2015-08-17 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 important to PTA. A hunting program that is sustainable, having the right resources, personnel to provide adequate management of the area. PTA is interested in hearing from the hunting community via their online survey. Visit PTAHunterSurvey.com. The survey ends in a few days. To date approximately 250 surveys completed and about a 100 not completed for one reason or another. However, one may go back and complete the survey before the deadline. SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) currently in draft form. It covers a wide range of aspects of PTA’s hunting program including the many different issues and aspects to include youth as well as our disabled hunters. Once completed, looking to the community to take ownership and help enforce the terms of the SOP. SPORTSMAN Program – to track and understand usage in certain training areas and hunting areas. This program has been a source of revenue at other installations within the Army – increase in permit fees. Hunting permits may be obtained online. Goal is to have this program in place in Fiscal Yr 2016. Paid for and run by the Army. In 2013 Biological Opinion to eradicate all feral ungulates from some of the fenced areas of PTA in order to preserve threatened, endangered species, plants and animals in that habitat. Last year an estimate 1,200 animals were eradicated some sheep and goat in the western area with the help of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. . PTA is still having problems in the western fenced units and some in the eastern training area 21 on the east side. Lt. Colonel Peterson would like to have involvement from the hunting community and have folks come out on selected weekends to help with that final eradication - looking at nine weekends in a row this fall. Lt. Col. Peterson sent an offer to host any club meetings at PTA, They have a building up there. It might be a point in between both sides of the island where we could meet and have a discussion on the issues surrounding the hunting community. Kenneth Raymond a volunteer with DLNR asked about eradication of ungulates in certain areas – is it in the fenced areas or outside of. PTA - The managed units are fenced in order to protect threatened and endangered species – plants. The biological opinion requires eradication of feral ungulates in only those fenced units. PTA - no other units, at this time will be fenced. 3