2019 06-25 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – June 25, 2019 MC: No I’m actually in training right now – I’m actually getting my license – don’t want to kill myself – don’t want to kill any animals out there – it’s a very tricky, tricky machine so I’m actually in the process of getting my license but I’m very, very lucky where I do have people helping me with knowledge on helicopters on how to move animals and stuff like that – so I’m very grateful for the help I’ve been getting. SM: How much acres you guys take care of you know when you put your animals in – how many acres is you guys doing at one time. MC: At one time – with the intensive grazing – like I mentioned we like to flood it so we’re fencing up – it depends on vegetation – height of vegetation – how much pounds of vegetation – we’ll fence off an acre to two acres and we’ll utilize anywhere from 150 to 250 animals in that acre to two acres. But that is with the intensive grazing. Now, like I mentioned, everything is fair game for them – Vienna sausage, steaks – they have to eat it all. But when we do the more sensitive ones – we’ll actually open up our paddocks – give them more room to work around so they don’t have to take out everything and we watch the numbers we put in – more sensitive spots we’re looking up fencing up also two acres – we’re putting in 50-70 head of sheep. SM: So the helicopter going be broader acreage. MC: We’re hoping to get projects off-island – anywhere thru the state cause we know – especially Oahu they do have some places that has forest fires every single year on these big hills so we’re actually looking at this helicopter to move the animals around the hills like that and to drop off the fencing so no vehicles has to go up there, well, actually vehicles can’t even make it up these areas so I think this is gonna be a real good arsenal for the type of work we do – as weird as it sounds – it just puts us up in the area and you don’t have people breaking plants and vegetation as you’re trying to chase animals or do other things with the animals. BKK: Is there any other questions form – you had a question? AA: So with the problem we get with Rapid Ohia Death what is your guys’ prevention about that? Because the dust stick to the hooves and then you gotta go and clean ‘em. So what’s you guys program with Rapid Ohia Death. MC: Rapid Ohia Death – is actually an airborne disease. AA: Not really. They’re saying it’s on the ground and it gets stuck to the hooves and then you \[unclear\] around too. That’s why you gotta scrub your feet, scrub your toes... 11