HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0731.011 2010-2012 Pkoumat.
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testimony opposing Bill 261which is against aerial shooting of anithals
for Hawai'i County Council 8 AM Wednesday, June 6, 2012
by Cory Harden, Box 10265, Hilo, Hawai'i 96721 808-968-8965 rnhoinngrtac.npt.�, t
I respect responsible hunting, subsistence hunting, and traditional and cultural gathering rights. But I think
we need to keep aerial shooting as another tool in the box to control ungulates (grazing animals).
The U.S. Geological survey says "The unique native flora of the Hawaiian Islands, which evolved in the
absence of ungulates...is highly vulnerable to damage by trampling and browsing. Wild ungulates
introduced into Hawai'i in the past 150 years...have severely harmed the native flora...where non-
native...plant-eating animals...have been introduced...there is usually also an increase in the relative
abundance of invasive plants...Managing wild ungulates for sustained-yield public hunting is problematic,
because they are extremely difficlut to census, hunt, contain, and control in the remote and rugged
terrain of Hawai'i."
(Wild Sheep and Deer in Hawai'i—a Threat to Fragile Ecosystems, U.S. Geoogical Survey,
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, 2008]
Hunters may kill mostly males for trophy horns. This leaves more females than normal. Each remaining
male may mate with several females, so you get more babies than normal. For feral pigs, these
reproduce so fast that for a small fenced-off area, if you want 50% fewer pigs next year, you need to
remove 70% of pigs this year—and keep it up every year. This is also from the U.S. Geological Survey.
[summary for January 10, 2012 seminar by Steve Hess at DOFAW office, Nowelo St, Hilo]
Some say it's illegal for the state to do aerial shooting. But William Aila, chairman of the state DLNR
(Department of Land and Natural Resources) says it is legal.
[Aerial hunting ban proposed for Big Island, Hawai'i Tribune-Herald,May 23, 2012
Aerial shooting does not seem to be DLNR's first choice. A 2007 DLNR report, done with input from
hunters and people concerned about humaneness and protection of natural resources, recommends
considering control methods in this order:
15t - barriers like fencing
2nd - moving animals using one-way gates or animal drives
3d - public hunting
4th -trapping
5`h ground and aerial shooting by State workers, trap and shoot, and snares
(Technical Report No. 07-01, Review of Mehotds and Approach for Control of Non-Native
Ungualtes in Hawaii, March 1, 2007, State of Hawaii, DLNR, Division of Forestry and Wildlife,
http:/Mww.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/pubs/Unaulate%20Control%20Methods%20FINAL%20Mar%20
2007.pol
Hunters don't want carcasses left to rot after aerial shootings. So DLNR issued salvage permits after this
February's aerial shooting in palila critical habitat in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve.
Some say overflights for aerial shooting impact endangered animals.-Yes, but shooting overflights are
less frequent than air tours and military training, and help stop ungulate destruction of endangered
animals' food and habitat.
Some say factors other than ungulates impact native species--drought, feral cats, rats, pueo, avian
malaria, competition for food from non-native insects, research methods, and more. But ungulates are
probably the most destructive—after humans, of course.
Comm. 13
Ref. To.
Ref. Date JUN 0 6 agi
http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/hunting/MammalHuntingRegs Chap123.pdf
Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting/Summary STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES/Division of Forestry and Wildlife
HAWAII : Public Hunting Areas for Game Mammals
Chapter 123, Exhibit 12, Page 1 of 12
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