Those tell us how many animals were taken out and during what season, what time of day.”

Hunters checkboxes will be put at the three trailheads at the base of Nounou Mountain, where hunters can record their takes for each day.

The data will contribute to an understanding of how archery hunting is affecting the population and to eventual decision-making on what to do at the end of the six-month trial hunt. Hunters that want to be part of the six-month hunt must attend a meeting in the coming weeks where further details will be discussed and answers given to questions raised at the Friday meeting.

DOFAW representatives said they hadn’t yet set an exact time or date for the next meeting on the six-month Nounou Mountain trial hunt, but it would be sometime in late February or early March.

Those who attended Friday’s meeting were able to sign up for an email announcing the details of that meeting.

Anyone interested in attending should email Ka‘iakapu for more information at thomas.j. kaiakapu@hawaii.gov.